College boss devises swap shop to help hard-up students meet the cost of travel
It can cost up to £700 a year for students to travel to and from college
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Your support makes all the difference.College boss Martin Doel is pledging to give up his bus pass to help an impoverished teenager meet the cost of travelling to college. Mr Doel, the chief executive of the Association of Colleges, is 58, so will qualify for his free bus pass in two years' time.
He made the pledge as evidence emerged that thousands of young people from hard-up colleges were quitting courses or apprenticeships because they could not meet the cost of travel.
The scrapping of educational maintenance allowances of up to £30, coupled with the axing of subsidies to local bus services, means that it can cost up to £700 year for students to travel to and fro.
The AoC is planning to make it an election issue to encourage bus pass swaps between the country's wealthier senior citizens and disadvantaged students.
Of course, were Mr Doel just to hand his pass over to a teenager, the chances are it could cause trouble for the young person concerned as he or she would not be entitled to use it. They could end up in the clink.
However, the AoC believes it should be possible to negotiate some kind of a scheme with the Government where swaps could be agreed.
"I don't yet know how we will operate the transfer of free bus services from older people to younger students but, in the 21st century, with use of social media and rapid dissemination of good ideas, I am sure that there is some way this could be effectively managed from the bottom up – even if the Government weren't supportive or quick to act," says Doel.
"I am willing today to commit my senior citizen pass when I get it to help young people access the education they need and deserve."
Of course, it could open the floodgates to good ideas – if a suitable scheme cannot be arranged, why not give an impoverished teenager a lift to college instead (if a suitable car parking space can be arranged).
Alternatively, the wealthier pensioners could pass on their £200 winter heating allowances to help pay for travel.
Surely if there's a will there's a way?
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