Can we be more inclusive?

We’re fortunate on that front, but aware we’re one of the few.

Also where I volunteered before, they put in a unisex accessible loo, in place of separate m/f ablutions. Yet the building itself was not wheelchair accessible.

Law of unintended consequences.

Yes we can but we also mustn’t look away from the fact is requested generally some big changes can be made - but there are a handful of people who think it can’t happen so don’t ask, then there is another handful who ask the wrong person and it goes no where.

For things such as Sanitary Bins - unlikely to get contracted but it’s recommended to use Shop - Binny™ Bin Disposable Sanitary Bins - poor coms in getting this out but was suggested in the Civillian Committee world. A cheap solution, a safe solution, and doesn’t require the building to be opened.

Of course we then go to what big differences can we make without even realising it - which is huge. Language we use, shorten sessions (most are still 45 minutes), publishing programs (camps and sqns), using technology, using fidget toys (not necessarily just on fight toys), using symbols as well as colours, being away of the impact textures can have on people, going away on courses that are available to us (if suitable) such as the Lvl 3 Teaching and Education - and not ignoring it because people have been around 30 years. Even in the last 5 years things have changed so much.

We are an inclusive organisation on a whole (there are always Sqns/individuals who are not - who do need sitting on) but absolutely we could be better- and that’s on all levels.

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That sanitary bin link is revolutionary. The only other issue is we don’t get traditional bin collections as we don’t pay for them :person_facepalming:.

Still going to buy some though!

The normal bins is something that absolutely needs to be sorted out! Our committee would happily pay something for a bin collection.

The sanitary bins need another push out, I think it was 2015 that it original came out through the Civ Com route as the “traditional” blue bins just weren’t feasible.

We started recruiting girls in 1980 and we are still talking about the provision of sanitary bins in units in 2023. Probably says a lot of the diversity (or lack of) in the senior leadership or the RAFAC.

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What’s the issue with the parachutes?

Separately, sometimes there are opportunities for cadets to do more but the assumption is that they can’t. I’m aware that there was a cadet with no fingers on one hand who’d been told he’d never fly by his wing and sqn. He was clocked by a FSC in the wing, the FSC followed it up and long story short, the cadet went gliding.

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Even better, rather than sqns buy individually at a greater cost, wgs should bulk-buy & distribute.

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The contract to supply parachutes doesn’t include parachutes small enough for our most slight cadets.

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Change all Spooners to a new build some people shout.

How many Spooners are still out there? Times that figure by £400k and you’ll get a rough estimate of that option.

Not only bankrupt RAFAC, but most likely take the whole RAF budget with it :roll_eyes:

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The sanitary bins in my cadet centre were removed on the grounds of outside the cleaning contract & the irregularity in emptying was a health hazard.

A number of cadet units are not scaled for bins & staff are expected to carry general refuse home in their own vehicles. I can’t see sanitary bins being particularly appealing.Strictly speaking each cadet should take home their own rubbish such a cans etc. even if they purchased them from canteen.

So if the volunteers won’t empty them & it’s not cost effective to pay someone to empty them & it becomes a Healh/bio hazard if not emptied it becomes, for a two hr a night volunteer organisation not reasonable in terms of cost to provision them.

Oh & then you have the female member of staff that insist that the squadron shouldn’t provide sanitary bins as it’s not environmentally friendly & has high carbon footprint & as a socially focused environmentally responsible organisation we should be encouraging cadets to use more eco-friendly alternatives such as moon-cups……

Anyone listed this on their HSE Form 16 environmental statement form?

Moving away from away from moon cups & waste carrier licensing I think what I would focus on is not so much the pragmatic physical adjustments but the culture.

There are parts of the ATC that refuse to tolerate any deviation of thinking or philosophy & are quite bigoted in attitude towards other cadet forces & other squadrons, stereotyping & treating them as clichés rather than established & respected cadet forces in their own right delivering the cadet experience.

Many of us as hare seen the bigotry there is around rank, writing people off purely based on what’s on their epaulette & not what they do.

This is before we even look at protected characteristics to start making adjustments.

Until we start being more inclusive in mindset, accepting our fellow volunteers as purely that & equal to ourselves then we will never get the rest right.

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