Preparing to Return to F2F Activity... Again/Still

Just in time for lockdown 3 as per new scientist this morning

if you considered the consequences and implications of the decisions being taken, and, amongst other things, the needs of 4 different devolved Governments and how different CoCs need to manage this, rather than your own very small geographical bubble, then we wouldn’t need to be so patronising :upside_down_face:

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How do you know that HQ RAFAC didn’t draft up a version of our plan ahead of NYA? It might not be HQ’s fault for the delay. Comdt was pretty quick to get something out the day after Boris did so have you considered we might not be the bottleneck?

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I think doing nothing - for now - is the right approach. Yes the bubbles are inconvenient but waiting a few more weeks, perhaps till Aug 16 as others have said, makes sense to me.

Interesting. Our (ACF’s) guidance was updated on Monday. I wouldn’t think it was that difficult to come up with something by now.

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What does yours say?

I feel we should be taking more personal responsibility for things and not legislated (I’m no lover of state control), having said that I am not surprised in the slightest that HQAC are not taking this approach, with their institutionalised mindset. Over the last few years they have become increasingly risk averse and taking the “bubble wrap” culture to its max, which has been much commented on, on here and in the broader volunteer community, with much frustration.
Who the bloody hell are the NYA? Never heard of them until they popped up last year, now we can’t do anything it seems until they have spoken. Why on earth do we have HQAC, lets just have the NYA in charge and remove the duplication, if HQAC won’t do anything without their say so.
If the head office sphincter is twitchy, we should do an LFT before attending if we haven’t done one in the previous 48 hours, show the result and crack on if it’s negative. It takes 15-20 minutes.

If we are not operating “normally” from Sep, I would suggest permanent staff start looking for another job, as you can’t see the organisation being big enough to need that size of head office function we have, longer term. Online recruitment and meetings etc has been a novelty but not a sustainable operating practice long term. How long before our remaining cadets get even more bored, staff lose patience with all the boxes they have to tick and we are then in the very real position of effectively starting from scratch, without a real national military mindset or war clouds on the horizon to encourage young people as there was in the late 1930s. TBH the novelty of online meetings be that TEAMS or Zoom, waned after a few weeks last year.

Not impossible then.

The organisation with Professional Statutory Regulatory Body for Youth Work in England. They’ve been around since the 90’s and have provided that standards for Youth work operations since then. They form a link between Local Government and DCMS - or whichever government department currently holding the uncomfortable fit for Youth work (it bounces between departments like an unwanted child).

You’ve probably never heard of them as you’re not massively involved in the sector outside of RAFAC. And within RAFAC, whilst there is overlap, we sit more at arms length from them as an organisation - they very much provide the standards for the Youth Centre down the road engaging with street kids, doing detached youth work and more informal education (the Biker Grove esque model). You maybe more familiar with Youth United Foundations which more broadly represents the Uniformed Youth organisations of which we are also part - but ALSO follow NYA guidance - several of our previous commandants have actively tweeted of our involvement. YUF often is more alligned to our needs as it collects the National organisations - Scouts, Guides, Cadet Forces, SJA etc - all of which face similar challenges and issues, but have a much bigger structure than “The Zone” or “Anytown Youth Action” who will have a more local structure a may require a different (NYA) approach.

Regarding not doing anything until they have spoken, rightly so. They are setting the standards and guidance for the next steps. If you are found to be operating in conflict or contravening those standards, then the Duty Holder will need to be able to justify why. I think it’s fair enough that people try and get this right?

Remember that the ACF Duty Holder sits at County level - so less open to interpretation and modelling of devolved administrations - so it will be up to them (and their RFCA) to sort out their own local operational information under the NYA guidance. HQAC & MSSC, however, have a National model; anything published needs to comply with not JUST guidance from NYA, but also the Welsh, Scottish and NI equivalent bodies; RAFAC guidance needs to reflect those variations.

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No. They take 30 minutes, which you’d know if you’d ever done one properly (which i doubt).

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, please go away. Leave the organisation, it isn’t good for anyone you’re with and it clearly isn’t good for you. Or just leave the forum and give us some peace from your inane ramblings.

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Basically as per the NYA guidance.

Social distancing does not need to be maintained. It says “consideration should be given to continuing to distance” where possible, but as it isn’t required I’m not sure how much it will be done. Basically no group hugs. No size limit on any group sizes. It does say no “large parades”, but doesn’t given a size of what a large parade is. Hopefully this will be removed by November if more lockdowns don’t happen. Continue hand washing/sanitising on arrival departure.
LFTs for residential activities.
Max 6 people per room (or tent) for residential, though with a possibility for large rooms to be partitioned to allow for 2 groups.
Face coverings not required unless on transport, indoors when moving around (so corridors basically), small rooms with poor ventilation or if you are in very close proximity or in physical contact with another person. The example given checking pouches or doing safety checks during SAA/shooting.

That isn’t true. The commandants and RFCA aren’t dictating our covid procedures, it is done by Regional Command, as are most things.

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Email today to say it’s with the Comdt for ratification and will probably be released Monday, so it’s just wait out for now.

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Which is great and all, but my trg off has to work ahead and our programme is fixed for August, staff allocated according to their work shifts etc.

So even if the rules are updated on Monday, we can’t change the way we operate until September now.

I admire your dedication to a set programme

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Ha yes! It is more that we have key workers etc so even if we want to change the content of the programme we can’t easily change the staff at this stage. Have to work with who we have.

Rumours abounding that by end of tommorow new guidance will be released.

1+ meter separation required still…
Masks as now.

Seen a few Sqns on twitter removing social distancing… Awks

I mean, that was already happening before ‘freedom day’ anyway.

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The one I saw on SM was a scottish sqn, wonder if Scotland specific advice has been issued or they are just following the change in national restrictions.

That would be a shame & disappointing, no issues with Masks though, wonder what would be needed for the end of social distancing.

That said, if you were looking at it last week with the sharp case increase I can see why, but 5 straight days of drops, maybe the 3rd peak is already over.

In Scotland we are still have social distancing and masks. So it could be different for you