Have any squadrons recruited a new cohort virtually using Teams?
Wondering how it went and if you have any hints or tips for the rest of us?
Would be interested in this too… we’ve had 2 interested cadets, so hardly an intake… but don’t want to let them go cold!
I would also like to know details if anyone has successfully done this.
I cant see how it’s possible really as surely these new cadets would just disappear as quick from VPNs as existing cadets.
Seems like wasted effort to me at the minute but I am happy to be shown a working example!
We’ve had a lot of parents pester us for a virtual recruitment night (especially as other local Squadrons have done it) so we’ve given in and going to give it a go.
We’ve said no more than 15 so it’s a bubble size if that’s what we are returning to and have 10 that have confirmed they will be coming.
We’ll see how it goes! 
I think a virtual intake would be possible, but if it lasts more than a few weeks before face to face can restart then I suspect a lot of new cadets might give up. It’s better than not running any intake though.
What we need is a clear timeframe for returning.
I know this is unlikely. But that’s what we need.
We could then.
- Advertise.
- Run a paperwork and joining session.
- Run a couple of intro sessions.
- Meet face to face.
The problem occurs if the gap between either (1,2 or 3) and 4 is too great then it all becomes a bit academic.
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I have 30+ potential new Cadets sat on a waiting list to join.
We’ve been told we can’t hold a virtual open night, never mind a virtual intake. Reason given. Safeguarding issues.
I have run a similar session for new cadets. I just ran it more of an information session. I invited the interested cadet and their parent/parents.
Just had to be really am honest with what was happening at the moment and what we were doing. I have recruited 5 new cadets this way and it’s been great.
Apart from the actual timeframes of actually when we can get back, what are we selling the organisation on? Even more than the normal ifs, ands and maybes.
How on earth do answer any questions on what we actually offer and at the moment when, with any degree of truthfulness. We might be able to fob off teenagers, but parents will see through it instantaneously.
This is where over the last few months the great and the good, should, I hope, been working on a re-brand of the Air Cadets, not just carry on like we have for the last 83 years or 80 depending on your perspective.
Is offering online meetings, when they have been doing this all day for school, really a draw? Better off waiting until we are back and know where we are, rather than some half-baked online effort where retention will be iffy.
Was there any elaboration beyond that?
It’s probably some of the things people I know in schools were talking about last year; kids in their rooms cameras on in various states of dress, as pushed it seems by teachers’ unions. The solution was obvious; no cameras, but there you go.
For me in the case of a virtual recruit, you are being invited into someone’s home you don’t know and interacting with their child(ren), when they don’t know you. May sound daft but this is the world today and we have to go with it. Too many regard the Air Cadets as above things and just go carry on regardless.
We have made a decision not to although we do have a waiting list.
I’m not even confident that we would retain many when we reopen with the tiny bubbles as recruits would end up an isolated group. (I’m actually worried that reopening in bubbles will hurt retention of the Cadets we have).
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I’ve been told the same.
The reasoning was: The approved method of publicising VPNs is through the cadet portal only.
To access the cadet portal, you need to have your details on the SMS. To get those details on the sms, we ask for the parents to complete the 3822A. If we’re not meeting our recruits face to face, how can we be certain that Little 12 year old Jonny, isn’t in fact not-so-little 34 year old Jonny, who is trying to find some teens to groom.
I kind of get it, in the same way that I get why we need 2 adults online, but at the same time, I do think that this reason is a bit too risk adverse?
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Total Safety 
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I’d say that is taking it a bit far.
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So…I take it that virtual recruitment is a potential minefield, and that HQAC haven’t given any guidance on the subject?
Ive been waiting since last year to finalise my Adult recruitment process since moving to this new Wing, I could’ve memorised the whole syllabus by now and be ready for F2F
What are you waiting for?
Not as yet. I’ve asked again why we cannot hold them, when most of the Corps are holding Virtual Open Nights and even Intakes.
We only wanted to hold a Virtual Open Night, just to keep the waiting list ticking over.
I would question as to why anyone is doing virtual open nights or intakes. On an open night we have kit etc out and cadets showing the ‘newbies’ things and getting matey with any the recognise from the school or local area. Doing that online would be false and just odd.
As for an intake why?