A campaign to find cadet leaders is underway in Cambridgeshire, as waiting lists of young people wanting to join the programme reaches two years. Would you be willing to volunteer to help young people in this rewarding role?
The campaign follows the merger of seven to three cadet units across the county, due to a shortage of leaders.
This has led to some young people having to travel a greater distance and time to attend their closest session and Volunteer Police Cadet Administrator Alison Wicking has said that this is not sustainable in the long term.
She added that they should be operating in a wide geographic area across the county, so that the programme is accessible to all.
“For many of our young people, the cadet sessions are a safe space,” Alison explained.
“In some cases, cadet sessions help to refocus our young people – especially if they are from vulnerable backgrounds. We pride ourselves on being part of the transformation before it’s too late. Without cadets, their story could be very different.”
The current waiting list for young people to join the cadets in Cambridgeshire is two years.
“We can’t offer many young people a place at the moment because we simply don’t have the cadet leaders,” Alison said.
“And the stark reality is that waiting lists will continue to grow, my biggest concern, is that we are not able to reach the young people who we know would really benefit from our early intervention.
The shortage is not unique to Cambridgeshire, Alison explains. In fact, this is a national crisis.
Alison is working hard to recruit more cadet leaders by breaking down some of the barriers she feels are getting in the way.
“I think there are many reasons why we are struggling to recruit cadet leaders,” she continued.
“First of all – lives, jobs, they are already busy enough – it’s difficult for people to find the time to volunteer. And secondly, the recruitment process requires people to be vetted again, which can take time. This puts people off.”
Alison said that in some cases, potential volunteers seem ‘eager and keen’ at first but are then put off due to the prolonged vetting process taking weeks, or even months. However, whilst it can be frustrating, it is absolutely vital that we do these checks in order to ensure that we are getting the people to work within our youth organisation. “I urge prospective Leaders not to be put off by the checks”
As a minimum, cadet leaders are required to volunteer two hours a week and attend six parade nights a term. Any additional time given is a bonus.
When asked why people should consider volunteering, Alison said: “For some young people, the cadet scheme is their only consistency. Cadets can help to give them the skills they need to grow in confidence, helping to build them a brighter future.
“For some, these are aspiring police officers and being a cadet gives them a chance to see more about the world of policing. Cadets is a fantastic stepping stone for them.”
The only criteria required for those wanting to become a cadet leader is that they have an interest in young people and unlocking their potential, looking to enhance their own leadership skills, looking for a rewarding role and have been a UK resident for three years.
Alison has launched regular informal Teams sessions for anyone interested in hearing more about becoming a cadet leader.
The next Teams session is Tuesday 29 April at 6pm.
For more information on becoming a cadet leader or to join the next Teams session, members should email: cadets@cambspolice.uk