Some really good points there. There’s also the fact that our demographics have significantly changed as a nation since 1997. 1st gen immigrant kids are joining the ATC in large numbers but their parents are less likely to volunteer for many of the reasons you raise above: more likely to have a low paid job, work shifts etc. Also less likely to be interested in going through the onerous paperwork process we demand of volunteers
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Also more likely to have a language barrier.
nie rozumiem
2nd language on my unit is in fact Polish.
Snap.
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Topic drift but I’ve heard parents at pick up chatting away in Russian. It turns out none were Russians but from other parts of E Europe where they had been forced to learn it at school!
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Just to throw it in the mix since Covid you also have on top of that a lot more homeworking than was what was previously the case. In some ways this has helped in my situation instead of driving from work, rushing tea, getting changed and driving to cadets. I can use that 45 min-1 hour commute time to either turn up to the squadron earlier or do some cadet admin work from home first. Usually what I do is end up half way with turning up 30 minutes in advance but I can do Bader related admin and I am personally giving more time. Although agreed that the community spirit is no longer there
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I dont have acces to the videl could someone tell what happened. Would be very much appreciated
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A slight thread resurrection, but this now seems to be the most up-to-date view of planned activity changes for RAFAC. It’s clear HQ really do want to restrict the ability to deliver some activities that are, IMHO, key deliverables for us.
Yep - & still waiting on my polite challenge, where “Service Engagement” = “RAF engagement only.”
… They themselves suggest are “core”.
“Hey, we really want you to do these things, but are going to make it harder to organise and less appealing to attend. Please do them though.”
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Also, I’m not attending a virtual conference. There is no way that I’m giving up a day of work to sit at my computer for a “conference”. If I want to to watch an 8 hour stream of someone sounding off, there is Twitch or YouTube for that.
Cost vs value again. The information delivery is a pretty small part of the experience and benefit.
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Not forgetting, of course, that the way RAFAC is determined to run conferences and courses means you’d be sat at home, probably in your living room (for people who aren’t home workers) sat in uniform.
RAFAC really hasn’t got to grips with what remote working is meant to look like yet.
I wear a shirt in the office, but at home it’s jeans & hoodie. No reason it shouldn’t be the same with RAFAC.
As someone with a home office, it’s almost worse.
Those with children and no office? Family members vacuuming?
Escapism is another part of the volunteer experience that clearly isn’t appreciated. Events and activities are a bubble outside of the home that you can temporarily live in.
And if you want any amount of interaction, be prepared to put up with the multitude of problems and distractions that comes with online. Even HQAC couldn’t get sorted for decent lighting, cameras, and audio in December. CAC himself has attended conferences as a voice from the void.
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Our home office, is a desk in the corner of our kitchen/diner.
Great for my wife who works PT from home, because during those hours the kids are at school. Pain for me, as the family are normally home.
If it was a RAFAC conference at the weekend, I’d be in the bedroom, and most definitely not on camera…
For RAFAC, i got most issues resolved at conferences…not during the main briefings, but the coffee huddles in the corner. Meeting up with new people or old faces. The F2F element cant be ignored.
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Knowledge sharing, troubleshooting, and networking.
Its why i travel all over the world to train customers, teams is good but it doesnt match being in the room, feeling the vibe etc
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On the subject of conferences, bin off Wing Conferences and instead run Regional Staff Training Weekends. Host them at a station or other location suitable for accommodating everyone and put on workshops, keynote speeches and social activities.
Will never happen, but a guy can dream.
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Tell me more…
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Might be worth a look for close sqn’s if you can raise funds, or approach with a begging we are the RAFAC approach. I remember the days when we could visit Waddington and get this for free 
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There’s still a Vulcan at Waddington - might still be possible as part of an organised visit?
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