Does anyone from HQAC or RFCA query the “fire” rating in terms of people when sqns show large numbers say 60+? Or does Wing et al just get all wet about having so many cadets?
I know that most single hut new builds will around the 100 mark, as I was told that is what ours is when we got it although that number is derived from total volume and not taking into account c.50% of the area is taken up by offices, toilets, stores and kitchen. Would I want anymore than 40 in it at any one time not really, when we’ve got close to that, it gets decidedly uncomfortable.
2 Likes
Yes we have trouble getting into schools! They dont seem to be interested in our area.
Interesting you have replied to this today because we have recently been successful and now have 2 school presentations approaching in the near future.
1 Like
Maybe we will try again! Do you staff have to take time off work to do them?
I have a week annual leave this week so I am able to do it, plus we have 2 CWOs who have some time off work.
1 Like
Personally I don’t like recruiting at school assemblies. . .
If in a school, I’d much rather go in to run some PSHE (or whatever they call it these days) leadership lessons. Much greater benefit for the kids whether they join or not.
2 Likes
Sounds great and I would love too, but it was hard enough securing the assembly slots.
We have a building capacity (Fire regulations) officially set at 75. It was 80 but a recent fire assessment reduced it. Our official Sqn strength is 87 and I have 17 staff. It doesn’t take a genius to workout our issue and we rely on cadets not turning up otherwise people have to stand outside. The staff have to come down when they are on the training programme as we have very little space for them to just sit and chat. Every night is a challenge as the rooms we have in the two story building don’t accommodate more than 15 each without it getting incredibly hot and feeling like you are flying a budget airline.
Despite this the Squadron is buzzing every night with the staff and cadets getting a lot out of the experience. Externally we have no space for additional rooms / portacabins and our cleaning equipment is stored in plastic cupboards outside.
1 Like
Forget the schools and target the parents… never do schools as its a lot of effort. Target the parents via the bigger Facebook groups. Simple advertising (not paid advertising) saying the things like “Does your young person spend to much time on the games machine or hanging around street corners making the wrong decisions…” that usually grabs their attention.
Have always done Facebook and always been oversubscribed on available places.
“Be inspired, do great things and be an Air Cadet”.
If anyone wants example stuff used on Facebook, send me a message and I will happily share or give you ideas.
1 Like
I don’t see those that join the Air Cadets among those who make wrong decisions any more than the majority of people do. OK playing video games (although we encourage this with flight sims) could be a negative, but people at work reckon their kids learn lots playing Minecraft, and who as a teenager didn’t ‘hang around’ somewhere or other with a group of mates and maybe get up to some mischief. It’s just that today due to media stirring up hysteria about groups of kids, it’s viewed almost as a criminal act. Me and mates would have been tugged by the plod regularly, thankfully it was 40-50 years ago and not now.
If parents view their kids as suggested, they have a pretty low opinion of their kids, I’m not convinced I’d want anything to do with parents like that. They sound like the sort of parents I hear effing and blinding at their kids.
1 Like