Manage my expectations

[MajorDisaster]

Hello everyone,

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve sifted through these forums. Good to see some familiar names still at it after all this time.

I was once a cadet, and I’d happily go as far to say this organisation made me what I am today.

I’ve dabbled from time-to-time as a service instructor, but even that was a long time ago.

I’ve been thinking of getting back into it when circumstances permit, but I’m conscious the rose-tinted view I have will largely be incorrect. It seems much has changed even since I supported as an SI (or SH now, see?).

Hoping to get a feel for the good and bad these days.

Anyone willing to share:

1. The things that take chunks out of their morale (or things they see as issues with the organisation) and;

2. The things that keep them coming back despite all that stuff

TIA.

[WestlandScout]

Welcome back!

1. Admin
2. Smiling face of a cadet who achieves something they never thought they could

[Farmerdan]

Pretty much sums it up perfectly

[JoeBloggs]

Welcome back. As much as we all like to moan on here, remember people generally talk more about the negatives rather than the positives. Especially on here. There’s a reason the Grind my Gears threads seem to get more traffic than than Making me Happy threads.

It’s why I am keen on pushing the Celebrating Success thread.

Celebrating Success / Feel Good Stories from the RAFAC

A lot of units have now returned and it’s a busy time, so share your best/favourite stories of pride and success! Anecdotes, Social Media and News site links, photos - whatever you’ve got. 3 Rules: Positive story Positive responses Nothing identifiable that doesn’t already appear in a public source There’s a lot of good in this organisation, so now that most are back in action it’s time to remember why we’re all here!

@WestlandScout has basically summed it up with the best TLDR.

With all of that in mind, the questions:

1. Admin, as above, is a big one. Especially the on-boarding process which can be tedious. It’s a morale drain. Bitterness between volunteers seems to be another big morale drain too. Turns out volunteers with no management experience trying to manage other volunteers isn’t the best recipe…

2. The cadets. Them coming in on the Tuesday night saying how awesome their weekend away doing X,Y and Z was. Seeing young people progress further then you’d have expected. etc etc. I also just enjoy giving back what was given to me when I was a cadet. Like you, I think it made me what I am today. And that’s mostly good.

Personally for me the balance has shifted more to point 1 than 2, and I’m not nearly as involved as I once was. Frankly that’s down to other CFAVs. Personal battles. But if you’re coming in fresh, that should be less of a problem!

[Paracetamol]

@JoeBloggs

volunteers with no management experience trying to manage other volunteers isn’t the best recipe…

This. 1000%.

Also remember those of us on this forum are the keenest ones (mostly) and most passionate… why we bicker on here…

But get us in a pub (running horse obviously) and im sure we would all get on like a house on fire.

[Turbo]

1. Being asked by an organisation put activities on, while at the same time they are working furiously behind our backs to stop activities from going ahead.
2. Putting opportunities and activities on despite the best efforts of others further up the chain!

[WhiskeyNovember]

1. The fact that it takes 50 million years to become qualified to deliver anything off squadron.

2. The cadets, and seeing the improvements they make despite HQAC’s best efforts.