What’s the best way for you to raise your squadron’s profile? I’m not thinking in terms of recruitment (although, by definition, good profile can help promote recruitment!), but in terms of profile within the community?
We have a reasonably active media/comms team who do press releases – but getting into print is always hit and miss. We also have a pretty fine website and social media presence. We also use twitter to promote the squadron to other organisations – our local volunteer service, councillors (parish and district level), other organisations – but rarely broach them face to face. We try to engage with RBL/RAFA with limited success, but more positive experiences with RAFBF!
We currently engage with our local mayor, our High Sheriff, and a few of the local councillors. We also invite all our local secondary heads (or a representative of the school) to our open day to raise our profile with them (and lubricate the wheels for getting cadets off school for camps & courses).
Has anybody else got any other suggestions? Neighbourhood action groups? Police/PCSOs? YOT? Chamber of Commerce? Funny handshakers?
We have a pretty good local profile with all manner of people and groups. It’s been bloody hard work, but we’re there now.
I tend to go for local councillors and the MP as they like to do youth things as opposed to our Mayors who are year about gladhanders. Mind you we’ve had 2 councillors do their stint as mayor, which got some money in the coffers.
With respect to local groups our RAFA and the RBL branches think we are great as do the orgnanisers of local events. We have a good rapport with the local Rotary who have given us donations totalling around £3½K over the last 10 years.
We get the plastc police pop in every once in a while.
My Chairman is on good terms with a local paper and community website, so we get on this particular paper and website. Before he got the links going, the local press were a waste of time. Three of the local groups we assist have our details on their websites, which has proved fruitful for recruits.
I don’t tend to get involved with the local schools to the extent some do. We try and get in to recruit, but it very much depends on staff avalability.
When I started here some 13 years ago, the ATC weren’t on the scene so to speak. So I made it a mission to get the ATC known. It has been a struggle, but now I’m coasting, almost.
Not that it’s a problem, but why mention the YOT? I don’t know much other than what they do and by that token would many of their charges see the ATC as an attractive actvity?
The only reason I mentioned this one specifically is because I occasionally work with them - and was quizzed a few weeks back by one of their workers who did his post-grad training in the the North and they had a “Representative of the Cadet Forces” on their Antisocial Behaviour panel, their local Referral Order Panel/Youth Justice Panel, and supported the Educational Mentoring scheme. He knew of my involvement and was doing the hard sell.
I initially assumed this was an RFCA/ACF sponsored thing as they have an active “Outreach Project” in that area - something I could see a direct link and potential benefit from. However, he was very explicit and said it was a VR(T) from the local ATC - and it wasn’t a Wing appointment, but a volunteer from one of the City Squadrons.
I, personally, don’t have the time to commit to that level of involvement. Additionally, aside from lining yourself up for an MBE for services to the community, I can’t see any value that it would bring the squadron either - aside from some borderline recuits who, from experience, rarely make it through Junior Cadet training.
we are known in the community but looking at the OP it would could be doing a lot more.
we obviously take part in the Remembrance Parade which three weeks ago raised the Sqn profile to a ex-Cadet recently moved into the area who is a Squaddie and former SI at his local unit. he wasnt aware there was an ATC Sqn in town and got in touch.
we take part in the large Hospital fete, and support the Mayor alot in what he/she does.
our biggest interaction with the public is the Tesco Bag Pack at Christmas
in terms of getting into print, local papers/rag however minimal at best!
we have a very good working relationship with the RBL in the area with a sponsored event with monies split 50:50 between the two organisations.
RAFA come to us in Sept for the money box collecting and then the obvious Battle of Britain parade (in neighbouring town) but dont really have any other interaction…
based on what is in this thread already i realize we could do a lot more but what we have tends to organise itself!
I find it interestng just how this differs even withing Wings. I’ve spoken to COs in the past who concentrate solely on ‘training’ and see little benefit to community interaction other than turn out for parades and the occasional bit in the paper.
I have found that cadets like a bit of both and the groups we interact with generally treat the cadets very well and there is invariably some degree of financial benefit for the sqn, which is used for the benefice of the cadets.
I take the view that word of mouth is the best route in all things, as relying on the media in any guise is too hit and miss and some extent faceless.
i have to agree with your comments on the use of “word of mouth” - we have picked up two event directing cars/patrons to events though our work at other events recommendations.
twice a year our PR boards are given consideration given upcoming events but we rarley have anything new to add other than an update to photos to remove the old faces!
it would be nice to have a news article on 2 silver Wings or the handful of Cadets that recieved their DofE awards.