personally i disagree with this…firstly what happens when the money runs out…all recruitment stops/returns to the previous format?
there is a limited life to it.
second, and particularly for the CFAV, to use the quote “a volunteer is worth 10 press men” - would the potential CFAVs be candidates because they are right or because they didn’t say “no” to someone asking them, who under any normal circumstances would never have considered them previously until a cash reward was offered?
i suspect the latter.
i know two friends who i think could get involved, but dont think they’d stick it out because of the commitment levels…if i was asked to find staff and get £50 back then i would certainly strongly consider asking them ignoring my previous reservations.
with the correct publicity and “education” of the public in who we are, what we do etc then the good name will spread and potential volunteers will want to get involved rather than never know who we are!
[quote=“talon” post=16600][quote=“bucketofinstantsunshine” post=16593]
I would then incentivise cadets to recruit their peers with small cash rewards. Any money left over I would incentivise CFAVs to recruit another for a cash reward too.
[/quote]
I would rather spend the money on decent kit. My unit actually has better kit than most, but there are many units nearby still issuing cadets with 58 pattern webbing and old 58 ponchos that are no longer waterproof.[/quote]
[quote=“talon” post=16600][quote=“bucketofinstantsunshine” post=16593]
I would then incentivise cadets to recruit their peers with small cash rewards. Any money left over I would incentivise CFAVs to recruit another for a cash reward too.
[/quote]
I would rather spend the money on decent kit. My unit actually has better kit than most, but there are many units nearby still issuing cadets with 58 pattern webbing and old 58 ponchos that are no longer waterproof.[/quote]Actually we’ve never been in a better state for kit, and MOD cadets branch has money to burn or things like cadet training vests and cadet patrol packs and brown boots are I am reliably informed are on the way too. I’m not convinced the money is wisely spent sometimes, but it is being spent, and in greater proportions than ever before.
Odd that it doesn’t seem to filter down to the ATC squadrons
[quote=“steve679” post=16602][quote=“bucketofinstantsunshine” post=16593]
I would then incentivise cadets to recruit their peers with small cash rewards. Any money left over I would incentivise CFAVs to recruit another for a cash reward too.
[/quote]
personally i disagree with this…firstly what happens when the money runs out…all recruitment stops/returns to the previous format?
there is a limited life to it.
second, and particularly for the CFAV, to use the quote “a volunteer is worth 10 press men” - would the potential CFAVs be candidates because they are right or because they didn’t say “no” to someone asking them, who under any normal circumstances would never have considered them previously until a cash reward was offered?
i suspect the latter.
i know two friends who i think could get involved, but dont think they’d stick it out because of the commitment levels…if i was asked to find staff and get £50 back then i would certainly strongly consider asking them ignoring my previous reservations.
with the correct publicity and “education” of the public in who we are, what we do etc then the good name will spread and potential volunteers will want to get involved rather than never know who we are![/quote]The cash incentive is a pretty common method of recruitment for many things nowadays. It is probably cheaper and more accurately targeted than any media campaigns which are hugely expensive (Army Reserve, anyone)
It can come in many forms too. I’ve got a 1000 golden lions in War Thunder for recruiting 3 people to the game. I’ll soon have that Me262.
Seriously though How about simple things like Arms chests for squadrons with a range…but no box for their weapons that are stored 100 miles away ?! Repairs for leaking substandard buildings?
[quote=“bucketofinstantsunshine” post=16607]The cash incentive is a pretty common method of recruitment for many things nowadays. It is probably cheaper and more accurately targeted than any media campaigns which are hugely expensive (Army Reserve, anyone)
It can come in many forms too. I’ve got a 1000 golden lions in War Thunder for recruiting 3 people to the game. I’ll soon have that Me262.[/quote]
i dont disagree that it works, but i feel for our organisation we are looking for a certain type or types) of people not just anyone off the street.
the example you give doesnt require to same desire or commitment as the role of a CFAV does…
[quote=“bucketofinstantsunshine” post=16606]Actually we’ve never been in a better state for kit, and MOD cadets branch has money to burn or things like cadet training vests and cadet patrol packs and brown boots are I am reliably informed are on the way too. I’m not convinced the money is wisely spent sometimes, but it is being spent, and in greater proportions than ever before.
[/quote]
I wouldn’t subject my cadets to the training vest unless I had no other choice. The only reason I keep some in stock is to make things easier when my whole detachment decides to put their name down for a camp. I remember when they did a national issue of assault vests and training vests, I was given 5. I wasn’t exactly thrilled given I had 25 cadets.
We shouldn’t be having to bribe adults or cadets to get others to join. I’d be pretty brassed off if I joined something only to find that the person encouraging me to had got something for it. It needs to be the other way round, you get something when you join. Which for staff doesn’t include “the runaround”, they give you that anyway because they [size=2]don’t[/size] care.
We need a stronger public identity, so publicity is essential, the problem is the suggested £1.5M wouldn’t go far in a national campaign and would be frittered away by those in our ivory towers. Better off giving to squadrons.
In terms of public identity having cadets in any form of DPM is an own goal.
The money we are talking about would even come close, though my ideas of what constitutes a “decent” flight simulator are probably far removed from whoever decided how to equip the RACs.
Llanbdr is rotting away, will need a major refurbishment or it will close very soon.
Windermere is compact, in the center of a town, no room to grow.
Central trianing similar to ATF, like the idea but doubt other cadets corps will take part or put money to it.
MOD AT qualifcations, most are not recognised by NGB’s, so according to ATC insurance schemes not covered. Most MOD units are now converting to NGB qualifications, as it make it easier to move into civvy street. We can currently take up any empty course slots, but dont get notification. Better communication would help.
PR equipment: the best bit of kit for recruitment are the climbing walls, but there is severe shrotage of qualified staff for public use. We need something big and easy to put up/move and 4-5 able staff to support it. But what could we get?
PR recruitment TV campaign: doubt it would work for all the reasons given.
Social media should be a good contact to cadets. But who would run it, no one at HQAC would have the time currently so more resourses on a temp basis?
We’ve said before that cadets get lots out of the organisation. So why not contact every cadets that has left (greater than 5 years ago) and ask them to give up 2 years to assist. Maybe write it into a leaving covenant? This would mean they have sorted some of there life and be ~23-26. As an initial trauch we may get lots and over the years a steady stream. But we leave them alone for 2-3 years, dont send a letter every year.
Not the point. We could deliver military JSAT proficiency quals (as CCAT do, via distributed training) which would give cadets who join the armed forces a recognisable proficiency in a certain area qualification, e.g. SMF, WMF, WCF. The military won’t move completely to NGB quals because they can’t expect soldiers to pay the associated fees - that’s why they have their own internal system.
Also, reference please to saying that people are ‘not covered’ when MOD AT qualifications are used, as I think that’s balls, especially given ACATI 5 para 1b states they are acceptable.
The easiest route for getting people qualified is using local authorities and using the money to pay for them, as they will run more courses and be a lot more accessible than anything run by the ATC and or military.
As for the climbing walls they couldn’t have enough of them to make them really viable a bit like all of the kit they wasted money on. A sqn near to us were looking to use one, but they couldn’t get it when they wanted it and then it would have involved 200 miles of driving that would require the driver taking 2 days off work.
From my experience of courses run by the ATC, ACF and local authorities I know which ones I would choose. Every time. I’ll give you a clue - it’s not the local authority ones.
Our organisational courses are perfectly accessible and could be made more so by some true joint working.
[quote=“kfd” post=16655]
MOD AT qualifcations, most are not recognised by NGB’s, so according to ATC insurance schemes not covered. Most MOD units are now converting to NGB qualifications, as it make it easier to move into civvy street. We can currently take up any empty course slots, but dont get notification. Better communication would help.
quote]
My mistake, ATC do recognise MOD courses, but most other organisations dont. I worked with a local authority and non of the walking or kayak quals were accepted. I duplicated the kayak ones with NGB’s.
But it is there anything we could buy with £10m that would benifit the whole corp?