Driving instructors who volunteer to be part of the engage driving scheme not only help us in our mission to reduce the number of collisions involving young people on our roads across Cheshire and Merseyside but they also enjoy many benefits themselves.

Here we talk to some of our engage Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) and ask them what they think of the engage scheme.

 


Jimmy Roberts

Jimmy Roberts is based in Huyton, Merseyside. He says: “When I first became a driving instructor my aim was to help people pass their driving test. Since being a member of engage I have realised that my goal is now to help my pupils drive safely for the rest of their lives. The engage scheme has helped me learn the difference between teaching and coaching. Learning these skills helped me tremendously towards earning a Grade A in my most recent Standards Check.

 


Kevin Birchall

Kevin Birchall, who runs his driving school on the Wirral, says: “I have found the training with Ian Edwards for the engage scheme to be very helpful. It has enabled me to teach my students subjects which I wouldn’t think of normally, in particular the effects of alcohol, drugs and tiredness. I also find coaching easier now which, helped me with the check test.”

 


Sam Jackson

Sam Jackson, an experienced ADI, said: “Although I am one of the newest members of the group, I am probably one of the longest serving ADI’s at the meetings and yet still, there are many things I have learned, taken on board and implemented in my teaching. For example, I find I am now drawing a lot more opinions from my students rather than directly telling them what to do, the training becomes more of a discussion and as a result they are not just learning the robotics of driving, but also developing an understanding and responsibility for long term road safety.

“I now realise how important the psychology of learning is, even though I have touched on this area many times in the past, I feel that engage has really helped me apply it. In addition, the useful facts and figures that are shared in our meetings are great to use as a reality check for when we don’t get it right as are the tragic stories of when it goes wrong.

“It has really raised the quality of my tuition and my pupils awareness even after all my years experience.”

 


Richard Gillmore

Richard Gillmore, who teaches across the Wirral, said: “I find the new engage modules a great structure to base my training around with my pupils when introducing the topics such as distraction and fatigue. The brief videos make a great learning tool and new drivers find it easy to adapt what we are talking about into their every day driving. The modules themselves are short and can easily be fitted into my normal lessons and the points raised during our discussions can then be continued whilst driving on the road, during the pupils lessons with an ADI.”

 


Wendy Platt

Wendy Platt, an instructor in Upton, Wirral, says: “I have found the training with Ian Edwards to be very helpful.. it has enabled me to teach my students subjects which I wouldn’t think of normally. In particular the effects of alcohol, drugs and tiredness. I also find coaching easier now which also helps with the check test.”

 


Find out more

You can find out more about the engage driving scheme, which operates across Cheshire and Merseyside, by clicking here. If you are an instructor interested in the scheme find out more here.