Funding the Cadet Experience

I did wonder about this a few years ago. We use WACs/RACs at weekends and during holiday periods. They nicely allign with STEM/Service and employer engagement activities and could potentially hit a number of other themes if thought through correctly.

The downside? The market place is already quite crowded and schools- certainly state schools and most academies - are skint.

Most WACs/RACs are on RAF sites - meaning a degree of service engagement (normally a secondary duty anyway), so any profits would probably go in the RAF direction rather than ours.

Additionally, the RAF do host some STEM camps for local schools already - and do it FOC.

Yep, the fact that our current RAC/WAC’s are based on RAF Stations is probably the biggest hurdle.

And the fact that some of them have been looked after appallingly and are in no fit state to be rented out.

I suspect experiences vary across the country but the RAC on my parent station is bloody awful. The other one I have experience of (different Region) is actually pretty decent but it’s location would probably rule out it being offered to the “public”.

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Yep the one I have used is hopping, not good enough for our Cadets let alone to rent out.

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that’s a big shame, and very sad to hear.

I guess all we can do currently is take photos and pass them up the chain.
But then they’ll come back with “we’ve got no money” hence this thread!

The problem with RACs was there were done with no real plan, other than build them.

One massive resource we have is huts, which sit dormant for all but around 6 of the 168 hours in a week. Most people only require a room or two, toilets and tea making facilities and could easily be charged out at an hourly rate. Lock all the rooms we don’t want people in and away you go. There is or was a scheme for letting huts but is a bit IIRC awkward, but let it be managed at squadron level, split 50/50 with RFCA (to cover water and electric) and squadrons could make a tidy sum. The upside of this is that there is the potential to create greater awareness of squadrons with the potential to recruit cadets and staff.
While not putting money into the wider organisation it could benefit the grassroots, which is the important part.

While not direct funding I’ve always thought that HQAC should be negotiating with the likes of telecom and office supply firms to get us cheap phone and broadband contracts and stationery.
I’ve also felt there should be fundraising manager who goes around selling the organisation to get funding.
A local hospice has a fundraising manager who goes around blagging and begging and brings in annuals sponsorship of £1½ million and this goes up to just over £3½ million when all the charitable events are taken into account. But this then requires someone not uniformed or ex-forces (to remove the cluttered thinking of the institutionalised Forces life) and outside the CoC so they are to act on their initiative and could involve many initiatives from national to town/borough.

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Absolutely, the single biggest resource we have is our buildings.
If a deal was arranged with rfca’s and insurance was arranged, they could be a huge money maker for sqn’s or perhaps wing level.

With regards to utilities, given that water and electric are generally (correct me if I’m wrong) paid for by rfca, these days there is probably an argument for the rfca to manage the internet as well. Given the push for joint cadet centre’s, why not a single phone line and broadband connection too? Saves all the units money.

Wrt a “fundraising manager”, at corp level I think k they already do fairly well at that (although maybe there is room for improvement).
The ACE platforms were at least part funded by BAE or RAFCT if I recall correctly. And the PTR’s were all funded by the RAFCT.

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some interesting debate
regarding solar panels to recover costs I think you will find that this would be pretty difficult as some units are fed from supplies with in reserve units then they would get the money not the sqn who’s premises they are on. yes it could be resolved but RFCA/ HQAC may take the approach its more difficult than its worth.

Subletting the premises, this was discussed in depth in another thread not so long ago but to recap: Yes you can sub-let the premises but the money goes not to the Sqn or HQAC but direct to RFCA to use as they see fit (AKA the ACF in our area). There is also the requirement that someone from the unit being let out has to be present during this time… volunteers?

Not really sure it’s fundraising as I was suggesting, it’s just HQAC RAF types going for something they know, rather than going out there and getting the funding from businesses. There are opportunities out there.

We are discussing funding the Cadet experience BUT what is the cadet experience?
From when I was a cadet is was flying, gliding, shooting, camps etc according to HQAC its evolved to include all sorts of things but what do you find it actually is? and where would these funds then be utilised?

For instance we raise £10m then where would this money go? gliding? flying?

I would be interested to hear what people think the cadet experience is in their part of the world and where they think money could be invested to make it better

The letting as it stands doesn’t offer the benefits to the squadron so no real impetus to utilise. But make it beneficial to squadrons and there is a market out there. I’m sure if a squadron was doing this and there was someone required onsite a member of the CWC if retired might be up for it.

IIRC, ACTO 11 clearly defines what the cadet experience should be - what the baseline activities offered should be, what is funded (and what isn’t).

I realise that Batfink, My question was more aimed at what are we individually providing
and in return would an increase in funding actually provide these opportunities for all?

throwing money at a problem doesn’t always work as we know

Whilst you throw money at something you have to have a 'value for money’audit to ensure it is well spent and adds value to the experience otherwise it is wasted money. Any audit should be external to the organisation.

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Gotta wonder how OC 2FTS stayed in post as long as he did then…

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No robust audit, no come back, also depends who the 1st RO is as well.

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Blagging it, ducking, diving, bobbing, weaving and probably something to hold over whoever could get rid of him.

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Absolutely, throwing money at the problem is only part of the “solution”
The other half is having the right people. . .

I disagree, the major part is having the right people, who have vision intelligence and experience outside the ‘fence’. Having promotion from within can produce a blinkered view of the world, silo thinking and empire building.

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