Getting out and about

Getting out and about in your local community is important for young people who want to become more independent. This gives you the freedom to go meet up with friends and do things on your own without your parent carers.

Some young people may struggle to go out and about by themselves and need support from others. The accessible toilets and changing places and making nature more accessible pages may help you find options to be more independent when going out and about in your local community.

Inclusion traffic lights

National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) encourages you to think about the places you go and the people you connect with. Sometimes you need specialist support but that does not mean you should find yourself excluded from the opportunities others benefit from.

They identify different types of community inclusion engagement as traffic lights:

• Red – being a community group that are set in a specialist location with only other individuals with the same type of needs or disability as you. For example: a youth club provided by the specialist school for students at that school exclusively.
• Amber – being a community group that has been set up in a community location and is exclusively for a set group. For example: a bowling group that is only for young people with SEND.
• Green – a community group for the general public that can make adaptions for people with SEND. For example: a local circuits class for all members of the general public to attend that has made adaptions for young people with SEND.

Explore, with your family or friends, your local community. Each location will have different opportunities. Do not forget to look at our Events Calendar as well.  You should try to access a balance of traffic light activities, with an aim to become Greener. Where do you currently access, and where could you go to increase Amber and incorporate a green activity?

Don’t forget you can record the activities you like to do and how you get there in My Important Stuff so you have to hand the information you need.