MBE given to Julia Malkin for special needs services – photos now available!!

31/12/2010 — exceldia

Nearly a year after ‘Autistic Driving School’ was filmed, Julia Malkin received an MBE in the 2011 New Year Honours List for her services to people with special needs.

The MBE stands for ‘Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire,’ and Julia was one of 606 recipients of this honour in the New Year 2011 list.

The Investiture took place on Tuesday, 1st March 2011.  Pictured is Julia with The Queen in the Ballroom at Buckingham Palace, just after being Invested into Membership of the Order.

The MBE was reported in the Leicester Mercury on 31st December 2010  - click on the link to read it!

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Unsung-heroes-join-stars-honoured-Queen/article-3052739-detail/article.html

You can also see details on page 7 of a Leicestershire magazine, at http://idocs.blaby.gov.uk/external/news-information/contact/contact-issue-07-spring.pdf

Details were also in the Despatch e-zine for driving instructors, at http://resources.govdelivery.com/resources/UKDSA/dsa_despatch_february2011.pdf – on page 5, or click on ‘Spotlight’ at top of page.

The MBE is the greatest achievement yet for Julia and Excel Academy.

Let this MBE stand as proof of evidence that people with autism can succeed, regardless of the odds against them, and also let this be an example to the world in general so people will not write us off!!

On receipt of the MBE, 1st March 2011, 12.30pm.

Posted in Awards, Events, Media, Qualifications. Tags: . 2 Comments »

Revolutions Plus – the latest challenge for driving instructors!

26/08/2010 — exceldia

Could you control a pupil having a full-blown panic attack behind the wheel of your car if you were in fast-moving traffic and there’s nowhere to pull over?  How can you tell if an autistic person has the capability to become a successful driver?  ’Revolutions Plus’ is the sequel to ‘Revolutions’ – a course which takes you further!

Autistic Driving SchoolThe original ‘Revolutions’ has increased in popularity and demand since sections from the course were shown on BBC3′s ‘Autistic Driving School.’  A sequel was never planned for this course – until instructors requested it!

Designed on demand from driving instructors, ‘Revolutions Plus’ is, like the original course, three days in length and costs £500 in Leicester – prices elsewhere vary – email for details!

This course goes further into the investigation of autism in relation to driving, teaching instructors how to assess potential pupils and their needs.  How many lessons will they need?  What must I be prepared for as an instructor?  These questions will be answered in ‘Revolutions Plus.’

It culminates in a true-to-life experience – the onset of a full-blown panic attack, behind the wheel of your car, in fast-moving traffic.

Are you ready for the challenge of ‘Revolutions Plus?’

Learn to assess how many lessons an autistic pupil will need – how to see the world through their eyes – how to control panic in a desperate on-road situation!  Only ‘Revolutions Plus’ provides this – and much more!

Interested in the challenge? Email for further details at excel-dia@tiscali.co.uk .

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Julia meets the ADI Registrar!

03/06/2010 — exceldia

On 18 May 2010, Julia was invited to the Driving Standards Agency’s Cardington area in Bedfordshire, where the driving examiners are trained.  She was invited by Charles Morton, the Registrar of Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs), who has a daughter with Asperger syndrome.

Charles Morton (far right) meets Julia Malkin.

Accompanied by Mac McDade, the director of  ‘Ideas4ADIs’ , a company designing products for instructors, and Barbara Trafford, head of the ADI Federation, Julia had a full tour of the training ground and examiner training areas.  She was presented with the ‘ADI Industry Achievement Award’ by Mac, the award’s sponsor, before taking a full tour of the site.  Charles, the registrar, is standing on the far right of the photo on the right.

Julia is presented with the Achievement Award by Mac McDade.

Charles was ‘very impressed’ with Julia’s ability and qualifications as the UK’s most qualified ADI.

Because his daughter Fiona has AS, he fully understood the condition and was able to appreciate the effort involved to succeed.

The day at Cardington included a bus tour and a meeting with Brian, the chief trainer.

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Excel on the Box!

15/04/2010 — exceldia
Autistic Driving School

Autistic Driving School

Julia will soon be in a BBC3 TV programme called  ‘Autistic Driving School’  to be broadcast as part of the ‘Living with Autism’ season starting Thursday 22nd April 2010.

For this show, Julia had to be filmed with two pupils she had never taught before – one from Birmingham and one from Wellingborough.  Both these pupils have  autism.

Filming involved long and tiring schedules including going to Nottingham to film a presentation on autism at Nottingham Trent University and also part of the ‘Revolutions’ course for driving instructors - including a live panic attack in a moving vehicle to test the control of another driving instructor!

This will be shown on BBC3 at the following times:

  • Thursday 29th April at 9.00pm
  • Thursday 29th April at 11.45pm
  • Sunday 2nd May at 9.00pm.

Watch the trailer fro the show at http://www.firecrackerfilms.com/broadcast/autistic-driving-school/

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