I’m in the process of completing a University dissertation focused on how the RAF Air Cadets has supported the RAF since inception. My focuses are:
1 - World War Two
2 - The 1960’s/1970’s and the Morris Review
3 - Modern financial difficulties and Historical Cadet Abuse
I’m here to ask the ACC community for help. There is very limited academic literature surrounding our organisation and what exists doesn’t tie in very closely to us anyway.
If you have any documentation, irrespective of whether it’s personal to your squadron or not, and are happy to share it, please could you either post it in this thread or PM me with the relevant information. Anything you share will be protected, my dissertation will not be published without my consent. I’m particularly looking for documents that support our training in the late 60’s into the 70’s as well as what can be found on the Morris Review.
I’m here also to ask a question: given that ACP’s can be easily found online, would it be safe to presume that I could reference the information within them in my dissertation? And if not, does anyone know who best to email to seek approval or advice?
For ACPs and other resources on Bader talk to your university there will be a method of citing them. I can’t exactly remember how but I did quite a lot of my work on the Air Cadets and there as a specific route for referencing publications which weren’t public.
All the best with the dissertation - sounds fascinating. Any way you can share some of your results (once you’ve finished!) without infringing Uni copyright?
On safeguarding, information may be particularly sensitive - I’d consult safeguardingd@rafac.mod.gov.uk as soon as possible to see how best to proceed.
I would guess on a dissertation about how the RAFAC supports the RAF, you’d probably also then look at how the RAF supports the RAFAC too. Wider picture. If you want to look at failings in that relationship, then the RAF/MODs dramatically poor safeguarding history is a good example, that’s also well documented.
The third topic explores how financial strain upon the organisation has affected our ability to aid the Royal Air Force in its operations. The sexual abuse topic covers reputational damage and how that has also impacted the image of the RAF. It will also focus on a clear shift through the time periods covered in that our organisation historically directly supported the RAF and now that support has become more indirect.
It is important to remember that all topics I cover within my dissertation are my subjective opinion and don’t necessarily follow general consensus - mostly as there isn’t an academic one. The idea behind this research project was to explore a topic that has previously seen no academic research. As @JoeBloggs says, the poor safeguarding history provides a good platform to explore failings in the support of the mutual relationship which provides a key opposing view within my dissertation.
Posted it to you. Should be there in a couple of days. When you’re finished with it, no need to return it. Just pay it on if anyone else needs it or take it to your own or another local squadron.
