This is the clearest way to see our immediate issues. If that trajectory continues we’re in real trouble.
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Yeah something like that 
I wonder if there aren’t enough ways to display a continuing decline in CFAV numbers parallel to a pretty rapid rise in cadet numbers for someone important enough to take notice and realise they have a problem.
Although cries of “the admin burden is high and increasing” should be stronger with this data, however much it is argued that certain areas have been reduced (ignoring areas where it has been increased).
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The original VoV admin burden survey was done in 2017.
I think it would be good to run the same survey again today. Exact same questions with exact same options for answers, and compare the two.
I also think a complete review of the original ToRs/stategy document for the VoV team needs to be done. Review it, and see what has been done to effect change. What’s worked, what hasn’t. Of those Key Deliverables a-m, what’s been done towards each point? Not only review it, but tack on some new questions if we redo the survey and ask if people think these points have been met or not.
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Would definitely need questions on any actions resulting from the previous survey, but yes to same questions also for direct comparison.
Senior CFAV needs a review as well - has the individual not been effective, have they not been allowed to be effective, or is the role set up ineffectually?
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One of the questions in there is length of service. Given what was discussed further up about the loss of highly experienced staff; that question would be interesting to compare then vs now.
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My understanding was that whilst the role was touted as giving a volunteer voice at top level in practice the role was created purely to be ceremonial & is treated as such in reality by anyone with any real influence.
It was only bigged up more than it was to so volunteer was more likely to take it.
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A statistic I would like to see which may require a FOI.
What has been the change in the number of paid staff supporting RAFAC?
I suspect if you look at the volunteer decrease it charts against the civil service reduction.
So:
- Number of CFAV - DOWN
- Number of quals needed to deliver any activities beyond ‘normal’ basic Sqn parade night - UP
- Amount of CFAV training time needed to be qualified to deliver other than classification subjects - UP
- Number of weekends required to deliver other than classification subjects - UP
- Numbers of CFAV required to deliver these activities (drivers, rest periods, admin, qualified instructors, ratios etc) - UP
- Complexity of administration to run these activities - UP
- Levels of CFAV reimbursement for expenses - DOWN
- Levels of VA for those that have been entitled - DOWN
Is the cadet experience improved over the last 5 years - Answers on a postcard
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I must admit I am finding it harder and harder to keep going and I’m 12 years in.
I have no interest anymore to engage with the organisation at any level above squadron level. Even wing is so politically motivated.
I used to think I had another 20 years in me…I now cant see me doing 5…I may even be lucky to do that.
Sorry to lose you @VirtualRealityTrooper, but I really do get it.
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And I think this is one of the biggest factors I see - anything off Sqn is a B@!! ache and involves dealing with the various empires and cliques further up the CoC, but on Sqn is limited by what quals you have.
So you end up with Sqns doing their own thing to please the ‘insert number’ of cadets that they have and the Devil take all others
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We’re fortunate on my squadron in that we have a 1:3 staff to cadet ratio. Hence we have all been there for at least ten years, because the administrative and training burden is shared out: no-one has to bust a gut to get things done.
In my case, all I do is attend once a week for three hours to teach first class cadet lectures, do the occasional weekend gig, Remembrance Sunday etc, and that’s it. I’ve tried to do more than that i.e. external Wing activities, but stopped several years ago because it was a waste of my time and money. There were far too many other CFAVs attending the activity for me to get a look in as an instructor. I know when I’m not adding value to a job.
Even on my squadron I’m not used that much in my role: there’s so much else for the cadets to do, which is taught by others. If I’m not needed to teach then I just go home again. That is another reason for not retaining CFAVs: they end up not doing enough with their time to make it rewarding.
Therefore, there are only two reasons I continue as a CFAV: I like teaching the lessons to the cadets when I get the chance, and being a limited reserve member of the RAF, can legally dress up in a blue uniform I never wore in my old trade in that service. 
We’re still a good organisation from the Cadet’s point of view, as we always have been: the post-Covid numbers prove that.
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How do you split your work load up to keep the stress levels low? Which duties go well together?
Both of these scenarios sound like a local management issue and not something inherent to the organisation.
Not planning your event team to ensure a strong ratio with practice and CPD shared fairly, then on the unit not planning and communicating the programme well enough (or allowing for alternative, but productive time on unit). An instructor shouldn’t be turning up to just go home again!
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You’re not alone - whether you’ve left already, but like me keeping a toe in… or you’re thinking about it… or, up to your eyeballs with stress.
Let’s face it, ACC is a bit of an echo chamber - but not out of limited people getting the same limited responses from a limited selection of people - but because this is so common.
I’ve had time to reflect on my own experiences: above all, personal situation - being self employed, married with young kids, elderly infirm grandparents, housework / domestic chores etc - all need balancing on one’s “spare time”.
I am only too aware how little time I spend at home - so choosing to spend that time volunteering for an organisation that simply doesn’t respect or appreciate the inordinate value of that time is impossible to reconcile - and was frequently the instigator of an argument.
As far as I can tell, subject matter experts have repeatedly tried to shape the delivery of content in to manageable, deliverable forms - so why when it comes to administration, is everything still SO difficult and time consuming.
It is ridiculous that the admin to deliver an activity can be so much longer to complete.
Modern life is far more complicated and expensive!
The ATC (when I was a cadet 30+ years ago), was seemingly run by a combination of retirees (either ex services, or on “comfortable” pensions), empty nesters, service instructors (wanting to add credit to the CV for promotion, or to secure their posting in their current location!) but by and far, much fewer staff cadets turned CFAVs…
Little has changed in retaining young people, who have aged out and are off to enjoy their studies / careers etc.
The corps relies on a healthy cross section of ages, experience and genders to provide the inspiration and energy needed to keep RAFAC relevant.
Society is no longer at a point where young people and adults are “looking for something to do” because they’re bored and want to fill in time… there’s plenty of distractions (pointless and worthwhile)
For long timers, it’s demoralising to see staff come through, help for while and then leave because of all the factors we’re all too aware of…
On the other hand - there can be long timers, who have become “control freaks”, BECAUSE they have become the last ones standing - so feel if they want something doing right - it’s best if they just do it themselves…
The trouble is, this attitude quickly alienates others…
Then add in funding, support and local wealth… dictating what activity can be delivered and to how many…
Insisting on gold standards for kit and equipment (but “helpfully” suggesting that such equipment can be picked up from WHQ… during normal office hours…) as opposed to a “minimum safe viable product”, with suggestions of how to improve…
I have seen little to no examples of anything that has been proposed to make staff’s lives easier… other than this forum…
At least on here, you can talk freely and seek advice etc - and frankly get a response a darn sight faster and often more informed than going through channels…
It’s all well and good for WSOs on good salaries / plentiful leave etc to swan around… erm, like “Ruperts” but until they genuinely understand the reality, things will never change.
How is a CO supposed to paint a picture of a rosy garden, when there’s so much ire?
On the flip side - there ARE some exceptional squadrons, that have been fortunate to get brilliant digs, secure local funding etc, in areas of comparative wealth… such that when cadets leave, rather than sell their kit, they tend to donate it to the Sqn….
I’m trying to square the idea that their success may be down to ignoring Wing, Region and HQAC, to focus on what they can do locally, that keeps their cadets and CFAVs happy…
(Rant over - if I don’t get off the loo, someone going to think there’s a dead body in the bathroom!)
- it’s meant to be Venture Adventure - not Mitigate Exterminate
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Mitigate deteriorate
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This is where I live.
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So was having a think about this. Our specialism is aviation which whilst originally was pioneering has now become controlled & highly regulated in practise & in mindset.
Rogue elements are or unpredictable variants are not permitted & deviation is culturally unacceptable.
This doesn’t sit well with young people who are new to everything so experiment & test everything to innovate & drive things further.
Nor does it sit well with those who wish to do more, to go out side the norm to challenge themselves (I.e. typically volunteers)
So could it be that the ATC has developed too much of an aviation mindset & lost that pioneer mindset that established the RFC & the RAF?
Perhaps we need the aviation with out the aviation mentality.
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I think you’ve just nailed it, regarding the malaise within the RAFAC: volunteers either end up doing too much or too little. In the latter case, the admin paperwork needed just to, say, take a group of cadets out on the hills for a day for some expedition training takes more time than the activity.
So one either can’t be bothered organising it, or by the time one has organised it, all the fun of leading it has long gone. Like you wrote, there’s no room for flexibility, initiative or spontaneity.
The problem we have is that we have to provide professional levels of training and administrative work as volunteers with limited time to do that. An ATC Squadron could quite easily employ a staff member in a full-time job doing the admin and training programme.
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We really do have more instructors than cadets and training time on my squadron, so even if we did stick to our training programme, I wouldn’t be needed much more than I am right now. We’re also not the greatest squadron for sticking to the programme, either. I only live a mile away from our cadet centre, so it doesn’t waste too much of my time to go there and back again within the hour. At least the cadets are reminded I’m still one of the staff members. 
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If the announcement had been that TK had extended past September, and not that he was leaving, I would probably be a lot closer to the exit. Bit like a change of Government: we don’t know that it will be better, but it’s worth finding out.
ACC isn’t a loud minority, it’s the loudest (or, at least, the most publicly visible if you care to look) voice of the majority. I’m sure I’ve said it before, that the conversations and comments on here are no different to those I also have with or have heard from many offline too. It’s a mistake to disregard anything here as the “disgruntled, loud minority” or anything similar, because it ignores the demographic. After all, who would spend additional time on a niche forum, over and above what they already give to the organisation, apart from those who are among the most engaged, passionate, and in many cases experienced?
I don’t think that’s ego in the context of even the most basic “market analysis” using just a brief shift of perspective.
Perhaps we get the occasional pan-fried rotten egg, but they don’t tend to stick around.
Like Batfink, I’ve reached this. Especially with accommodation and booking factors adding restrictions or making these broader events more difficult. Add in the latest changes to VA and expenses…
I’d describe it more as the devolution of restricted thinking, and lack of openness to challenge. Someone needs to keep an eye on the technical aspects for safety, efficiency, and efficacy, holding a narrower starting position, but they also need to be receptive to challenge and willing to accept or investigate solutions to problems that they feel need to be considered; likewise, that person needs to have others around willing to challenge and provide solutions to those problems. From top to almost bottom, the organisation is now a “policy is law” bureaucracy, where “it has been decreed” is the end of many conversations.
This has pushed the pressure and workload to meet the technical aspects further and further down the chain.
“Don’t tell me what I can’t do, tell me how I can do it”.
If there is a reason that an activity “isn’t on the approved list”, the conversation shouldn’t have to stop there. Tell me why and then we can work out the solution to make it happen.
Every time you tell a volunteer “no”, they feel a little less valued if you won’t at least listen to their view. Too few aren’t interested in solutions and just stop at the problem.
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