Background
Understanding the unique pressures faced by ADIs in the UK and globally, we at The Calm Side, led by our founder San Harper, an experienced ADI herself, recognised the need for specialised support in this field. San’s first hand experience with the high stress levels and constant vigilance required by instructors and pupils alike, inspired us to develop mindfulness courses and workshops tailored specifically to the driver training industry.
Objective
The primary goal was to equip ADIs with mindfulness techniques to manage stress, improve focus and enhance their instructional resources.
Solution
We developed an interactive online workshop series, focusing on:
Stress Management Techniques: Mindfulness practices tailored to reduce stress and anxiety common among learner drivers and instructors.
Concentration and Focus Training: Practices to enhance attention and presence, crucial for road safety and driving anxiety.
Mindful Communication Skills: Tools to improve communication with learners, fostering a more effective and empathetic teaching approach.
Flexible Online Format: Live Sessions complemented by recorded materials and digital resources for ongoing practice.
Implementation
We have conducted workshops and courses varying from two hours to 6 weeks and continuous access to supplementary materials.
Results
Post-workshop feedback and surveys revealed significant outcomes:
Ongoing practice: Majority of participants continue practicing mindfulness in their personal and professional lives.
Confidence Boost: Increased confidence in communicating mindfulness techniques to pupils.
Self-Awareness: Enhanced awareness of personal behaviours and their impacts.
Stress Management: Improved skills in managing nerves and stress in learners.
Calmness and Composure: Notable improvements in personal calmness and handling stressful situations.
Many ADIs highlighted the practicality of mindfulness in their daily routines, noting improvements in personal well-being and professional performance.
Conclusion
Our online mindfulness workshop, drawing from San Harper's personal insights as an ADI, successfully addressed the specific challenges faced by driving instructors. The program not only has the potential to enhance the mental well-being of the ADIs but also positively impact their teaching methods, contributing to favourable learning outcomes for their students. This case study demonstrates the versatility of mindfulness training and it’s applicability in diverse professional contexts.
"The mindfulness course is fantastic, but as with any course the content is only as good as the delivery.
Thankfully San Harper delivers with warmth, compassion and insight. Not only does San care about the course, but she also cares about the people on it."
- Terry Cook, ADI - Ilkley
“San has a great understanding of what mindfulness and compassion is and how to embody it and share it with others. Her training has helped motivate me to grow and develop my own practice, which has had definite lasting benefit in my resilience to difficult situations when out in the car training. I can also say what a difference it makes to my clients when I share both the concepts and practices of mindfulness with them. I've found no greater way to calm a learner down before test than to invite them to do a grounding meditation with me before hand. Thank you San for sharing what you know with other instructors like myself. It will no doubt benefit many, many instructors and their clients with whatever challenges they are facing, both in the car and in life”.
- Mark Coleman, ADI - Chepstow
