Instructor Recruitment, Training, CPD & Mentoring

Bikeability Near You

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Local Authority

Bikeability Scotland

Looking for Bikeability training in Scotland? Visit the Bikeability Scotland website.

Instructor Recruitment, Training, CPD & Mentoring

Procedures for instructor recruitment, training, continuing professional development and mentoring are crucial for the delivery, maintenance and long-term success of a high quality cycle training course that consistently meets the requirements of the National Standard.

Recruitment

As a scheme organiser you may recruit cycle instructors in a number of ways depending on the local circumstances.

Some organisations may recruit individuals on a casual contract as direct employees whereas others may recruit through an agency that would then be responsible for carrying out all the administration such as Criminal Records Bureau checks and obtaining references.

Our recruitment guidance documents are designed to help you develop your own recruitment policy and job description. The documents can be downloaded below:

Download Sample Recruitment Policy (1235)
Download Sample Job Description (1744)

Training and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Your instructors must be qualified to deliver National Standard training. If you wish to recruit employees who haven’t undertaken the training already then you will need to consider how the scheme’s induction and training programme helps them achieve this.

You may also wish to offer instructors the opportunity to attend a basic first aid course or a cycle maintenance course.

All employees should be part of a programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) where they are given the opportunity to improve and broaden their knowledge, skill and personal qualities. This is essential to maintain a high standard of cycle training in line with the National Standard and Bikeability’s overarching aims.

Download Sample Instructor Training Policy (1530)

Mentoring

An established mentoring process is key to supporting a CPD programme. This is where a more experienced cycle instructor has responsibility for overseeing the professional and personal development of an instructor, as well as ensuring they are providing training in line with the National Standard.

A good mentor should have the following skills:

Received mentor training
Be approachable, be able to listen to and empathise with new instructors
Understand the National Standards and their development
Have excellent communication and diplomacy skills

An instructor appraisal (mentoring session) should take place at least annually with an observation session followed by formal feedback and discussion. This should give the instructor an opportunity to ask for – and the mentor to suggest – any further training or different ways in which to take their role forward.

A possible policy for mentoring may be:

Hold at least one meeting a year for all instructors to attend which will provide the opportunity for them to meet and discuss issues with their fellow instructors and mentors
Have extra meetings when necessary
Minor information updates to be made by email or by post
Arrange a structured mentoring visit (at least one annually) to provide instructors with another opportunity to have an individual dialogue with their mentor

Download Sample Mentoring Guidance (1273)
Download Sample Mentoring Form (1676)