Independent Travel Trainer

At Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), our Supported Travel Service plays a vital role in keeping communities across the county connected, independent and involved. Every day, a dedicated team of around 200 staff members supports the journeys and travel of approximately 10,000 residents, using a blend of more than 70 in-house fleet vehicles and over 800 contracted vehicles. The service arranges and delivers a wide range of safe, efficient and reliable travel solutions, including hometo-school and SEND transport, independent travel training, personal travel budgets, community and public transport schemes, and essential journeys for children’s and adults’ social care.

Our core commitment is to provide alternative, safe and efficient travel solutions that empower people of all ages to access education, care, and social opportunities. Placing residents and their communities at the heart of everything we do, we focus on enhancing access, enabling participation and improving quality of life. Safeguarding is central to our mission, with all journeys underpinned by robust assurance, professional training and a culture of dignity and respect. Through practical, community-centred solutions, our service ensures that Oxfordshire’s residents can travel confidently and safely, whatever their needs.

This is an exciting time to be joining the team as we shape and embed new ways of working to support high-quality supported travel services.

What You'll Do

Give young people the confidence to move forward - one journey at a time.

Imagine a job where every step you take helps a young person take one of their own. A job where you witness breakthroughs, celebrate milestones, and play a pivotal role in shaping someone’s independence for life. At Oxfordshire County Council, we’re searching for inspiring and dedicated Independent Travel Trainers to work alongside SEND children and young people across Oxfordshire - to help them build the courage, skills, and self-belief needed to travel safely and independently.

This is so much more than a training role; it’s your chance to genuinely empower young people, bring families closer together, and help create a more inclusive, confident, and connected Oxfordshire. You’ll see the difference you make, each and every day - as young people conquer anxieties, master new routes, and embrace independence with pride.

What you’ll do - your impact starts here

• Empower young people by guiding them in developing real-world travel skills—giving them the confidence to move forward independently.
• Design and deliver tailored learning programmes that reflect each person’s unique needs, strengths and aspirations.
• Work hand-in-hand with families, carers, education settings, and multi-agency teams to champion the life-changing benefits of independent travel.
• Provide hands-on support through journey planning, personalised risk assessments, and live ‘journey shadowing’ - celebrating every milestone along the way.
• Play an active part in the wider inclusion and SEND strategies, helping build a community where everyone can access education, employment, and social opportunities.

Through your efforts, young people will not only gain the practical skills to travel safely - road safety, use of public transport, time management—but also the self-assurance to embrace new opportunities beyond the journey itself.

You’ll work with a high level of autonomy, managing your own caseload, scheduling training, and adapting your approach to meet each young person’s needs. Recording progress, responding swiftly to safeguarding or logistical issues, and always putting the individual at the centre of your work, you’ll be at the heart of a supportive team striving for excellence and continuous improvement.

This is a uniquely rewarding opportunity for someone who thrives on human connection, believes in social inclusion, and is driven by making a real and lasting difference. Join us and help give Oxfordshire’s young people the confidence to move forward - one journey at a time.

Could this be you?

What You'll Bring

• Experience working with children and adults with Special Educational Needs and/or Disability.
• Experience of working with children and young adults in a formal setting. This will include the need to deal with and communicate with service users who have learning difficulties and complex special needs.
• Experience in conducting individual assessments and risk evaluations.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to engage with families, professionals, and young people.
• Ability to work independently, manage own caseload, and respond flexibly to changing circumstances.
• Experience designing training and learning events, as well as facilitation and delivery.
• Level 4 NVQ Qualification in Social Care, Health, Education, Children and Youth Work, Probation or Criminal Justice or significant equivalent experience.

What You Can Look Forward To

At OCC, you'll be part of a team that’s not only passionate about what we do, but also about how we do it. We foster a culture of inclusion, respect, and continuous improvement, and we’re proud to offer flexible working arrangements, professional development opportunities, and a strong sense of purpose in everything we do.

• Hybrid working – Flexibility is important to deliver the service and to suit individual lifestyles, we encourage discussion at interviews as we acknowledge there isn’t a one size fits all approach
• Culture of flexible working
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your growth
• Technology to support agile working – with unlimited access to Copilot for smarter productivity
• Employee Assistance Programme with health and wellbeing support
• Generous annual leave - up to 30 days plus bank holidays, and an option to 'buy' additional time off
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local Government Pension Scheme - employer contributions up to 19.9%
• Discounts - local and national offers for shopping and travel

Ready to Apply?

• If you are interested in this role, please submit your application via our careers site by 15 March 2026
• When applying, please upload a current CV along with a personal statement. Your statement should explain how your skills and experience match the role, referring to the key requirements in the job description.
• We encourage early applications and reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of suitable candidates are identified
• Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Candidates who are shortlisted will be invited to interview shortly thereafter, and we will communicate next steps as soon as possible.
• For informal enquiries or further information about the role, please contact Alexandra O’Hanlon, Head of Fleet and Transport Services on Propertyandassetsredesign@oxfordshire.gov.uk