The problem with the information dissemination in these situations is that they refuse to send emails to all users from the top. They rely upon a traditional, military method of going through every link in the chain.
This made sense once, when that was the only way to do it. But we have the technology now for the Air Commodore to email every bader user simultaneously, this is one of those times when that clearly would have been appropriate.
Instead, the instant social media posts beat the step by step chain method by miles. The posts then have the gall to direct little johnny to ask the official chain of command if they have any questions. When we at the coal face have no clue because we haven’t checked Facebook or Twitter yet.
The problem with sending via facebook either before or at the same time as an internal email is that they routinely direct cadets and parents to contact the Squadron staff - which then invariably comes before 90% of the Squadron staff have found out.
Having your volunteers find these sort of things out when a parents start asking them questions is a great way to irritate your hard-working, volunteer, staff.
So much for “treating them with respect”.
I can imagine the fall out if it went the other way and one of us told parents to contact our line manger without bothering to tell the manager that we’d done so.
Denise also seems to overlook the concept that “Official Facebook” - a line that she now routinely seems to fall back on - is not the same as “official internal communication”. Facebook is intended for publicity; not for telling your staff what is going on.
The problem with SM is that if the kids are linked there is the very real situation that they see things before staff, which is wrong on about every single level.
As I said a member of staff emailed me as they know I don’t do SM.
I hope the new CAC has had their thumbs removed.
My local ACF has just put out a very similar notice to cancel all ACF activities, but have stated that it is “out to 30 April 2020”, with a review scheduled towards the end of April. Planning for May and onwards can continue.
Serious question, what about a Subs and activities that’s Squadrons have spent money out on that are now cancelled?
I have had a lucky escape as I was about to pay £900 to an outdoor provider to assist a Camp, but I still have an Air BnB booked as Staff accommodation for an Exped that is now cancelled.
Ours all pay via scheduled payments. To save a lot of shuffling my suggestion will be parents continue with those payments and we refund - hopefully by that point we will be informed of GPF payments being halted.
Father-in-law is a wing treasurer - I think he is going float it up the chain as it probably hasn’t been considered yet (which, to be fair, there have been some more immediate things to worry about)
