I have just received the below link to this report.
https://www.northampton.ac.uk/research/research-institutes/institute-for-social-innovation-and-impact/social-impact-resulting-from-expenditure-on-cadets/
I feel it wins the 2018 “No s**t, Sherlock” award!
Who paid for this research? Why couldn’t the money be used to buy Squadron Identification Badges?
Academics asking Academics questions that everyone knows the answers to, to justify their existence!
… and sample pool of … (ta da) … a staggering 338 CFAVs
Looks like someone building a case for CCFs in schools to me.
So Politicians asking Academics to provide evidence for their policies. Still not transparent!!
Just looking at the key findings, where are the Air Cadets? It’s all about CCF, ACF and Army, was a load of testes.
The people I know in schools say that kids who get excluded are almost expected to participate in something as a condition of coming back to their school.
I’m not entirely convinced that seeing us standing around, increases the awareness of the armed forces or veterans.
If you’re in need of a morale boost, the final report has been published:
Interesting read! That’s some serious returns on investment whichever way you look at it.
I love some of the quotes in this report! If anyone ever doubts that what we do can improve childrens’ lives, have a read and enjoy the well-deserved warm feeling that, as CFAV, we do something amazingly positive!
Thanks for the update, definitely agree that it helps focus on the ‘why we do this’ especially when you feel overwhelmed by admin!
The “summarised in a graphic” version:
Pretty accurate too - I think most of those things apply to any of our cadets who’ve been in a few years.
Apparently there’s another report, specifically looking at CCFs.
I haven’t been able to find the full report from a brief search, although the Northampton University website seems to suggest it was actually published in 2023?
The report doesn’t seem to be accessible anywhere (yet) maybe as the universities are on their break.
But quote from press release on MOD site
‘the RAF cadets stepped into an immersive VR activity’
Not RAF Air Cadets or ATC
Full text via the weekly brief:
‘Stepped into an immersive VR experience’
Because, heaven forbid they ask to step into an actual aircraft.
Shortsighted defence move would blow Britain’s future defence capabilities
More on the cuts to cadet funding in the press
An opinion piece, well argued and fine tuned to its audience (Daily Express), but light on facts.
It’s the usual pre review defensive briefing by the vested interests. Be prepared to see a lot of inter service rivalry on F35 and carriers, RM Vs Paras etc in the next few weeks!
I’m horrified
I’ve just seen an RAF beret on Fusiliers Badged No1s
Wearing berets with No. 1s is standard for fusiliers and certain other regiments and corps, but obviously not usually an RAF one!
SASC (and MPGS, I think) can wear an RAF beret when attached to us, but with their own badge. I can’t think of any valid reason for wearing an RAF beret and badge with another uniform.
Uniformity within the band i suppose,
Army Blues are a hell of a lot easier to come acoss than RAF Full dress (the closest equivalent)
although I would like to see a cadet wearing full dress w/ busby