The ExeL Podcast

The sudden and tragic loss of Lou Walsh hit many people within the driver training industry very hard, none ,ore so of course than Lou's husband Blaine. Both Lou and Blaine, togtrher with Laura Morris, had been the architects of a totally new way of approaching driving instructor training and their Go Green course has proved extremely popular. As in everything, time moves on and so it has proved with Go Green. The team have certainly not rested on what they had already achieved and the whole Go Green programme has received a makeover with several new elements added very recently. Apart from the full Parts 1,2 and 3 training course there are now clourses available just concentrating on Part 3, a shorter Part3 rescue training course and one for ADIs looking to prepare for their Standards Check. And all of them are available on a monthly subscription as well as the option to pay for a lifetime membership. Take a look at their website or Facebook page for more information https://www.gogreendrivinginstructortraining.co.uk/

Neil is the author of 'Untwisting the Road to Success'. This book is designed to help you with either your Part 3 test or Standards Check. It is full of extremely helpful advice and supporting videos which you can access via QR codes in the text. Neil is a great advocate for CPD and, by his own admission, is a 'CPD junkie'. He is a member of the Institute of Master Tutors of Driving (IMTD). If anyone is interested in the IMTD CPD sessions then please email Neil at cpdevents@imtd.org.uk with the following information: Name, Email address, Postcode, Mobile number. The sessions are held on the first Sunday morning each month from 10-11. The next one is on April 7th. You can find more general information about the IMTD on their website https://imtd.org.uk/

San Harper is an internationally renowned authority on the subject of mindfulness. It is a great privilege to have her as a guest on the podcast. In this episode we just dip our toes into the ocean of mindfulness. For those of you who find this topic either useful or interesting - hopefully both! - you can take this further as San is the creator of her own website www.thecalmside.com as well as a Facebook group The Guild of Mindful Driver Trainers. She hosts regular online courses and more details can be found on her website. San is also an approved driving instructor (ADI) and so is uniquely placed to impart her knowledge and experience to driving instructors. There is a wealth of information within the episode. One reference San mentions is 'The Power of Now' by Eckhart Tolle which is available in hard copy and as an audio book. San is a regular contributor to the KIT MAG, a great FREE resource of CPD to the driving instructor community. Towards the end of the podcast San gives a tip to help with stressful situations S.T.O.P. You can read more about it here and in the links section: https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-mental-trick-you-can-use-to-get-through-any-stressful-situation

Lee is one part of Knowledgeablee Instructor Training, who with Mick Knowles, is a partner with this award winning training company. You can find out more about their training options at https://www.adikit.co.uk/

In this episode I chat with Stewart Lochrie the founder of Bright Coaching. This is a newly created training company aimed at driving instructors offering the only accredited qualification in coaching in the UK. The course specifically aims at exploring challenging and changing behaviours in drivers and explores driver psychology. To find out more visit the Bright Coaching web site. Bright Coaching works closely with The Honest Truth which was a very recent subject of my podcast when I spoke with Olly Tayler. Stewart speaks very stringly about the links between the two and how The Honest Truth complements the work of Bright Coaching. Stewart is a firm advocate of CPD and has recently completed a quailfication with Dr Lisa Dorn who is one the world's leading experts in driver behaviour. If you enjoy the show pleas give it a like - thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carrie passed her Part 3 just two days before we recorded this episode. She talks about her experience of the qualifying process and the pressure of having to go to a third attempt to pass her Part 3 test. She also tells of the reasons why she chose to become a driving instructor and the support materials that were used (Go Green). Modesty forbids me to say who her trainer was but maybe having to go to a third attempt isn't the greatest advert?! Anyway I am sure a lot of people will empathise with Carrie when it comes to the trials and tribulations of the whole qualifying process. I hope you enjoy this episode - if you do please give it a 'like'! . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join me as I chat with Olly Tayler, the face of The Honest Truth. We start off with our own tribute to Lou Walsh who tragically died suddenly in August. Olly and I first met many years ago at Westpoint on one of the legs of the relay so it was Lou who actually facilitated us getting to know each other. Olly has always been passionate about road safety from his days as a serving road traffic police officer. Now having retired from the force he is able to devote his time to road safety and particularly The Honest Truth. THT has undergone a complete re-vamp since Covid. It is now under the aegis of James Enan's First Car group and there is a brand new app and lots of other resources for ADIs. This is a must listen episode - who in the driver training industry isn't committed to road safety?! Visit The Honest Truth website to find out more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back in our Devon roots for this episode with Claire Hancock. Claire is a active member of her local RoSPA group and a passionate campaigner for raod safety and her connections to Vision Zero, The Honest Truth and Learn2Live. She also talks about her preference for being part of a team of instructors rather than going independent and we talk about the ways in which things have improved for women in the driving industry. And for those of you who have taught a son or daughter you will recognise th trials and tribulations of Claire teaching her daughter Ella! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was delighted to get Chris Allsopp on my podcast just before he and his partner Diane Hall came to Exeter to deliver their excellent 'Driving Test Nerves' course. Diane came on in Season 2 and talked about the content of their course and suggested then that I get Chris on to talk in more depth about the mental well-being (or not) of our young people after everything that has gone on over the last few years with Covid and the missing education years. He gives a passionate account of how generations in society have changed their behaviour which accounts very much for how young people (in general) are how they are now., Snowflakes? A word Chris dislikes with a passion and he tells us why. I just sat back and listened in the most part to someone who is a leader in his field and speaks with great authority. I hope you njoy listening to him as much as I did! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first episode of Season 3 Alison Harper gives some advice on how to utilise social media to maximum effect. She manages the social media for Knowledgable Instrucotr Training (KIT), The KIT Podcast, Xpert Driver Training, Diane Hall's L of a Way to Pass as well as Training Wheelz for myself and Christie. In this episode we only really scratch the surface of this topic. Alison is a regular monthly contributor to the KIT Podcast and you can. find out lots more there. Find out more on her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/alisonharpersocialmediaconsultant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following on from the previous episode with two trainees talking about their training, I realised that they are not really aware of the range of resources that are available. Phil Cowley very kindly agreed to join me to discuss a whole range of resources and I think we have covered a large peroportion of the most popular or most well-known of these. The list is by no means exhaustive but we did include the following in the podcast; Lou and Blaine Walsh https://www.gogreendrivinginstructortraining.co.uk/ Diane Hall https://www.lofaway2pass.com/product/driving-test-nerves-specialist-workshop/ Bob Morton https://clientcentredlearning.co.uk/ Chris Bensted https://www.theorytestexplained.co.uk/ Terry Cook https://www.theinstructorpodcast.com/ Mick Knowles https://www.adikit.co.uk/podcast/ Kev and Tracey Field https://www.confidentdrivers.co.uk/the-driving-confidence-podcast Mindnode https://www.mindnode.com/ Canva https://www.canva.com/online-whiteboard/ Fionadrive https://fionadrive.com/ The Honest Truth https://thehonesttruth.co.uk/ Who'In The Driving Seat https://gedandclaire.com/driving-instructor-book/ I am sure I have missed some out so go Google anything I have forgotten and if you can't find it let me as I'm sure I can find someone who does know! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We finally got there! After a blip on the first recording when one of my interviewees disappeared for the last 15 minutes they both very kindly agreed to come back and re-record the last part. Vicky Bourne and Vicky Henwood are training with me. The purpose of this is not to push our driver training but is designed to give an insight into what is involved in the training. They have both come to us from different directions - one Vicky has been an ADI (briefly) many years ago and the other decided to pursue this after being made redundant from her previous job. One (Vicky B) is not on a trainee licence (for reasons she explains) while the other (Vicky H) is about to go on a trainee licence the week after this recording is published. We talk about the highs and lows, what I could have done better and the relative merits of leasing or buying a car. The over-riding message to me in all of this is to do your research and, even if you know you made the wrong decision, change it before it is too late! Training with both of them has never been anything other than very enjoyable, even to the point of anarchy at times - including losing Vicky B on the first attempt and her wandering around the garage she and her husband own to find decent coverage! The Go Green training materials referred to in the episode can be found here: https://www.gogreendrivinginstructortraining.co.uk/ If you find the episode interesting please give a 'like' on our facebook page - or, even better, leave a comment or review. Thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Total Drive is so much more than just a diary for your lessons. It is a complete pupil management system designed to free you from pen and paper. For those not convinced then come and listen to Ross Kernick, one of the partners at Total Drive and find out just what it can do for you and your learners. At Training Wheelz we have been using it for over 4 years and it saves us so much time. Ross talks about how the system came into being from its origins as an app for hair salons and GPs and how Covid made them re-assess where it was going and started focussing much more of the driver training industry. But rather than me tell you about come and listen to this episode! And you get a FREE 30 day trial so what have you got to lose?! You can find out much more at https://totaldrive.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to the ultimate instructor podcaster! Terry Cook is the host and creator of The Instructor Podcast. He has grown and developed this into one of the most comprehensive sources of CPD available to driving instructors. It was a delight to have him as my guest and to hear his views on the role of a podcast for driving in structors - but also how he has diversified with a wealth of interviewees from a range of different perspectives. Once you have listened to him I am sure you will want to look more into The Instructor Podcast and the range of material that is on offer there. I should admit that, around 15 minutes and 30 seconds there was an embarrassing hitch when I realised that I had accidentally switched off recording! What great timing when you have one of the best instructor podcasters! Anyway, by some strange quick, the hiatus does not appear anywhere near as bad as I thought it would and if I hand't admitted to this you probably wouldn't notice? Terry was very gracious and we re-recorded that section and it (almost) appears seamless on here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whilst the emphasis of this podcast is intended initially for the driving instructor community, this episode undoubtedly has an appeal well beyond this. If you know anyone with a phobia, high anxiety or just generally stressed I strongly recommend listening to Janie! Do you have a learner with high anxiety levels? Maybe something in their past is really blocking their progress? Are you an ADI or PDI heading for your Standards Check or Part 3, especially if you are on your last attempt and feeling the pressure? If so I fully recommend you listen to the wonderful Janie Whittemore and find out more about Reiki and Havening® and how these can help you. Janie has a voice that I could listen to for hours! If this episode sparks and interest then you can find out more about what Janie can offer you by going to her website. Her Havening® page has an excellent short video demonstrating the technique and how it can help you. Why not get in touch with her for an initial, no obligation, free consultation? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Bensted is the epitome of someone who has a thirst for knowledge and self-improvement. He has a passion for giving other ADIs the opportunities to gain knowledge and experience to help them also become better at their work. Preparation for the theory test is something many of us leave to our learners with little meaningful input. `This means those who really struggle with the language and prose used in the questions can find it extremely difficult to pass and take multiple attempts in order to do so. Chris has established Theory Test Explained to help those who have an issue with the theory test. He, along with his business partner Ian Brett, is also responsible for the Driving Instructor and Trainers Collective. This link will take you to a video clip where Chris explains the rationale of the DITC . There is a wealth of resources within the DITC web site - it is well worth a visit - and for only £6 a month to become a member it is a steal for the wealth of information it contains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mick Knowles is the author of the KIT Podcast (https://pod.co/kit-podcast) and, together with Lee Jowett, they produce the KIT Mag (https://www.facebook.com/groups/694453705007069/). KIT stands for Knowledgeablee Instructor Training - no, that's not a spelling mistake, it is a combination of parts Mick and Lee's names. KIT Instructor Training holds Standards Check training sessions around the country and within the KIT Podcast and KIT Mag there is a wealth of FREE CPD. Mick is also the owner of Xpert Driver Training in North Yorkshire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diane Hall and Chris Allsopp from 'L Of A Way 2 Pass' are coming to Devon in October with their fabulous Driving Test Nerves Specialist workshop. The workshop will help you understand how your learners are thinking, why they act the way they do - and some strategies to deal with this. The course helps you to become the 'go to' specialist, giving you techniques to combat anxiety when driving, driving test nerves (for learners AND ADIs and PDIs for their Standards Check or Part 3 test). And, of course, the 10 second tapping technique to prevent getting lefts and rights mixed up! This link will take you to the workshops, including the ones in Exeter and Cornwall: www.testbuddy.app/instructor. It also gives you an insight into the course content and all the other relevant stuff Diane and Chris have to offer. This next link takes you to the Tappy Hand Dance! https://youtu.be/xk9RiKHP0nw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In order to qualify as an approved driving instructor (ADI) we all need to pass a driving test at a higher standard than a learner test. But how many of us take a further advanced driving test to ensure our driving is still at the highest standard possible? I talk with two members of the Exeter and East Devon Advanced Drivers and Riders RoSPA group about the demands of the RoSPA advanced driving test. Ian Pruce is the group's membership secretary and Jo Gifford is a committee member who is keen to see more women involved in the group. As well as discussing the merits and demands of advanced driving we also talk about the acvtivities of the group. Anyone interested in finding out more can contact Ian at secretary@exeteradvanceddrivers.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I talk with two of my own past learners about their experience learning to drive. Georgia came to Devon from her home in Kent to take a job at a local hotel having taken lessons with an instructor at home. Georgia's lessons were interrupted by the last of the Covid lock downs but she passed at the first attempt on the second day of tests resuming in April 2021. Abbey lives a stones throw from my house and started lessons with me at the ripe old age of 28 (!). She explains why she left it so long after having had a try 10 years earlier. Abbey was extremely nervous but was determined to get her full licence which she achieved in September 2022. With both of them I finish by discussing what they have done post-test. In Georgia's case there hasn't been a lot of driving due to the wonderful opportunity she has given herself working on yachts in some exotic places whilst Abbey tells me of some of the journeys she is now doin g alone, something that she could only dream of before. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.