Help with becoming a instructor

[zig02]

Hi,
I have been thinking of becoming a national cycle instructor for while now and would like any advice on how i would start to go about it please.
I would be looking at part time or as when required really as i already work full time (on shifts by the way) and my reasons are to give something back to cycling,so things i would like to know are,would it be better to start as an assisant cyle trainer or go for the full instructor training (and would any one like one in the Forest of Dean or Gloucestershire area )CBR checks,Insurance,approaching schools,organizations etc etc

Thanks Craig

[Vorpal]

Have you looked at this? http://www.ctc.org.uk/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=5116

Also, check with your county council road safety group. Many of the councils sponsor Bikeability training for the schools, and are short of instructors. If you meet their criteria, they may pay or sponsor you to attend a course on the condition that you commit to delivering a minimum number of Bikeability courses at local schools.

You can also try these sites

http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/travel ... ining_Home
http://www.bikeability.org.uk
There is some sponsorship available through Bikeability, as well. See: http://www.bikeability.org.uk/professio ... saries.php

If you wish to try it out as an assisstant or volunteer before you commit, I would still recommend the same contacts. You will need a CRB check.

Best of luck. Let us know how it goes.

[Philip Benstead]

Depending your geographical location, in some place there is IMHO a over supply of instructors.

This means

there is not enough work to go round partictlary during the non summer months

it keeps the wage rates down, as result some of the instructor who have been employed have very little experance of riding a cycle, it shows


So before you become a instuctor, do check can you make a living out of it.

[zig02]

Hi again,thanks for the advice but not really looking to make a living out of it just looking at giving something back.
Anyway after sending a few emails to gloucestershire's Cycling Co-ordinator and receiving no reply and also sending one to gloucestershire's Road Safety Partnership of which they forwarded it to Gloucestershire's Cycling Co-ordinator i would appreciate any advice on how to get myself into the loop as such,

Cheers Craig

[Vorpal]

You could ask around a local cycling club or two, or try calling some local primary schools. The schools often offer some sort of bicycle training to students. Some use Bikeability, but others rely on volunteers.

You could also check the list of CTC instructors and contact others in your area http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4747

It's difficult to say what will be best for you because circumstances vary from one place to another.

Best of luck.

[Freeman1901]

I asked last year about training for a cycle instructor. The response i got from with the CTC was very much to the tune of "you need to pay for the training yourself"....

[Vorpal]

All of the people I know who had their courses paid for, it was either by a local authority (mostly county councils) or a company that provides training in schools.

[Si]

I asked last year about training for a cycle instructor. The response i got from with the CTC was very much to the tune of "you need to pay for the training yourself"....

Well, given that most people are going to make money out of it that seems pretty reasonable to me.