we used to do it that way in my day…
…that was 30 odd years ago, it was 25p a night and we did that on arrival each night parading between 70 and 100 cadets
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The 80s called… They want their subs back.
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I’ve said for quite a while that as an Organisation we undercharge for what we provide compared to everyone else.
£20 per month even if they just attend Parade Nights would be £1 an hour that’s pretty damn cheap.
If I charged that I would be almost doubling my costs but I would have another £5,700 a year to spend on the unit. Imagine the quality of Squadron AT Camp you could run with that in the bank.
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Agree with you there. Maybe go to £15 first and you’d still have an extra £2,850 then incremental increases over a couple of years.
We charge £6 a month…I feel like we are now well below average
We charge £10 per cadet per month and it’s on standing order so no bank charges. We do use GoCardless for everything else but this is costing us about £800 a year in charges. Anyone know of a cheaper alternative that takes credit cards as well?
Starting to think I’m cheap, really. We charge £200 as a one-off joining fee, but as the minimum service is 1 year compulsory, that’s still less than you; we don’t charge older cadets at all; and the £200 includes a basic pair of boots on joining.
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Interestingly when I started to read through I thought we were expensive but it looks like people are starting to come round!
We’re £20 per month by standing order and then we aim to have everything included (apart from camps) so t-shirts, dining in night, normal squadron weekend, wing run courses (residential where the cadets are usually charged for messing) are included. We make it clear that if there are issues then we can work with families (by reducing the subs) and this also ensures that if we need to pay for a camp for a cadet then we can (if overseas, etc then we will offer to pay half).
I’ve always said that for as long as I’m OC then no cadet will miss out if the only issue preventing them from doing something is money (within reason - we’re not paying for PPL’s!).
We’re in a low income area and to be honest, there have been very few issues with this.
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Erm… quote of the day
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At risk of creating a whirl wind reaction, this discussion despite being a Civcom topic, does not have appear to have any Civcom input.
Surely the decision on what you charge does not rest with the OC or the RAFAC! In essence the object is for the Civcom to work with the OC to ensure that funding is available for whatever is planned. I recall my squadron civcom realising that Cadets were often entirely reliant on parents for transport. We then decided to get an SOV (an incorrect title btw as it owned by the Sqn Charity) - we had money available and through business contacts the Civcom acquired transport. This did not require the OC or any staff investing personal time supervising cadets on fundraising.
Parents save personal time but equally it reduces their own personal financial commitment- just saying how the Civcom should work (given the opportunity) for everyone’s benefit.
What you ‘charge’ as some say, is entirely dependent upon needs, and therefore for whatever take is required by Wing or the GPF, the rest is entirely local - the Civcom either acting on behalf of the parents aka the Squadron Association, or with in full consultation with all the parents; bearing in mind the Civcom welfare hat where they need to consider those in a less fortunate position.
It would appear that the cadet experience is delivered at a variety of cost to parents, but no two squadrons are the same in what they offer.
The figures put forward are irrelevant without any indication of the level of other fundraising. A low monthly subscription might indicate a good Civcom able to generate money from other sources - the Civcom being Charity Trustees is able by Law to do that- which identifies the whole show as being something more than a youth club.
You only have to study Charity register statistics in Scotland to appreciate the wealth within some Welfare funds. You cannot do that in England & Wales as HQAC manage it on a need to know basis.
I will leave the massed hoards to rip that to shreds.
Another insightful post their Aries…
You know it would of been MUCH simpler to say we charge our cadets X but that’s due to the fact we have significant or lack of outside funding resources.
All the rest is just you moaning…
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No one has said it does.
We all know and accept the civ coms set the rates!
We are merely comparing what our relevant committees have set them at as a matter of interest.
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Your spare time sounds fun!
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