Fareham-based charity Community First has strengthened its role in safe community transport by becoming one of only a few UK centres accredited to train minibus driver assessors.

The Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme (MiDAS) is the nationally recognised standard for minibus driver training, helping ensure safe, confident, and responsible driving. Community First has long been an established provider of MiDAS training, supporting drivers across the region. Now, with this new accreditation, the organisation can go a step further – training the trainers themselves.

Community First will equip Driver Assessors, the people responsible for teaching and assessing MiDAS drivers, with the skills to conduct on-road assessments, provide tailored driving tips and constructive feedback, carry out the necessary licence checks and ultimately determine whether candidates meet the criteria to pass and gain their MiDAS certification.

This work is vital to ensure that communities have a reliable, confident and safety-focused network of minibus drivers who help keep people connect to essential services and transport.

placeholder image — Community First minibus

Tim Houghton, Chief Executive Officer of Community First, said: “We’re proud to be one of a few centres in the UK to deliver this level of training. It means we can not only support local drivers directly but also train the trainers who will go on to make a real difference in their communities, keeping more people connected, safe and confident on the road.”

Noleen Lynch, Head of Training at the Community Transport Association (CTA), said: “Community First becoming a CTA Approved Training Centre is fantastic news for Hampshire and beyond. Expanding the number of centres able to deliver MiDAS driver assessor inductions and refreshers strengthens not only the community transport sector but also the many organisations that rely on MiDAS to ensure safe, legal, and comfortable journeys. We wish Community First every success and look forward to supporting them on this journey together.”

Community First offers three assessor training programmes which equip participants to deliver the MiDAS Standard, Accessible and Refresher courses to drivers. Standard is the core training needed to become a certified Driver Assessor for the standard MiDAS programme. MiDAS Accessible is additional training to certify drivers responsible for transporting disabled passengers and MiDAS Refresher is for anyone who wishes to renew their Driver Assessor training, which expires after two years.

MiDAS training is suitable for anyone who is required to drive a minibus as part of their role, including volunteers who drive for a community group or a paid driver working full time.

MiDAS training and Driver Assessor training is based at Leigh Park Centre, near Havant.

For more information, see https://www.cfirst.org.uk/training/midas/