In the last 18 months, we have had 5 C.I. applicants. All 5 have sacked it off during the induction process because, “It’s too much of a faff!”
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I heard someone say it was more difficult than applying for their last job, and that was a pretty senior role with checks.
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This is quite common.
Someone new and keen comes in, and others step back and do less. And there’s always the tea drinkers who are happy to sit on the Squadron of a parade night but don’t teach or do admin, and aren’t likely to turn out for a DofE practice or a range package of a weekend.
They’ll be there in double super quick time for any awards evening or parade with VIPs present though 
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@Shark46 I’m going to try and unpack this, but I’m sure there is something you’ve not mentioned that might help resolve this.
My reading here is that you were attending and supporting the Squadron whilst you were an Applicant, this shouldn’t b the case, the application should be submitted via JOIN as once the application is approved you are appointed on a period of 6 month probation.
During the 6 Month probation you need to complete the mandatory eLearning as well as the AVIP Consolidation Day, as well as the workbook.
As a probationer you aren’t allowed to attend external events where you would need to act as a fully trained member of staff, this protects both you and the organisation, so you can’t be directly responsible for cadets and therefore be included within the relevant ratio.
My advise would be to reach out to the person who is running the course rather than just bidding on SMS, as you might be being rejected as the event is staffed and your not an instructor.
Have you raised this with the OC as a first step for informal remediation, other formal routes are also available if needed.
Not strictly true: once DBS is complete you can attend while the other bits are sorted.
New joiners are not to attend parade nights or take part in any activity until in receipt of a BPSS and DBS/PVG clearance, at which point an applicant may attend sqn parade nights only under close supervision pending formal appointment.
If you have DBS & BPSS in place there is no reason to not push the submit button on the application, locally seeing them turned around in ~24 Hours
As far as I’m aware, you have to do the avip and the mandatory training to become a probationer, at least that’s what I’ve been told. The mandatory training has to be completed before you can go on the avip. I have only staffed events since the avip and only then with permission from further up the chain (due to lack of other available staff or requirements for female cover). Before that, i didn’t go on parade nights until the security checks were all in and after that i still wasn’t working with the cadets, but rather behind the scenes in the office and in supplies etc.
No, you are a CI applicant until you have everything in place, such as board report, bank details, BPSS, DBS and signed the volunteer agreement. You can then submit the application - that gets approved by Sqn OC, WHQ and then, finally, HQ. At that point, you become a CI Probationer with a 6-month probation - it is at this point when you can start attending. During this 6-month period, you do your mandatory training and AVIP. After all that is completed, you become a fully fledged CI.
As others have said, that’s not the case. The probationary period is the time during which it is expected that you would work through the AVIP book and subsequently attend an AVIP course as the final sign off.
BPSS and DBS is required for attendance, but the other paperwork should also have managed to be finished in the time it takes to complete those, those little reason for the move from “applicant” to “probationary” to be far out of sync.
If those are complete within that 6 months then you should automatically move from probationary to “full” CI.
It’s still a complex and convoluted system, but the practical side of actually doing it shouldn’t be as daunting as it seems written down.
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Unfortunately it’s not automatic in the technical sense, OCs still need to notify permanent staff so they can update the CI’s record.
As apart of the onboarding process there should be an interactive flowchart on the volunteer portal of the applicant. it should show to all in the CoC where the applicant is on the process. It should have milestones and sign off at the appropriate level. These can be automated on completion of trg and time/date eg probationary period. Also it should show what the new staff member can an cannot do at the various points on the process. This should be in black and white in big letters and short words so local rules cannot be added to the process, slow things down and hack people off.
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I really don’t understand why, on one side, they moan that we have no CFAV yet, on the other, they make it this difficult to join. Surely someone higher up can join the dots…if I got VA/travel I’d go to Cranditz and deliver the ‘Application of Common Sense’ course…
Im waiting for the day when Civ Comms become the major headcount on Sqn; ive spoken to two recently who are now looking at this as the route in is far less hassle…
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I’m sure I’ve said before that we need a more lightweight approach to volunteering, with commitment, responsibility and training tiered depending on the role.
The ‘faff’ others have pointed to is IMO largely driven by a requirement to do everything, up front, regardless of the need.
For example does a CI who attends once a week to teach airframes, or radio, need climatic injuries, data protection etc? These could be done if they move to a broader role or want to attend off Squadron activities.
The Scouts have changed their volunteering structure - but it used to be that the minimum commitment role (Occasional Helper) only needed a DBS, nothing else.
Then there are plenty of people in RAFAC who seem to view the joining process as some form of ‘trial by endurance’: applicants need to prove themselves by sticking with it.
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If they don’t value your time on the way in / interview, that won’t change later…
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I hate to seen like I’m arguing; but i was told it was the security checks then mandatory training and board then avip and then you can attend squadron as a CI probationer for 6 months. I’ve literally just gone through that. And on the volunteer portal it shows the date my application was made and the date i started my probation period (which was the date of my avip course). Is every one doing this in a different way to everyone else?
We’ve just had a CI come through the process and ours was definetly the paperwork to move from applicant to probationer. And that part was super quick.
Trying to find a AVIP course was the biggest delay as not enough of them are run this end at the moment.
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Reading through todays posts, it almost seems like to get a much needed volunteer into the organisation, we have a system that;
- Everybody interprets differently.
- Is too long and winded for newbies to stick with.
- DOESN’T WORK!!!
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No one is blaming you here, don’t worry.
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It’s only when you move around Wings/Regions or you post on here that you realise every Wing does the same thing differently 
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It’s been 10 years for me. The application was sent in, and 8 months later I got an email to say pop down the sqn for a chat, took forms away. Filled in forms and brought them back the next night. Waited 2 months to hear I could attend the Sqn and have my chat (interview) and was told I could attend under supervision and not to be alone around cadets, CRB was back by then or it could have been DBS 
Couldn’t attend off Sqn activities until I’d done the hoops of mandatory training etc. By then I was like a lost sheep amongst the wolves, I wasn’t shown how things worked but I could make refreshments and download the nightly register. If it wasn’t for my free time, I’d have not bothered as it was a mess then.
10yrs later, the Sqn would barely open if not for me and weekends of supervising cadets wouldn’t happen. And the old chestnut of going into uniform is never gonna happen. Maybe if I was fresh faced and encouraged at every step I might have considered it, but I can do everything as I am now.
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