Looking some advice as to whether anyone has taken their Sqn to a theme park such as Alton Towers. How did you cover the Supervision aspects during the visit- did you have a member of staff with each group or can we let the cadets wander in small groups?
Thanks
The last time we did this we turned up, told the cadets what time to be back at the entrance and let them get on with it. We saw them around during the day and that was it.
Last time we did this we made sure they knew where the RV was, made sure they had the number for the Duty Phone, briefed them to stay in groups and not go off on their own and then released them into the wild.
No different from a camp “cultural visit” I suppose.
“There is Lincoln. Try not to break it and be back here by 15:00. Bye”
Whether that entire concept fits into the supervision model or expectations of the policy writers at HGAC is another question altogether…
Never planned one personally, but when I’ve been on camp, etc, the above have always been the way that these things have worked.
May be HQAC bods would like to wander around with groups of teenagers., lots of selfie opps.
Yeah simple. I brief on RV points (and usually give them a time and place to meet us for lunch), make sure they all have a phone on them and they have my number, ask them to text me once so I have theirs (which I delete after the event). They go round in minimums of pairs (but usually more).
Ultimately for any 1st aid they need to use the park’s staff anyway. If they’re lost they can call/text me.
That sort of things usually get you put on lists…
In my experience if you can’t find cadets, head for the food areas.
This is good timing because the one I’ve just organised is happening in two weeks for Alton Towers.
I thought about having a member of staff with each group but decided that would restrict how much fun the cadets could have and didn’t want to dampen the day for them. The decision made was to let cadets go explore in no less than groups of four and they’ll all have a member of staff’s phone number emergencies/missing cadets but also to check-in with staff at certain times during the day, just to say where they are and everyone is present. That allows staff to go do their own thing (we’ll most definitely be doing all the major attractions).