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

Adult Staff
1636

I think I’ll be scaling back my activities even more…

Some of that is outside stuff - livestock farming is in turmoil due to Brexit and covid border controls, we don’t really know what’s going to happen regarding subsidies, and to be frank it all looks like it’s going to turn to a great steaming pile of national greatness - and some of that is family: we’ve really enjoyed spending so much more time together, and I simply don’t hanker for a rushed dinner, 10 minutes by with the kids and them off out to spend the evening talking about subjects that don’t really interest me and looking after other people’s kids…

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1637

Do you think that the ATC will drop to parading one day a week as a result of this?

1638

No. Not as a whole. Some units might, but a blanket approach suits no one.

1639

To be fair, there was nothing stopping people doing one night a week before the pandemic.

Im 50/50 on the whole situation. I’m 100% handing the keys over and stepping down as OC.

Whether I leave or not is very much still to be decided. The longer this lockdown goes on, the harder it will be to return at all.

I’ve loved getting back to paddling/biking & walking for my own enjoyment, my interest in jumping through all the hoops to run it for the cadets is seriously low.

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1640

Why did you join if this was the case?
There must have been something you enjoyed?

1641

Virtual Parade Nights have totally sapped what little enthusiasm I had left.

I’m hoping actually seeing the cadets and other staff in person might give me a boost, but I’m not holding my breath.

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1642

I can’t answer specifically for @angus. But I loved inspiring the cadets and doing things that were in line with the corps aims. That’s why I joined.

I hated teaching all the highly technical frankly boring (to me) subjects that 95% of our cadets will have little to no use for in life.

When you have a small team who wear multiple hats, to try and provide a wide range of things to the cadets, you sometimes have to take on things you don’t enjoy.

I’ve just found the boring stuff (to me) is starting to seriously tip the balance over.

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1643

The ‘boring’ stuff is what makes us the aircadets and not the army or sea cadets.
Or scouts.

If cut out the ‘air’ bit. We might as well just be the army cadets.

Also not much point, paying to send cadets flying if they have no knowledge of what is going on.

Else it’s just a gimmick.
Army cadets could pay as an org to charter gliders for example.

1644

Much as this is great, there is another thread for why you volunteer.

1645

This is specific to understanding staff returning or not.
I for one would like to understand this better so as to improve retention in the Wing during and post covid.

1646

Great. Then use that thread :wink:

1647

Ok so new question.

As we continue to prepare to return to F2F, what are the reasons volunteers might not return?

1648

For me it is:

Little impact on admin burden, despite ample opportunity and time during lockdown.

Reduced ability to do the good stuff, I.e. flying, shooting, AT, etc due currency, and other blockers.

Extra effort and work dumped on OCs to reopen. With no recognition or reward for doing so.
Surely a couple of VA days could have been forthcoming!

Continued blocking policy from HQAC to move staff into uniform and recruit new CIs in a reasonable timeframe.

Oh and just the general guff that is now required for the most basic of parade evenings.

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1649

I felt exactly the same after months of virtual parades. Then we were lucky enough to fit in a few face to face activities between lockdowns and I found them a huge boost. Seeing cadets, enjoying activities and working with staff again, without Teams was brilliant. I can’t wait to get back again.

Hang on in there!

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1650

When we can restart face to face, it will be a great opportunity to continue the best activities and look at improving or stopping the worst.

If we haven’t done something for 10-12 months, has it been missed? Does it contribute to enabling another activity? No, then don’t do it anymore.

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1651

I fear your view may be similar to that of HQAC but HQAC looking at it from a cost perspective. We haven’t done this for 12 months and it’s really expensive, does it give us any benefit that can be attributed to air if not then we don’t do it anymore.

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1652

Ah but we’ve been doing syllabus training which is the biggest waste of time and effort there is!

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1653

I’m looking forward to not having to touch classification stuff for the best part of a year after this is over.

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1654

Our cadets have actually been asking for more of it :grimacing:

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1655

image

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