Mandatory releasing Wing / Region Activities to all eligible cadets

Adult Staff
21

Maybe because:
the squadron are running something at the same time, or

running a similar event in the near future,or

don’t think that the wing staff have ticked all the safety boxes, or

don’t trust the organiser because of previous late cancellations, or

don’t want to burn out cadets, or

want to prevent cadets subject to a ban on on squadron events for disciplinary reasons bidding for these activities.

Obviously if you don’t share regularly then I would expect a chat to find out if you have genuine reasons or if there is some sort of disciplinary/admin issue that needs resolving.

5 Likes
22

If you’re having to ask 15 units why they regularly don’t join the event then you have a bigger marketing issues. It’s signal v noise thing - deal with the pattern of behaviour not the one offs.

This comes down to comms - rather than override & dis-enfranchise your Sqn level volunteers speak to them & get their buy in.

You also want to avoid SMEs becoming babysitters where Sqns dump their cadets off on the camp & let you do all the hard work they should have done. There needs to be a balance on both sides but Sqns need to take ownership & responsibility including what wing events they encourage amongst their cadets.

2 Likes
23

Wing & Region events should be there to support & enhance Sqns training not opportunities instead off. If you have a whole bunch of cadets not doing Sqn events because everyone is here & there doing wing events you don’t have a Sqn team anymore.

2 Likes
24

I agree, and maybe “override” was the wrong word. I mean just the ability for the event to be published when it’s been ignored by the unit rather than them making the choice not to attend.

I think thats where unless the unit actively choose to not publish it it should auto publish after a period of time.

2 Likes
25

But how would that system work? Should the Activity commander do the chasing? What’s the difference between someone ignoring an event or making a decision not to advertise it?

1 Like
26

Or deciding not to advertise it yet? As in lets get this competing event filled first and then I’ll advertise it.

It is important to stagger the event sign ups so you get maximum exposure.

Out of curiosity, does SMS/Cadet portal prevent cadets from signing up to two different events that occur at the same time?

2 Likes
27

No, because we’ve definitely had instances of cadets signing up to 2 or 3 things the same weekend. Possibly expecting to be rejected… But the portal doesn’t stop you.

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28

I’m aware that it’s not a matter restricted to RM.

I’ve spoken to many staff over the years - across other wings and regions and found it to be not limited to just us.

In our specific case, yes - we referred the squadrons involved to WExO and, they did get involved on the that occasion - but it would then reoccur the next time.

I’m trying to look at all the reasons both for and against - simply so I can potentially offer “new” reasons, next time I have this conversation with someone.

If I wanted to really poke the bear - I might say it’s a pretty arrogant / ignorant way to act - to “assume” ones cadets wouldn’t be interested…

Let’s face it, RAFAC is a group organisation that attracts people that don’t fit into other groups - such as local football / rugby team etc… it’s full of people that have an enormous range of interest - both established and undiscovered.

I’ve been involved with teams where there have been several cadets from the same unit as well as lone cadets from individuals units. There have been plenty who would hold their hand up and say they would never in a million years have the light they would have enjoyed RM - but there have also been plenty that on face value, when sizing an individual up you’d never think would either stick with it or enjoy it.

RM is far from exciting - it’s not flying, gliding, shooting, camping / field craft etc… but - it really is superb from a mindfulness and self awareness point of view.

I suspect the longest most cadets spend off their gadgets is when they’re asleep! RM reinforces conversation skills, interpersonal skills etc.

It’s fresh air, sunshine, reasonably low impact cardio exercise. Depending on where the activity is held - it can be a rare trip out of the town / city - and for some “less sporty” or “less academic” it can be something they feel that they can demonstrate being good at.

The new PTS and mythical Blue Badge makes it slightly more accessible - which is why I’m now disappointed that the same squadrons are still failing to share.

It’s possibly an overly “aggressive” suggestion - but perhaps Bader could have a feature where a comment is left by Sqns stating reason for non sharing… I know this could be done via Announcements / email, but a click box could be used for auditing purposes - or a response field direct to the activity Commander to discuss concerns etc.

As for contacting individual OCs - Being pragmatic, emails convey no tone, and when being asked “why didn’t you share my app”, it’s been met with various blunt replies including simply “because I didn’t want to - it’s my Sqn - I’ll decide what I want my cadets to see”.

Which to me sounds like a control freak declaring which toys his friends can play with.

Like I said - I’m well aware that there are plenty of situations like this, when activity and training courses not just for cadets but staff too, aren’t being shared…

If Sqns are planning events locally - surely the system could be set up so that specific dates would require authorisation from OC - as has been suggested, so that key staff / cadets don’t get poached for other activities…

29

This seems pretty specific to road marching for you. Have you considered that people just aren’t interested in it?

I know that sounds facetious but I’m being serious - how do you know the OCs haven’t asked their cadets if they want to take part, the cadets have said no so they haven’t shared it?

3 Likes
30

Possibly with a period of time available for staff to react to “unshare” to prevent cadets being confused.

I can see one problem, in that this can create even further delay between planning an event, application close and approval… 3 weeks for Wing, 6 for Region… could end up being 4 and 7

1 Like
31

This is what I mean by getting buy in.

The reasons why events are not being advertised are not being addressed. It may well be that the Sqn has their own separate road marching event planned that you’re not aware of. It could be the Sqn being awkward or being technophobic & don’t want to ask.

If you want to see the activity & get that buy in you need to get stuck into the weeds & build advocates at Sqn level otherwise you are just going to get frustrated & lose interest (I’ve gone through this myself with target shooting so I feel your pain)

But look at it as a positive -it means the ones that sign up to your event want to be there & are supported by their staff team. If you have an issue you know that that Sqn will be supportive & helpful to you & not “no it’s your problem”

It’s a slow grow but it means you can focus on the ones who really want to be there & not the ones who are there because dad /WExO said they do.

If every Sqn advertised the event & you had five cdts from each Sqn, could you cope with that number?

Cadet Sqns are like allotments, you plant in the right season & grow things & hope they don’t come out weird looking or inedible

(On a Side note - being WExO or an SME is like bee-keeping. Extract the most amount of honey while getting stung as little as possible)

1 Like
32

My personal experience is connected to RM - but other staff have experienced the same behaviour on other activities from First Aid to Fieldcraft, but also Mountain Biking, Model Making, Remote Control flying.

One particular unit is “infamous” for not sharing ANYTHING that they didn’t generate themselves!

In terms of the have cadets been asked if they’re interested - if the “fill cadets say in public they’re not going / doing it, this often perpetuates amongst the other, quieter cadets.

I’d have thought that providing choice and opportunity regardless ought to be more appropriate…

33

I’m running the Summer Camp Applications for our 2 weeks, for “reasons” we are behind the curve, but I chased 3 units who had not shared it on Friday, the remaining 19 had, 2 of these have now shared.

For the remaining unit I’ll be hitting all of their Sqn Staff and not just the OC this PM.

Do they know they a) have to b) how to, has the Bader Officer reached out to offer support.

Have you visited the unit’s to sell the RM dream to the cadets, so they are asking the staff for the next opportunity.

I do think Travel to events is a big one, but I had hoped Covid would remove this assumed travel, but it depends on locality in terms of if parents have the ability to transport.

34

Exactly that, ignore it and the event is auto shared after a set period of time. Choosing not to advertise it requires you to go in and actively set it not to share.

Set it not to share then do in and change it be shared later? Maybe a new feature could be a scheduled share date.

I don’t think any one solution would be perfect

35

I had a week long camp just not be shared by some Squadrons, it was on the mail-drop, all the squadron accounts got emailed separately, I’m not chasing units beyond that, their cadets will just miss out.

I do think we need a Wing SME override, if it’s gets put on by a WSO you should have to opt out, with an email going to Squadron accounts to tell you and a reasonable amount of time to do so. (A week maybe).

36

But did you fill all the spaces on the camp?

If a camp is not viable due lack of interest that’s one thing if Sqns haven’t advertised it but if you’ve got the maximum number of cadets then no-ones missing out per se - the opportunity is being delivered.

You also have those wing/region camps that are open to all staff but are restricted to only certain Sqn cadets. You don’t want to mass override less you end up with the wrong Sqns cadets blocking spaces.

37

It wouldn’t be difficult to e able to choose what Squadrons Cadet Portal you send it to, it would actually be better because at the moment if I have staff join me from a different Wing to help out there is noting to stop their Squadron accidentally sharing it to Cadet Portal.

Except you have one of the Wings big ticket events that hasn’t been open to every Cadet in the Wing because their squadron staff are crap.

1 Like
38

Then let’s deal with that Sqn & support the staff to change behaviour. Otherwise we just hide the problem & tell ourselves everything is hunky dorey.

whilst it may be a Wing big ticket event it maybe that it doesn’t generate the interest it once did - if cadets miss out it’s a shame but it’s how we market things to encourage rather than compell. :slightly_smiling_face:

3 Likes
39

Firstly it’s not for Squadron staff to decide what is or isn’t of interest to their Cadets, that’s why we advertise things so that they can decide for themselves. Secondly a Wing Camp should be open to all of the Cadets in the Wing, the clue is in the title.

Of the Squadrons that did advertise it we were 3 times oversubscribed, that’s still not the point, the point is that due to staff laziness/incompetence we have a big chunk of Cadets who aren’t being given the opportunities that are available to them.

1 Like
40

I think it should be opt out rather than opt in

Your still leaving ultimate control to the OC - in terms of it clashes with Sqb events etc but all the excuses (and like most people here have been impacted by it) won’t really matter because it’s too much effort to go in and opt out.

There is also the whole different issue of staff need a notification of when a cadet bids for something so that we can make sure they can go on it - whether it’s eligibility, not paid subs, discipline issue, just not suitable for the course etc

1 Like