HCT Group making outstanding things happen
Sajni Shah, On Purpose London April 2017 Associate, writes about how her current placement HCT Group helps children with special education needs to get to and back from school.
“Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
Theodore Roosevelt
I joined the On Purpose Associate Programme in April this year and I’m currently on my first placement with HCT Group — a social enterprise that provides community transport.
A few weeks ago, I visited the Group’s depot in Bristol and had the privilege to witness, first hand the amazing work they do to help children with special education needs get to and back from school.
The day started off with the engineers preparing the vehicle to ensure that the special requirements of the particular group of children due to travel on the bus that day were met. The driver then checked the vehicle to make sure it was safe to be driven.
I was lucky enough to accompany the driver for the afternoon school run. We were among the first to drive through the school gates and soon enough the car park was filled with buses and taxis. We were greeted by the passenger assistant (PA) who is specially trained to accompany the children during their journeys to and from school.
School’s out. The parking lot gates have been closed before the school doors are opened as a safety precaution. Each child was brought individually to their respective buses by a teacher or teaching assistant. The PA personally greeted each child and led them to their seats, making them comfortable and tending to any special needs — like personal teddies. The teachers ensured that all the child’s bags/jumpers/sports kit were handed over to the PA and then said goodbye to the child. As the bus filled up, the driver and the PA worked brilliantly together to keep a watchful eye on each child on the bus as well as those that were coming on.
The last child to be brought onto the bus was one who gets agitated by being in enclosed spaces. The staff at the school, along with the PA, had worked this out and had decided to put him on last, after every other child in the entire school was on a bus and all the buses were ready to go. He would also be the first to be dropped home. As soon as he was safely sat down in the bus, the PA sat beside him and kept him talking and distracted as much as possible.
Once the driver closed the bus door, the school gates were opened and the buses departed one by one. The PA continued to watch each of the eight children during their journeys home and kept them comfortable and entertained — he even sang ‘Gangnam Style’ and the children absolutely loved it! As we got to their homes, parents or carers waited eagerly and came to the bus to receive each child. The PA guided the children out of the bus and the children said goodbye to the driver and the PA. The PA also ensured he handed over all their personal belongings to the parents. The round ended as the driver dropped off the PA and made his way back to the depot, raring to go again the next day.
It takes a special team who work with dedication, humour and determination to do this job with the precision and care it demands. I was stunned by what I saw that afternoon. The level of personal care and attention given by each of the teachers and teaching assistants, the passenger assistants on the buses and all the staff at HCT — and the passion with which they did their jobs — was truly inspiring to watch. I cannot imagine what the lives of these children would look like without access to services such as these and I salute everyone who is actively working to help. I got such a buzz from this visit! I’m so proud to be a part of the team at HCT and can’t wait to make a strong contribution to their purpose.
