Dire ATC CFAV decline, recruitment, and retention

Adult Staff Execs
41

Sorry - I know I wrote a long winded reply earlier - but frankly I could feel my blood pressure rocketing…

What I wanted to also add, was the enormous sense of “ownership, pride, responsibility and guilt” felt by everyone involved in face to face roles with cadets and staff…

While I’ve encountered many “over enthusiastic” individuals, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered any “foolish” or “apathetic” when it comes to delivering activity.

Discussing my views with a well regarded Squadron Leader, they posited that activities could follow the Safe Delivery Standards that are in place for shooting for example…

ie - This IS how the delivery WILL be delivered… and in which case, this is the standard form AND standard Risk Assessments (produced centrally by professionals!)

But - allow for a degree of flexibility by allowing bespoke paperwork to be created - but this would involve everything having to be prepared, agreed and approved etc - and therefore take more time to produce and process…

I mentioned “guilt”, because this is also felt in abundance by lots of people I’ve spoken to - from guilt over not doing more for cadets and their colleagues - but guilt for not doing more at home… to guilt at not maintaining their own health… it goes on and on…

It’s because CFAVs want to do more, be more dynamic, change more lives… that they feel this guilt.

RAFAC is a hobby for the majority, it’s something that should bring enjoyment, satisfaction, empowerment and pride.

There’s too much emphasis by HQAC on CFAVs to be viewed as unpaid employees - rather than invaluable volunteers.

I recognise the conflation between a voluntary organisation and the uniformed organisation of which we’re related to - but there’s a disconnect between rank, seniority and importance….

In any other situation where there is a customer / provider relationship, THE most important person is the customer - the cadets, their families and the local community; the NEXT most important are the instructors / staff… then the CO… then Sector Cdr, WSO etc…

Rather than the hierarchy above the Sqn doing all they can to support the individuals - we are all aware of the repeated obstacles that are being put in the way of volunteers - as though they are hell bent on dis-incentivising on purpose!

As for TK staying on…?

My understanding is that he’s undertaken to hang around for up to 6 months to help support the new CAC - “to enable a smoother transition” - as opposed to “let the new person do their own thing…”

Remember what I said about “control freaks”?

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42

With the politics heating up nationwide, lets get the prospective new CACs to produce a manifesto and a speech on what they will deliver into the new role… then get the organisation to vote.

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43

Just a few thoughts but first a bit of my background. I joined as a CI in 1982, commissioned in 1983. Been on four Squadrons and CO on one of them for 15 years. I am an RCO on all weapons, SAAI and a Fieldcraft Instructor. I do technical subjects at the Sqn, a year ago we had two Officers, me and the OC, we had haemorrhaged cadets and CFAV’s over the years. Then we had a new OC, we have four officers, four CI’s and we parade just under 30. I can do all my activities because I am semi-retired and I spend about two “working” days a week on my RAFAC activities.

I would not want to be an OC under the current system, Any organization reflects its leadership, that’s why our Sqn is up and the ACO is down.

A “hobby” is something you can put down when there is something good on TV… I have to really work to maintain my currency - good job I now have the time. Many activities are being binned due to lack of staff. The paperwork is ridiculous. we aren’t safer, just more burdened with paperwork no one reads during the activity as there is no time. My partner for the first time in 40 years asks me why Im doing so much. but most of all I and I dare say all the CFAV’s feel the same - I don’t feel valued, in any way whatsoever, we used to be but not in the last ten years. I have been waiting for my fourth CSM clasp for five years, its not a big thing but it reflects how we are regarded by the full timers from Wing upwards. That’s why people don’t stay, we give a lot of our time, jump through endless bureaucratic hoops and are treated like [excrement] by people who are paid to do their job above us. The top guy lobs a grenade on his way to his pension, ready for the next person who doesn’t care. The higher you go in the ACO, the less we are valued. Why dont I leave? - its a huge part of my life and because of those 12-18 year olds that make my day whenever I am with them I do this for the Cadets, they make it worthwhile, I also get a buzz out of doing things I wouldn’t do on my own. and that’s why CFAV’s are exploited. Rant over and now an afternoon on SMS for three activities.

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44

And I wonder what his salary could be spend on if we were to get the monetary value instead of his physical presence!!

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45

Surely he’ll only get five days VA?

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46

Quick reminder that while profanity may add justified emphasis, it and attempts to obscure it are against the usage policy of ACC.

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47

Brings to mind the idea of “porpoising”. Applied in many contexts, but generally some metaphor for “coming up for air” or “briefly rising up above the surface”.

The bigger stuff - often the more enjoyable stuff (not that a Cyber day alone isn’t enjoyable or a minor example in its own right) - is when we get to come up for air and enjoy the experience for ourselves, see the greatest effect of what we do, and justify everything we went through to get there.

That’s currently harder to reach, accompanied by more parallel or tangential frustration/work, and also rarer at the moment for many because less is happening.

Harder squeeze and less juice…

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48

oops sorry, I couldn’t think of anything else at the time that explained it. Your edit to [excrement] is gratefully accepted. Ill remember that in future.

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49

Coupled with the fact that we are doing great enjoyable things out there… but can’t currently let people know about it!

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50

Why is it that people in this organisation do an absolutely blinding job, but the moment they are paid to do it…

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51

I have maintained for many years thay we should incorporate into the ACF and be badged AAC !!

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52

Are those numbers RAFAC or ATC? I think they are the former?
I’d be interested to see the numbers for CCF. CFAVs are perhaps more reluctant/unable to quit, although the CACE process and VA restrictions (coupled with the new fieldcraft policy and the lack of understanding of joint Contingent training) is making some reconsider.

53

ATC only. I can make some more tables showing ATC vs CCF and combined, but the numbers used there are ATC only.

54

Not the stats processing that JB has done but here’s the CCF data from the report.

55

Ironically, I’ve been told/asked to stick at it as it will all get better in 2025!!??

I have therefore filled out the forms and sent them direct to HQ. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve done my paperwork. I will be taking a bag of uniform back to the Sqn on Friday and the self-funded bits go up for sale at the weekend.

I’ll keep the good memories and those that really matter as friends. The bureaucracy and those who have spoilt it will be forgotten and resided to history.

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56

I’d love to know why they think it’ll magically all be fixed in 2025?!

Or by better do they mean it might be 1% better. Which is still not great…

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57

I hope it is better! Maybe an improvement in some areas with a new CAC…but if the money is not there then neither will the activities. With a new CAC maybe 22Grp will seize the opportunity to further tighten the strings.

58

The end of an era (and 31 years’ involvement qualifies as an era, I think!) is always a bit sad and definitely a loss to the organisation. Over that time you must have had a positive influence on hundreds of young people and hopefully lots of good memories.

I hope you enjoy the extra free time and lower stress and frustration. I’m slightly jealous :smile:

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59

Just wanted to add my story as someone right at the bottom of the food chain in the frontline trenches! I began volunteering because my kid joined up and on the recruitment night the OC was asking for adult volunteers as CI’s and also for the committee. My reasons are 50% nefarious; if they didn’t have enough staff then my kid would miss out, by volunteering not only do i make sure my kid gets chance to have a full experience but all the other cadets will benefit too. I attended parade nights (after all the security checks were completed), twice a week, for 2 months before the next AVIP course was held. Obviously during those 2 months there wasn’t much i could do but i helped with admin, stores, made tea/coffee, did the mandatory training and sat in the back of as many of the lectures as i could. It was killing me to see events coming up that i couldn’t apply to attend, even when they were after the avip, i still wasn’t able to apply. Then after the course i missed out on a couple of things because the system wasn’t updated for a few weeks. I feel like i have jumped through so many hoops that have been demanded of me in the last 5 months, and my reward is that i went from “Civilian instructor applicant” to “Civilian instructor probationer”. Because of this probation title or period i seem to have been rejected for everything i have bid to attend, whether it be an event or training course. At least this is what myself and other staff on my squadron believe is the case. And it’s already demoralising me because on my squadron i work in a couple of vital positions, plus teaching lectures plus running sports. I have an almost 100% parade night attendance (twice a week) over the last 5 months, and in the 3 months since avip have already given up 4 Sundays and 1 full weekend to staff events. In the next 3 months i have 2 weekend camps and at least 4 Sundays booked already. There’s also the admin stuff that takes a couple of hours a week outside of parade nights.
There have been a couple of occasions when i have applied to attend events were, after being rejected, they would realise that they are short on female staff and suddenly I’m invited. And every training course i have bid for, so i can further my knowledge (which is solely for the benefit of the cadets) i have been rejected without reason given. Then add to this my all excited and shiny new enthusiasm- can we do this? Can we take the cadets to visit…? can we try that? shall i bring in … to demonstrate? No no no. Not on approved list. No transport available. Take longer to do the paperwork for that than actually do that. So I’m already starting to feel burnt out, I’m tired and i need a weekend off! I agree with what I’ve read on here about how undervalued the volunteers are. So undervalued that even 1 that has put in as much effort and time as i have over the last 5 months isn’t even considered to be a real CFAV yet. I’m already considering not bothering any more. There is also a bit of a staff issue going on at squadron(a lazy ci who manages to do nothing except rub the other staff up the wrong way) which is adding stress. The only thing keeping me going right now is the fact that my kid loves it and i don’t want his experience to be lessened by the lack of staff at his squadron. And so the circle closes and I’m stuck feeling undervalued, stressed and overworked. Good knows how I’m going to cope in 4 months time when i will finally be made a CFAV and can start volunteering properly!!:neutral_face::rofl:

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60

That’s horrendous.

It seems like the organisation really needs to rethink the induction process and the inconsistencies.

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