If you do parent’s nights what do you tend to do for the night exactly and what have you found to be successful?
Are you referring to parents coming in to an existing unit where their children are cadets to see what they are doing or a recruitment night?
Not a recruitment night so parents to come in see what they are doing meet other parents etc.
I would be looking to put on a few activities for parents to take part in, i.e. to get a taste of what their cadet does on the squadron, and then a BBQ for a social element afterwards.
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That’s a good idea
We have something similar, but call it an AGM. It’s led by the committee and separate from what the cadets are doing.
We have started doing that, a secretly good way of trying to recruit more civ comm/CFAV having the open AGM separate from the cadets, allows for the parents and committee members to be in a relaxed social setting rather than on Sqn
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what kind of activities would be best to put on do you think for them to take part in ?
Anything practical that the Sqn offers that the Cadets do! Drill, leadership exercises, first aid, flight sim….
Drill, Leadership, maybe have a go on a flight simulator, or some band drunning etc.
It depends on what equipment your squadron has and the specialisisms and attitudes of your volunteers.
The important bit is to nurture a fun atmospyand encourage parents to take part, far too often they will be reluctant to because, well, their adults and don’t want to.
Slightly different.
We do an intake day.
Arrive and get a welcome brief with OC going over what the sqn and the wider RAFAC does.
Recruits are taken out for a 30 minute drill session, while the OC discusses the “boring” stuff with the parents, standing orders, transport, etc.
Followed by a tour of the sqn, and SMEs to discuss various aspects. Sqn Shooting officer showing the range discussing the syllabus and allowing recruits to see the air rifles, DofE officer chatting about the DofE scheme and AT opportunities. The NCOs leading them around, showing the STEM… flight suite… etc.
Last round of questions amd issuing the paperwork before parents depart, and we do a series of activities with the recruits for the day. Flight simulator session, Team building activities, drill, and we even cover off a lesson on the ranks of the RAFAC so they know who is who when the return.
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