Army Cadet Magazine Summer 2017

ARMY CADET VOLUNTEER G O I N G

Summer 2017

F U R T H E R

armycadets.com

CAMP KIT

10 essential items to keep you comfortable, dry and safe Page 26

CAREER GUIDANCE

HOW TO HELP CADETS SHOWCASE THEIR SKILLS

SAFETY FIRST

First aid training for cadets and adult volunteers INSIDE: NEWS

INITIAL OFFICER TRAINING COMMAND TASKS IN THE FIELD PHOTOS

ISSUE #7: SUMMER 2017

W E LC O M E

The most exciting time for cadets and CFAVs is summer camp.

This is the chance to get away, improve skills, renew friendships, achieve APC starts and experience new activities. I know the tremendous effort that goes into planning, preparing and delivering camps across the country and abroad.

It is important to ensure that these camps are safe for cadets and CFAVs alike. Earlier this year I wrote to CFAVs about safeguarding as we prepare for summer camps. We all have a part to play in making sure we are up to date with our training so we are able to respond in the best possible way when things do go wrong. The need to demonstrate that we take the need to protect young people seriously has never been more important, and through regularly refreshing our training, and following our safeguarding processes, we can do that.

Last year I was able to visit many camps across the UK and I was continuously impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication of the CFAVs I met at each camp. I will be on the road again this summer and look forward to meeting many more of you – hopefully using our new Mercury radio!

BRIGADIER MATTHEW LOWE MBE Deputy Commander Cadets, Regional Command

CONTENTS 18

14

20

EVERY ISSUE 04. THE BRIEFING

THIS ISSUE 12. COMMAND TASKS

Army Cadet news round-up

First aid is such an important part of cadets’ training SI Catriona Gray, In Case Of Emergency, p14

Team-building tasks to aid communication and control

08. THE DRILL Ideas, advice and comment

14. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY Greater access to first aid qualifications

26. NUMBER-OFF! 10 camp essentials

28. STEPPING UP

18. RECRUITMENT Sharing best practice in recruitment across the ACF

Awards and promotions

30. ACF POLICY Update on ACF issues

20. SKILLS FOR LIFE How the ACF prepares cadets for future study and work

32. IN THE FIELD Your photos from ACF events

34. DAY IN THE LIFE

24. SAFETY FIRST

Funeral celebrant Gemma Offer

Why safeguarding is at the heart of all the ACF does

ON THE COVER Number-Off Skills For Life Safety First Cover image West Lowland Battalion ACF annual camp, Penally

GO FURTHER Thinking of commissioning?

The Initial Officer Training is the perfect introduction.

Read about it on page 28

Army Cadet Volunteer is produced by the ACF Marketing and Communications team, based at the Army Cadet Force Association: Holderness House, 51-61 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4DW Get in touch: Tel: 020 7426 8377 Fax: 020 7426 8378 Website: www.armycadets.com Email: marketing@armycadets.com Facebook: facebook.com/Armycadetforce Twitter: @ArmyCadetsUK Army Cadet Volunteer magazine is designed and edited by James Pembroke Publishing

This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form whole or in part without prior written permission of the publishers.

All contents and addresses correct at time of going to press. Every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, but neither James Pembroke Publishing or ACFA can be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequences arising from it. Views expressed by contributors might not reflect the views of the ACF or the Army.

Editor: Sarah Campbell Head of Design: Simon Goddard Senior project manager: Esther Newman

ARMYCADETS.COM 3

THE BRIEFING ARMY CADET NEWS FROM AROUND THE UK

RIGHT: The team from 1st Bn The Highlanders ACF set off at 05.00 to reach the peak of Ben Nevis by 10.00 FAR RIGHT: Cadets from 2nd Northern Ireland Bn ACF fly the Commonwealth flag at the top of Slieve Donard, the highest peak in Northern Ireland BELOW: Clwyd and Gwynedd ACF make it to the top of Mount Snowdon

FUNDRAISING

Devon cadets win national trophy

SEE MORE Flash

SHARED VALUES

To see more photos of cadets flying a flag for the Commonwealth, visit our Facebook page facebook.com/ Armycadetforce

SETTING THE STANDARD

CADETS FROM Tiverton detachment have been crowned winners of the Revision Cadet Challenge, the annual fundraising challenge from ABF The Soldiers’ Charity for ACF detachments across the UK. The cadets have been raising funds for the charity for the past three years and had previously been named best in the south west region. However, after raising the most money throughout 2015-16, Tiverton cadets are now the national champions and proud owners of the Revision trophy.

To help raise the £3,700 the detachment carried out a range of activities and challenges, including raffles and open evenings as well as a 7km log run (carrying a 50kg log), and climbing the height of Ben Nevis on the climbing wall.

All of the cadets also used the activities to count towards the volunteering section of their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

The Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth initiative was celebrated by cadets across the country

S

tonehenge, Mount Snowdon, Ben Nevis and Slieve Donard all received visits from the ACF as part of our involvement in the Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth initiative on Commonwealth Day on 13 March.

ACF cadets and CFAVs took the lead in celebrating the international event by coordinating flag-raising ceremonies at 10.00 in 57 locations across the UK. Some cadets climbed

4 ACF SUMMER 2017

high peaks and braved freezing temperatures, snow and fog to raise the flag.

Other ceremonies enjoyed much better weather, including at Edinburgh Castle, Gloucester Cathedral, the Royal Liver Buildings (Merseyside) and the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge.

More than 950 flags were flown around the world by groups including schools, councils, Girlguiding, the Scouts,

charities and community groups. All were united in a shared celebration of the Commonwealth.

The Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth initiative, now in its fourth year, aims to showcase the values the Commonwealth upholds and the opportunities offered for friendship and cooperation with fellow Commonwealth citizens around the world.

For more photos from the event turn to pages 32-33

LEFT TO RIGHT: Cdt SSgt Spicer, Cdt Cpl Dixon and SSI Mark Sanders with HM Lord Lieutenant of Devon David Fursden

GET IN TOUCH E: marketing@armycadets.com facebook.com/Armycadetforce @ArmyCadetsUK cadetsarmy

THE BRIEFING

ACF AWARDS

Cadet pipers and drummers perform for the second year at the ACF’s Rorke’s Drift Concert

The following have been recognised for their commitment and dedication to the ACF CADET FORCE MEDAL

MUSIC AL CELEBR ATION

20th anniversary of Rorke’s Drift Concert Small gathering in Brecon has grown into ACF’s longest-running music event THE ACF’S RORKE’S DRIFT CONCERT, the annual celebration of cadet force music, marked its 20th anniversary in February this year. It is now the longest-running music event in the ACF calendar.

The concert, organised by Gwent and Powys ACF, featured more than 150 ACF musicians from across the UK. For the second year running, it also included cadet pipers and drummers from Scotland and Northern Ireland. For the first time ACF cadets were also joined by cadets from the Sea Cadet Corps in Wales, and played alongside Army musicians from the Regimental Band of the Welsh Guards.

As well as the massed concert, held at the Theatr Brycheiniog in

Brecon, cadets from the Corps of Drums, pipers and many other musicians from the ACF performed in flashmobs, surprising members of the public with impromptu performances in Brecon and Abergavenny as part of the anniversary celebrations.

Major General Richard Stanford MBE, General Officer Commanding Regional Command, said: “From small beginnings in Brecon, the concert has attracted cadet musicians from far and wide. Since the first concert in 1997 more than 1,000 individual cadets have performed on stage from all the cadet organisations. This event showcases our very best.”

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LOVATT MORROW WHITBY DE’ATH PILCHER PRICE BRACKLEY FLANAGAN CLARK COATES SIMPSON WILKINSON WISBEY

2ND CLASP BROADHEAD EDWARDS MEES HERON RUSHBY LAWRENCE REAVLEY ATKINSON HAMILTON ENGLISH GUYMER ANDREWS LILLY OSBORN 3RD CLASP BREALEY MEES COULTER GROVES HAMMOND NOTICE CROWHURST FOSTER READ

4TH CLASP THOMPSON SCOTT

5TH CLASP MACLEOD

FOR A FULL LIST OF AWARD WINNERS VISIT ARMYCADETS.COM/ACFAWARDS

B A C K I N T H E D AY : MASTER CADETS THIRTY YEARS AGO, 4-star was as far as a cadet could progress… until the establishment, in 1989, of the Master Cadet course at the National Cadet Training Centre, Frimley Park. A pass doesn’t guarantee the title – that is still at the discretion of the County Commandant – but it displays a very high level of competence. Each county can choose one Master Cadet to compete in the annual Champion Cadet competition (page 10).

Please can we have an image from 2015’s Champion Cadet competition, as suggested

Master Cadets compete in 2015’s Champion Cadet competition

ARMYCADETS.COM 5

THE BRIEFING

The Lord Lieutenant of Gwent’s cadets for 2017

IN THE MEDIA

ACF luminaries making headlines litter-pick event organised by the local council.

Lt Clare Wookey Cadets took part in canoeing challenges

INTERNATIONAL

CANADA TRIP FOR CADETS Cadets competed for chance to be one of 36 selected for Canadian Exchange 2017

S

eventy-six ACF and CCF cadets formed up at Cwrt-y-Gollen Training Camp, the Headquarters of Gwent and Powys ACF, in April in the hope of being selected for the Canadian Exchange 2017.

The cadets took part in a range of challenging activities at adventure training facilities across the region, including swimming, hill walking, canoeing, trail mountain biking, horse riding, a fitness test, team building and a personal interview.

Their performance in the activities was taken into account to choose the successful 36 candidates who will travel to Canada for six weeks in the summer.

6 ACF SUMMER 2017

Lt Col Jimmy Beggs, OC International Exchanges at Regional Command, said: “All the cadets participated to the best of their abilities. The decision to select the top 36 was tough but we’re confident we have the best cadets selected to take part in the 2017 exchange.” He congratulated all the participants for a spirited and enjoyable weekend.

The 36 successful competitors will take part in the Cadet Leadership and Challenge Course at Rocky Mountain, Alberta, or the Cadet Expedition Instructor Courses in Whitehorse, Yukon, and Argonaut, New Brunswick in August.

Lincolnshire ACF: Lt Clare Wookey was recognised by Lincolnshire Today after entering the Guinness Book of World Records for her role in a record-breaking swim across the North Channel. Clare was one fifth of a women’s relay team that swam from Northern Ireland to Scotland and back in 28 hours and 25 minutes.

Gwent and Powys ACF: Cdt SSgt Jack Kavanagh and Cdt Sgt Taran Fitzgerald were featured in the South Wales Argus as they were both appointed Lord Lieutenant’s cadets at an award ceremony held by HM Lord Lieutenant of Gwent Brigadier Robert Aitken.

Yorkshire North and West ACF: The York Press featured married couple Anita and Mark Coe who recently celebrated their joint retirement from the ACF after dedicating 50 years of volunteering between them.

Bishop’s Hull detachment

Somerset ACF: thisisthewestcountry.co.uk reported how cadets from Bishop’s Hull detachment raised over £2,000 packing bags at a supermarket. The money was donated to Go Commando, which supports Royal Marines and their families.

Suffolk ACF: Cadet Ellis Rudge was awarded a special commendation. The Haverhill Echo reported how Ellis used his first aid skills to help a boy who suffered a serious accident at a skate park.

Members of Northumbria ACF

Northumbria ACF: Cadets from Amble detachment were praised by the Northumberland Gazette as they volunteered their help to keep the town tidy. The detachment took part in a

Cadet Ellis Rudge

THE BRIEFING

EMERGENCY ACTION Boost your skillset with a nationally recognised First Aid training course

page 14

NATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS Results for football, cross country and rugby

JUNIORS FINAL

National Cross Country Championships As the boys were battling it out on the football pitch at Altcar on 11 March, the ACF’s best cross country runners were competing to be crowned national champions at the ACF Cross Country Championships, also at Altcar on 11 March.

Nine regions were represented with team and individual awards received.

National Boys’ Rugby Sevens Championships Seven regions participated in the ACF National Boys’ Sevena-side Rugby Championships at Christ College, Brecon, on 8 April.

SENIORS FINAL

4 Inf Bde

1

11 Inf Bde

2

11 Inf Bde

0

LONDIST

1

Versus

JUNIORS SEMI-FINAL

Versus

SENIORS SEMI-FINAL

LONDIST

3

11 Inf Bde

2

4 Inf Bde

4

51 Inf Bde

1

11 Inf Bde

4

LONDIST

1

38 Bde

0

7 Inf Bde

0

Versus

Versus

National Boys’ Football Ten regional teams took part in the six-a-side national football tournament at Altcar Training Camp, Merseyside, on 11 March.

ACHIEVEMENT

N AT I O N A L B O Y S ’ F O O T B A L L

Versus

Versus

JUNIOR CHAMPIONS:

4 Inf Bde

SENIOR CHAMPIONS:

11 Inf Bde

NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY (TEAM) Junior Boys 1st 2nd 3rd

7 Inf Bde 11 Sig Bde 51 Inf Bde

Junior Girls 1st 2nd 3rd

7 Inf Bde 11 Sig Bde 51 Inf Bde

Intermediate Boys 1st 2nd 3rd

7 Inf Bde LONDIST 4 Inf Bde

Intermediate Girls 1st 2nd 3rd

11 Sig Bde 7 Inf Bde 4 Inf Bde

Senior Boys 1st 2nd: 3rd

7 Inf Bde 51 Inf Bde 11 Sig Bde

Senior Girls 1st 2nd 3rd

OVERALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

51 Inf Bde 7 Inf Bde No Brigade 7 Inf Bde

NATIONAL BOYS’ RUGBY SEVENS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Intermediates 7 Inf Bde 1st 2nd 11 Sig Bde 11 Inf Bde 3rd 38 Bde 4th 160 Inf Bde 5th 51 Inf Bde 6th 4 Inf Bde 7th

Seniors 1st 160 Inf Bde 2nd 38 Bde 7 Inf Bde 3rd 4 Inf Bde 4th 51 Inf Bde 5th 11 Inf Bde 6th 11 Sig Bde 7th

National champions: 7 Inf Bde

National champions: 160 Inf Bde

Volunteer wins youth work award AN ACF DEPUTY commandant has been nationally recognised for his outstanding commitment to young people in Scotland.

Lt Col Graham Dempsey, Deputy Commandant (South) of West Lowland Battalion ACF, received a lifetime achievement award at the YouthLink Scotland National Youth Worker of the Year Awards 2017.

Graham has been an adult volunteer for more than 31 years. During this time, 6,000 young people have passed through the battalion. Graham is responsible for all adult training in the battalion and is respected for his organisational and planning skills and keeping a cool head in difficult situations.

On receiving his award Graham said: “I feel very privileged to receive this acknowledgment.

I’m passionate about youth work, and the positive contribution it makes to the lives of young people across the country.”

The awards celebrate the commitment, service and impact that youth workers have on the lives of young people in Scotland.

Lt Col Graham Dempsey

ARMYCADETS.COM 7

THE DRILL TIPS, ADVICE AND COMMENT

Feeling chinstrapped and ready for an egg banjo

JARGON BUSTERS Col Ian Holmes recommends encouraging cadets to call home

5

MINUTE CAMP UPDATE

Parents and guardians naturally worry when their children are away at camp. Preparing and informing them is key to giving them confidence that all is well, says Col Ian Holmes from Merseyside ACF

CAMP-SPEAK THE TERMS WE'LL HEAR ON CAMPS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IT'S CAMP season, which means dusting off your kit and venturing into the wilds.

In these rugged situations, it’s important that everyone knows what everyone else is talking about. Jargon in the military world allows for quick, effective communication and helps to foster camaraderie – and the ACF is no exception. For

KE E P PA RE NT S I N FO R M E D

newcomers, though, it can be a bit impenetrable, so here are a few camp-related terms: Have you got your compo or

1. No news is good news. Inform parents that cadets will not always have their mobile phone with them. CFAVs do encourage cadets to call their parents on an evening and there is always a phone available for them to use, but if parents don’t hear from their child, it’s probably because they’re having fun and have forgotten to call home.

2. Identify any phone network coverage issues beforehand. It’s a good idea to have a handful of pay-as-you-go mobiles containing a SIM for the best network.

3. Remind parents of contact details.

They will be given a main contact number

8 ACF SUMMER 2017

for camp if they need to relay a message and the address, which is useful for surprise birthday gifts! The county will also have the parents’ details.

rat-packs (ration packs) sorted out? And worked out who’s on stag (guard duty) when? And at the end of the day, when your cadets are totally chin-strapped

4. Use Facebook and Twitter. You can deliver updates as camp progresses. Plus, parents can leave messages here to be passed on to their children.

(knackered) and complaining that today’s task was bone (pointless), just tuck yourself up in your dossbag (sleeping bag) with your egg banjo (egg

5. Reassure them that welfare comes first. Tell them about the camp’s independent listeners (often padres), so that they know there is always someone the cadet can talk to, regardless of the subject matter.

sandwich) and your brew – but don't be jack (only making one for yourself), and remind yourself that soon it’ll be all over – and they’ll probably have had the time of their lives.

THE DRILL

R ECOR D OF ACHIEV EMENT

How the ACF is equipping cadets with lifelong skills page 20

HOW TO : ENTERTAIN CADETS AT CAMP

DO YOU MEASURE UP?

NEW OS SYMBOLS QUIZ

D

uring the day on camp, cadets have plenty of structured activities to keep them occupied. But what about the downtime? Some camps are better equipped with tuck shops and games rooms than others, so 2Lt Andy Malarky , Lothian and Borders Battalion ACF, has a few bright ideas for keeping cadets out of bother.

Talk to them. Rule number one: make sure you ask cadets what they want to do.

What was great fun for you when you were a cadet may not be what they want now.

ACF’s Got Talent. A singing competition always goes down a treat. You could even have heats, depending on the size and length of your camp. Have a popular vote and the prize could be your camp money back, or a bit of kit such as a day sack.

Sports tournaments. We tend to just open up a football or rugby pitch, or a field with a couple of CFAVs supervising, and a tournament soon materialises – it doesn’t always have to be organised for them.

Sketch show. Come up with scenarios for the cadets to improvise around (for example, cadets in a minibus on the way to an exercise). Have senior figures on camp on the judging panel. etc

Consider ways to entertain cadets when structured activities, such as archery, are over

THINK YOU KNOW your footpaths from your bridleways, your coppice from your scrub? But how well do you know the newest Ordnance Survey map symbols? Test yourself and your cadets with our short quiz:

Don’t burn them out. Time for socialising and just hanging out is really important – that’s when friendships are made. It also encourages independence and self-reliance.

Be flexible. Weather, activities, the cadets’ mood: all can change, so try not to be too rigid. Senior cadets often have a good feel for what everyone is up for.

Do you have more ideas you’d like to share with other CFAVs? Tell us about them at marketing@armycadets.com

1

2

3

4

5

6

Answers on page 11

W H A T T O D O I F. . . … CADETS DON’T GET ON Put a load of tired teenagers together on a camp and the occasional disagreement is bound to happen. 2Lt Nick Froude, Hampshire and Isle of Wight ACF, has had plenty of experience of dealing with temper tantrums: SET GROUND RULES for cadets at the start of camp: you expect them to get on and work as a team.

IDENTIFY THE DANGER POINTS. These are usually the gaps between activities,

or the boring wait for a delayed minibus.

KEEP THEM OCCUPIED. A kickabout keeps them physically active and releases endorphins.

Command tasks keep their brains focused.

CREATE INTERDEPENDENCE. This can be just getting them to tell each other their favourite superhero or the weirdest thing they’ve eaten. Sharing things about themselves creates a connection.

DON’T LET A DISAGREEMENT GET IN THE WAY of training. On camp time is limited so the activities have to continue.

At the same time, don’t ignore a problem in the hope that it’ll resolve itself.

And if there is a fight or other major incident on camp, follow the Red Book procedures as you would at any other time.

h e e THE DRILL

SA FE H AV EN Safeguarding training and the 'Disrespect NoBody' campaign page 24

PROFILE Cdt RSM Lawless of Surrey ACF was last year's winner

COMPETITION

CHAMPION CADET TROPHY

E

ach year, the best Master Cadets from across the country gather at the National Cadet Training Centre (NCTC) at Frimley Park to compete for the glory of being named Champion Cadet and raising the Claire Shore trophy.

The competition is open to 57 participants – one from each county – although not all counties send a competitor.

Lt Col Gavin Jones, Commandant NCTC, would love to see all counties represented.

“We are making progress. We’re starting to see more awareness of the competition among senior cadets,” he says. “Last year we had 22 participants, up from 17 the year before. This year it would be great to be at the halfway mark.”

While the ‘gold standard’ for cadets to aim for is Master Cadet, the Champion Cadet competition is the pinnacle of the cadet experience. “It’s a chance for them to give their all in challenges that cover almost all aspects of the cadet syllabus,” Gavin says. “It takes courage to even participate.

They have to cope with stress, fatigue and uncertainty – we don’t issue a programme when they turn up. We don’t tell them when

10 ACF SUMMER 2017

bedtime is. It’s full-on, day and night, with a few surprises thrown in as well.”

The competition also gives the ACF the opportunity to showcase the calibre of the cadet experience, as the Champion Cadet will usually be invited to accompany GOC Regional Command to engagement events.

“People recognise that Champion Cadet is a significant achievement,” Gavin says.

This year’s event takes place 29 August1 September. Contact Lt Col Jones: commandant@ctcfrimleypark.mod.uk

PAST CHAMPIONS 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

CDT RSM COLNEY, WARWICKS & WM ACF CDT CSM SMITH, WARWICKS & WM ACF CDT RSM KEY, SOMERSET ACF CDT CSGT STEBBINGS, DURHAM ACF CDT RSM NOYES, SOMERSET ACF CDT RSM TAYLOR, CLEVELAND ACF CDT RSM MCMULLAN, 1ST NI BN ACF CDT RSM NEWTON, WARWICKS & WM ACF CDT RSM LECKIE (GARDINER), 1ST NI BN ACF CDT UO WEIR, ANGUS & DUNDEE BN ACF CDT SSGT ANDERSON, BLACK WATCH BN ACF CDT RSM ARNOT, NORTHUMBRIA ACF CDT RSM CADDICK, 1ST BN THE HIGHLANDERS ACF CDT CSM LOUGHHEAD, NORTHUMBRIA ACF CDT CSM ROGERSON, SUSSEX ACF CDT RSM LAWLESS, SURREY ACF

Ade Clayton Chief Instructor, National Cadet Training Centre, Frimley Park MAJ ADE CLAYTON has been in the Army all his working life, joining as a soldier at 16 and commissioning as an infantry officer in 2005.

He joined the National Cadet Training Centre (NCTC) as Chief Instructor last August from an operational plans role at the Permanent Joint Headquarters.

While he doesn’t have a conventional instructor background, he has mentored local forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It’s not quite the same as what I’m doing now, but it was useful training experience,” he says.

Now he’s in charge of the delivery of all the NCTC’s courses. He also teaches values and standards, and leadership and management on several courses, and acts as platoon commander in the field aspect of the Master Cadet course.

“The most rewarding thing is seeing people change during the time they’re here,” he says. “First thing on a Monday you have a room full of fairly quiet, anxious people. Sometimes people are a bit apprehensive about coming to Frimley Park because they’re not sure what to expect. But we make sure we cater for all levels, we’re inclusive and supportive and, by the end of the week, everybody’s got to know each other.

Very few people leave Frimley Park not having had a good time.”

THE DRILL

GETCONNECTED

Add Army Cadets to your professional profile by following us on LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/company/army-cadets-force

SPEAK OUT YOUR LETTERS, EMAILS, TWEETS & POSTS

FRONTLINE ON FACEBOOK We asked you: what’s the next big challenge you’re taking with the ACF? Kieran Evans My next big challenge is to become a 4-star by the time I have to leave next June. I aim to be an inspiration for all new cadets to show them that if you aspire to do something then you can do it.

Dewi Jones Use the role of CSM and Lord-Lieutenant’s cadet effectively and promote the ACF. Caitlin Tomlinson My next challenge is to hopefully become a successful NCO for my detachment.

Ben Prouse My next challenge is to get promoted so I can help my detachment and my company.

Nathan Cooke and members of Lincolnshire ACF

PURPOSE AND PRIDE Paula-Joanne Bloodworth, mother of Nathan Cooke (Market Deeping Detachment, Lincolnshire ACF) sent an email to Lincolnshire ACF: “I cannot believe his time in the ACF has come to an end. I too would like to thank Lincolnshire ACF for all the time and effort invested in moulding Nathan into the gentleman he is today. The ACF has not only given him discipline, adventure, fun, friends, laughter and so much more, it’s given him positivity, purpose and pride to be a part of your team. He leaves with lots of fond memories of you all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for welcoming him.”

me busy after work but that was also fulfilling.

Cadets certainly achieved that and more.

“I’ve made some amazing friends (who are more like family), have learnt a wide range of skills, and I even met my husband-to-be. My personal development has helped me both in work and with cadets, as I now run a detachment full of teens that brightens up my Mondays and Wednesdays. I see the difference our time gives them every parade night, from talking to them about problems in school, seeing them develop in confidence, to them passing that subject they used to struggle with.

“I never thought I’d get so much out of volunteering, but it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done and the best decision I ever made. I wouldn’t change a second. I couldn’t recommend it more.”

SO REWARDING Bethan Foweraker, CFAV, Dyfed and Glamorgan ACF, shared this on Twitter: “Two years ago today I started my journey to becoming a volunteer in the ACF. I wanted to find something to keep

GET IN TOUCH Send your letters, comments and ideas for future conversation starters to marketing@armycadets.com

TOP TWEETS ACF in the Twittersphere @conordmaher A very wet, but successful first day of @ArmyCadetsUK Gold #DofE practice on Dartmoor! #GoingFurther @ACFADofE @DofESouthWest @hsyacf1 Cadets from Scunthorpe Det were guests of the Mayor of North Lincolnshire at today's home game at Glanford Park @RFCAYH @ArmyCadetsUK @jennifer_insley It's great fun being a student volunteer!

Rocket "science" fun Weds as #STEM Ambassador & sports night at @ ArmyCadetsUK yesterday #SVW2017

Answers to OS symbols quiz: 1) Electric car charging 2) Art gallery 3) Solar farm 4) Skate park 5) Public convenience 6) Kite surfing

ARMYCADETS.COM 11

TEAM BUILDING

1

Drainpipe Challenge 2 Chopstick Challenge

COMMAND TASKS

CADETS FROM BLACK WATCH BN ACF TOOK ON THE DRAINPIPE CHALLENGE AT LAST YEAR’S ANNUAL CAMP. MEANWHILE, MEMBERS OF 7TH BN, THE ROYAL REGIMENT OF SCOTLAND (7 SCOTS), INTRODUCED THE CHOPSTICK CHALLENGE TO CADETS FROM ELGIN AND FORRES DETACHMENTS, 1ST BN THE HIGHLANDERS ACF

1

DRAINPIPE CHALLENGE Equipment: Pieces of drainpipe and marbles or balls such as ping pong balls or golf balls.

Time: 5 minutes planning, 10 minutes to complete the task.

Where: Indoors or outdoors.

Aim: To get the balls from a start point to an end point as quickly as possible without dropping them.

Benefits: Requires a high level of communication and teamwork.

Instructions: Cadets are given one piece of pipe each and must move the balls from a designated starting position to a finishing point using only the drain pipe. Each team member must carry the balls at least once and if the balls touch the floor the team must start again.

Make it harder: • Separate the start and end points by obstacles.

• Race teams against each other.

IF THE BALLS TOUCH THE FLOOR THE TEAM MUST START AGAIN

12 ACF SUMMER 2017

2

CHOPSTICK CHALLENGE Equipment: Two canes (or broomstick handles) for each team member, a football, cones and a bucket.

Time: 15 minutes (5 minutes team discussion and 10 minutes to complete).

Where: Indoors or outdoors.

Aim: For cadets to get the ball from the floor at one end and into the bucket at the other without dropping it.

Benefits: The task requires concentration, control and hand-eye coordination. It is aimed towards junior cadets and promotes teamworking skills and communication.

Instructions: Each member of the team stands at their cone holding their two canes. The cones are placed at 1-1.5m intervals in file formation. The first team member picks up the football from the floor with their canes and passes the ball to

the cadet diagonally opposite them, using their canes as well. Each cadet takes it in turn to receive and pass on the ball until the last cadet places it in the bucket at the other end of the course. Team members cannot move from their cone and if the ball is dropped it is moved back to the start. The trick is to keep the canes under arms as short as possible to keep a tight hold of the ball. The task is recommended for a minimum of eight cadets.

Make it harder: • Make it a competition using multiple groups and the winner is the team that completes the task first.

• Increase the number of cadets involved.

• Remove the bucket. When the last cadet receives the ball they must pass it back down the line.

GET INVOLVED 1

Cadets use pieces of drainpipe to transport the ball along the course

We’re always looking for detachments to feature on these pages. Get in touch: marketing@ armycadets.com

2

1

Coordination and concentration are required to keep the ball under control

2

ARMYCADETS.COM 13

FIRST AID

DID YOU KNOW? CFAVs and cadets can become qualified first aiders for free through the ACF

FIRST AID TRAINING

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY NEW NATIONALLY RECOGNISED FIRST AID QUALIFICATIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT COUNTY LEVEL FOR BOTH CADETS AND ADULT VOLUNTEERS

C

WE’D LIKE EVERY ADULT VOLUNTEER TO HOLD A FIRST AID QUALIFICATION Col Chris Young

14 ACF SUMMER 2017

amp season is the time of year when first aid training comes into its own. Having qualified, experienced first aiders among your instructors not only keeps everyone safe, but gives organisers the confidence to try out new, challenging activities in the knowledge that should an incident occur they have the expertise to respond.

First aid is already an integral part of the cadet experience: it’s a core subject in the Army Proficiency Certificate syllabus and training continues throughout a cadet’s career. But the ACF’s National Adviser for first aid, Col Chris Young, is on a mission

to make first aid training even more useful for cadets and adult volunteers alike.

“Although it’s not a requirement, we believe that every uniformed adult volunteer should hold a current, valid first aid qualification – and feel confident using it,” he says. “And we’ve got a great new scheme of recognition to make that happen.”

The new scheme he is referring to is the introduction of nationally regulated first aid qualifications – Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) (Level 2) and First Aid at Work (FAW) (Level 3) – available to take at county level. Melanie Prangnell, First Aid Development Manager at the ACFA, has

FIRST AID

ARMYCADETS.COM 15

FIRST AID

IF AN INCIDENT DID HAPPEN, COULD YOU DEAL WITH IT? Melanie Prangnell, First Aid Development Manager, ACFA

spent the past few months putting the structures in place to make this possible.

“In the past, CFAVs could do our ACFA first aid certificates locally, but if they wanted to get a nationally regulated first aid qualification that employers would automatically recognise, they had to pay an external company to do it or come to Frimley,” she says. “Now we’re bringing those qualifications to county level – for free.” The first course has already taken place, and more courses will be made available over the summer.

National standard Melanie says the cadets’ syllabus is being adapted so that senior cadets can take these qualifications too. “It’s all to do with their employability,” she says.

“With nationally regulated qualifications, employers don’t have to do any further checks – they know the qualifications are good. Plus, it’ll save them a bit of money because they don’t have to train

16 ACF SUMMER 2017

that employee.

“I’m a big believer that cadets and volunteers give a lot of time and energy to the ACF and it’s good for them to get something back.” Currently just under half of all adult volunteers hold a first aid qualification (although many more will have some form of training).

Perfect fit The advantage of the ACFA providing these qualifications rather than a county buying them in is that they are perfectly tailored to ACF activities.

Chris explains: “The content is the same, but it’s delivered in the context of our role as adult People aged 18-24 are volunteers as well as fulfilling the the least likely to have Health and Safety Executive’s had first aid training (HSE) first aid requirements.” according to St John Ultimately it is down to an Ambulance event organiser to decide with a risk assessment what level of first aid cover is appropriate for any given activity. Besides, Melanie adds, “every adult really should ask themselves if an incident were to happen in front of them, could they deal with it?” Chris would ABOVE: Cadets who take the new courses will be able love to see all adult volunteers hold at to tell future employers that they hold a nationally least the EFAW qualification – at six regulated qualification LEFT: It is important that adult volunteers can deal with hours’ training every three years, it doesn’t any incidents that might arise on camp seem like too much of a burden. He is a paramedic and knows first-hand that a of expertise and defibrillator training has first aider can be the difference between been mandatory in first aid qualifications life and death. “If I’m called to a cardiac only since December last year. Other arrest, it might take me 8-10 minutes to aspects of training have also changed get there. But if there’s a first aider there recently: the HSE has found no evidence who has had access to a defibrillator, that being trained to apply a tourniquet for example, that could make all the and carrying one in a first aid kit is difference,” he says. beneficial outside high-risk industries First aid is a continually changing field such as forestry, and so has decided that

DID YOU KNOW?

FIRST AID

SI CATRIONA GRAY

it will only be trained following a “needs based risk assessment” being completed and showing a requirement. That’s not to say you shouldn’t take one – just that you ought to only if your risk assessment deems it necessary.

Just as national guidelines change and evolve, so does the ACF’s approach to first aid. For example, Chris and Melanie are currently investigating the efficacy of a nurse running medical centres on camp.

“The scope of practice of agency nurses is really limited,” says Melanie. “So we’re

going to look at whether an advanced first aider from our own ranks could do just as good a job – or better. We’re also looking at developing a qualification specifically for this purpose.”

Ultimately, having as many clued-up first aiders in the ACF as possible is only going to enhance the cadet experience.

SI Catriona Gray from Dyfed & Glamorgan ACF has been a first aider for more than 30 years.

She holds the First Aid at Work qualification and is a first aid tutor.

Her skills were put to the test last year during a windsurfing activity on annual camp. “The cadets were windsurfing and an instructor was in the water,” Catriona recalls. “Suddenly the instructor went under – she was having a fi t. Four senior cadets jumped off their boards and grabbed her.”

Catriona, who was watching from shore, could tell something untoward was happening. “I realised just how serious it was when a cadet came flying out of the water after me,” she says.

The cadets’ own first aid training kicked in and they did absolutely the right thing, getting the instructor out of the water and into the recovery position.

Catriona did further checks and monitored her breathing until the air ambulance arrived.

“She started coming to but she was unsure where she was and confused about what was going on,” Catriona says. She was later airlifted to hospital.

“I’ve dealt with emergency situations before so the autopilot clicks in,” she adds. “The cadets did excellently, but it freaked them out. Afterwards they started to get quite upset. I took them aside and we had a chat.

They did so well – if it wasn’t for their very quick actions, she wouldn’t have survived.”

The instructor recovered and was able to return to camp to thank the cadets. “It was emotional,” Catriona says. “But the knowledge kicked in when it was needed. That’s why first aid is such an important part of cadets’ training.”

FIND OUT MORE

For more information about the FAW and EFAW qualifications now available, contact your county first aid training officer

ARMYCADETS.COM 17

Think about how you can engage the families and friends of current cadets

R EC TM AT TR I TUUI D E ESNUTR V E Y

VOLUNTEERING

ROOT AND BRANCH THE GRASS ROOTS ADULT VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT PROGRAMME AIMS TO SHARE BEST PRACTICE IN ATTRACTING TALENT

A

dult volunteers are at the heart of the ACF, giving huge amounts of time and support to cadets. So it’s important that the organisation knows that it’s going to be able to recruit enough of the right volunteers for the next decade and beyond.

THE PROCESS PUT A LOT MORE STRUCTURE AROUND OUR APPROACH Col Rob Hughes, Commandant of Gwent & Powys ACF

18 ACF SUMMER 2017

To this end, a new scheme, the Grass Roots Adult Volunteer Recruitment Programme, supports and helps to share best practice in promoting volunteering opportunities in the ACF. It is being rolled out across a number of locations following a successful trial in four counties last year and will bring together effective local, regional and national recruitment marketing techniques. It complements the work already being done to promote the benefits of volunteering with the Army Cadets.

Of course, recruitment challenges for detachments in the Highlands of Scotland or the Valleys of Wales are likely to be very different to those in Surrey, inner-city Belfast or Bradford.

Officers, instructors and RFCA staff at county

TOP 10 TIPS FOR RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS To meet the challenges of adult volunteer recruitment there is no single solution.

But here are ten tips from the Grass Roots Adult Volunteer Recruitment Programme to help you succeed.

01

Make sure your county website showcases all the great things going

on around your county.

02

If your location allows, make your detachment visible by putting up

a banner that can be seen from the road.

03

Develop new activities by borrowing successful recruitment ideas from

across the ACF.

04 Promote the role of volunteers through events

OPEN WEEK Open Week 2017 takes place from 11-17 September.

Visit armycadets.com/ openweekresources

level are best placed to understand the needs of their own patch. This is why the programme combines local knowledge with support from an engagement specialist company called Yes Agency, and best practice initiatives from around the country.

A tailored approach Lt Richard Etherington, PRO Nottinghamshire ACF, who took part in the pilot, says the flexible recruitment programme allowed him and his colleagues to “tailor our recruitment plan to our own county, instead of taking a national approach”. He adds: “Every county needs a bespoke action plan.”

Remember, word of mouth is a valuable recruitment tool

Yes Agency has conducted research into adult volunteer recruitment, and found some excellent initiatives being delivered across the ACF. However, what was sometimes missing was a consistent approach towards planning and delivery, which is why the new programme offers guidance to county recruitment teams, coordinated by a new recruitment officer role. The programme will give recruitment officers practical guidance in creating and delivering an annual recruitment plan.

Col Rob Hughes, Commandant of Gwent & Powys ACF, who also took part in the pilot, has already seen strong results.

“The process put a lot more structure around our approach and it has helped us focus us on whether our approaches are viable, rational, and backed by the experience of others,” he says.

Following positive initial feedback, the programme will be rolled out to over 10 more counties.

Promote the role of volunteers through events. Detachment

open days can let the local community see what volunteers do. Plan cadet alumni activities to remind former cadets what the ACF was like and encourage them to give something back.

05

Many volunteers are recruited simply because somebody asked them.

Think about how you can engage the families and friends of current cadets and CFAVs.

06

Use your social and community networks to contact employers

and community groups.

07

Put up posters on community noticeboards near your detachment

and promote local events and volunteer opportunities on community websites.

08

Think about how you use your civilian assistants. Could

they give more support to officers and adult instructors?

09 10

Monitor what’s working to attract volunteers and learn from them.

The ACF Cadets Brand Centre has information, downloads and

guidance on marketing issues including how to recruit adult volunteers. Visit armycadets.com/brand-centre

FIND OUT MORE For more info on the Grass Roots Adult Volunteer Recruitment programme, go to yesagency.co.uk/portfolio/army-cadets

ARMYCADETS.COM 19

LIFE-LONG LEARNING

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

SKILLS FOR LIFE THE ACFA IS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO ENSURE THAT CADETS HAVE THE ABILITIES AND TOOLS TO SHOWCASE THE MANY SKILLS THEY HAVE LEARNED

C

FAVs see cadets making progress behaviourally, academically and physically every week: it’s one of the many rewards of volunteering.

But now there’s research that quantifies the benefits of being a cadet.

The University of Northampton is part-way through a four-year study commissioned by the Ministry of Defence into the impact on young people of being in the Cadet Forces. It focuses

CADETS LEARN THAT IF YOU WORK YOU CAN ACHIEVE. IF YOU DON’T WORK, YOU DON’T GET YOUR STRIPES Professor Simon Denny

20 ACF SUMMER 17

on the experiences of 1,500 cadets, and a recent interim report had encouraging results. “The study shows that being in Cadets is particularly good at developing youngsters’ essential characteristics,” says Professor Simon Denny, executive dean for research at the university. “These are personal discipline, the ability to organise themselves and what we call self-efficacy – when life throws up little problems, you don’t give up. You put the work in to succeed.”

According to Simon, these qualities prepare young people well for university. “Cadets learn that if you work you can achieve. If you don’t work, you don’t get your stripes. Also, they learn to understand complex information from a number of sources,” he says. “That might be a manual about how a piece of equipment works, or instructions on how to move a group of people across country,

LIFE-LONG LEARNING

whereas at university it might be a physics textbook or a sociology article. The content doesn’t really matter: they’ve learnt the disciplines of reading information and understanding it, and then communicating clearly.”

Qualifications and attitudes Something else the research has revealed is the value of the qualifications available to cadets.

Simon says: “For boys and girls who don’t really get on with school in a traditional way, qualifications such as BTECs can be a route to higher education. This can be hugely important for young people in difficult circumstances. Being a cadet can be a real life-changer in this regard.”

Of course, not all cadets want to go to university, but the qualifications they gain can also be excellent preparation for the world of work.

Colin Charters, National Projects Officer at the ACFA, says: “A lot of our cadets gain qualifications that are of interest to employers: DofE, first aid, BTECs. And some more senior cadets will have also gained Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) certificates. If you think about it from an employer’s point of view, a 17-year-old cadet with an ILM accreditation is quite an achievement.”

However, for some employers such as Network Rail, which advertises its engineering apprenticeships with the ACF, qualifications take second place to behaviour and attitude.

Melissa Amouzandeh, emerging talent acquisition manager at Network Rail, says: “The reason we approached the ACF to ask them to advertise vacancies on our behalf is because we feel that there are skills that the young people are likely

ABOVE: Cadets have many transferable skills that make them attractive to both universities and employers

ARMYCADETS.COM 21

LIFE-LONG LEARNING

to have gained through being in something like the ACF that we think will enable them to perform better in the recruitment process and ultimately be a better apprentice.”

As far as Melissa is concerned, the ACF is a good source of high-quality Melissa Amouzandeh, Network Rail applicants. “In the Cadets you have experiences working as part of a team, you do a lot of work on communication skills and problem-solving. There’s an element of discipline required on the apprentice scheme – particularly in the first six months where it’s quite intensive academically and they need to have the discipline to work hard and study in their own time,” she says. “Cadets should be able to demonstrate that better than someone who hasn’t had that experience.”

SKILLS GAINED VIA THE ACF ENABLE YOUNG PEOPLE TO PERFORM BETTER IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Showcasing skills So it’s clear that cadets have many skills and qualifications that are going to set them up well

DID YOU KNOW?

Cadets can enhance their skills at the Science in Action camp in October half term. See Defence Gateway for details

22 ACF SUMMER 2017

for the future, whether they choose an academic or vocational path. What cadets sometimes might struggle with, however, is getting all this information across to a prospective university or employer.

“If you’re talking to somebody in the military about skill at arms,” Colin explains, “they’ll understand what it is. But the chances are a civilian employer won’t. So we need to teach cadets how to translate that into language an employer understands. While learning skill at arms, cadets will be taught how to listen, health and safety, how to maintain equipment, clean it, disassemble, assemble it and so on.”

The community engagement aspect of being a cadet can also be an advantage in certain areas, such as care, nursing or youth work, so it’s important that cadets know how to get that across to an employer too.

To help make sure that cadets have the abilities and tools to showcase the skills they’ve learnt, the AFCA is improving the careers resources

THE CADET RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Available to cadets who have achieved 1-star or above Automatically generated for each cadet in Westminster in the ‘further details’ menu in a cadet record; or in the sidebar menu under Personnel > Report > Record of Achievement All the cadet’s achievements and qualifications are available in a menu: the CFAV and the cadet can then choose up to 10 qualifications and 10 activities to include on the ROA The CFAV can then download or print the ROA for the cadet

available on the ACF website and working with employers such as Network Rail on advertising more apprenticeships on the site. Colin says: “A huge number of organisations have signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant and many of them support cadets as well. A lot of them, like Network Rail, offer apprenticeships and are keen for cadets to apply. If we can make our cadets aware of employers offering apprenticeships, then we’re making that link between employer and cadet.

That’s what we are working towards.”

A further development is the new Cadet Record of Achievement (ROA). Colin says: “It’s a document no longer than two pages of A4 listing the attributes that cadets have gained at a particular star level.”

(See box, above, for details of how it works.)

“They can use it in an interview, or

take extracts from it to include in an application form. It’s entirely up to the cadet,” he adds.

“Our mission statement is to establish employability, skills development and an apprenticeship platform that’s accessible to all cadets over the age of 15. That’s what we’re working towards.”

ABOVE: Community engagement can be good training for careers in nursing or youth work FACING PAGE: Skills such as shooting and map reading demonstrate the ability to listen and learn

FIND OUT MORE A step-by-step guide on creating a cadet’s ROA is on Defence Gateway: tinyurl.com/cadetROA. Cadets can find information on how to use their ROA in making job applications, creating a CV or putting together university or college applications at armycadets.com/ROA

ARMYCADETS.COM 23

WTETL IFTAURDEE S U R V E Y A

SAFEGUARDING

SAFETY FIRST THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF CADETS IS THE ACF’S PRIMARY CONCERN, WHICH IS WHY SAFEGUARDING TRAINING IS SO IMPORTANT

S

afeguarding is at the heart of everything the ACF does. “It’s the behaviours and actions we would expect of our adult volunteers in terms of looking after young people,” says Dr Richard Crawford, SO1 Cadets Policy and Plans.

IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT CADETS SEE THE ACF AS A SAFE SPACE Dr Richard Crawford

24 ACF SUMMER 2017

On the one hand, safeguarding can mean simply making sure adults are using appropriate language around cadets. “At the other end of the spectrum, it’s being that trusted person that a cadet feels they can come and speak to if something is wrong,” Richard says. “We find that a sizeable number of safeguarding incidents involving cadets happen outside the ACF, but we are often the people the cadets come and talk to,” he adds.

“It’s really important that they see us as a safe space.”

As an absolute minimum, all CFAVs are subject to the

mandatory disclosure checks that all adults volunteering with children must undergo across the UK. “That ensures there’s nothing about that person that would cause us concern,” Richard says.

Just as safeguarding permeates all aspects of the ACF’s work, so safeguarding training runs through all aspects of volunteers’ introduction to the Cadet Force: all ACF induction training contains an element about safeguarding.

“We have deliberately structured a package of training to introduce a complete outsider to safeguarding,” says Richard.

“This is because we have people coming in from all walks of life: some people have

WELFARE

LEFT: Annual camp is an opportunity for cadets to share any concerns they might be having RIGHT: Safeguarding training equips CFAVs with the skills to spot signs of distress, not only in cadets, but in their colleagues too

DID YOU KNOW?

Disrespect NoBody informs young people about relationships: disrespect nobody.co.uk

worked with children before, some haven’t.”

As part of the training, the volunteers are introduced to the ‘red book’ section on safeguarding (chapter 25 of the Cadet Training Safety Precautions). Richard describes the training as ‘fairly meaty’, but cut down into manageable chunks spread over all elements of the induction.

Warning signs One positive by-product of such a strong emphasis on safeguarding right at the beginning of a CFAV’s ACF career is that all adults are trained to spot signs of distress, not only in cadets but in their colleagues too. “Sometimes one CFAV will pick up that another is having problems, or they might confide in each other. It opens people’s minds to that, which is key to an honest and trusting environment in the ACF,” Richard says.

As all CFAVs will be well aware, safeguarding training doesn’t end there. The annual refresher training, which is updated each year in April, is compulsory for all volunteers. Not only does it bring safeguarding regularly to the forefront of volunteers’ minds

but it also allows the ACF to address any particular issues WE TAKE OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR or trends. “For example, in THE SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDING OF the past year we’ve had an THESE YOUNG PEOPLE SERIOUSLY emphasis on recognising signs of sexual abuse. In previous Brig Matthew Lowe years we’ve looked at legal highs,” says Richard. The opportunity to “remind the community that refresher training is updated each year in as an organisation we take our responsibility time for camp season, as this is when adults for the safety and safeguarding of these young and cadets will spend the most time together, people seriously”. and when cadets might feel most comfortable For CFAVs, this means that the voicing any problems they’re having. refresher training reflects the priorities This year, the annual refresher looks slightly of the ‘Disrespect NoBody’ campaign, different. It has been aligned to the Home such as healthy relationships, consent Office’s ‘Disrespect NoBody’ campaign, and pornography. CFAVs can also access which directly addresses the rising profile other resources in the form of posters and of safeguarding following the Home Office’s guidance, designed by the Home Office and Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual the Government Equalities Office.

Abuse. It aims to reassure cadets’ parents and guardians that the ACF is constantly examining its safeguarding processes.

FIND OUT MORE Brig Matthew Lowe, Deputy Commander For more information on safeguarding visit Cadets, Regional Command, has taken the Resource Centre in Defence Gateway and the additional step of writing to all adult click on the ‘Safeguarding’ button on volunteers, calling upon them to take the the right-hand side.

ARMYCADETS.COM 25

CAMP ESSENTIALS

NUMBER-OFF! HAVING THE RIGHT KIT AT CAMP WILL HELP VOLUNTEERS AND CADETS STAY COMFORTABLE, DRY AND SAFE WHEN IN THE FIELD

10 THINGS…

YOU ABSOLUTELY MUSTN’T FORGET TO TAKE ON CAMP

W

e’ve all been there: you arrive at camp and realise you maybe didn’t need five woolly hats, but really wish you’d packed more socks.

We asked for tips from seasoned camp-goers on Bergen essentials.

1

COLOURED PLASTIC BAGS

Pack wash kit, spare socks, foot powder and dry clothes into separate bags. Different colours help you to identify them easily in the dark.

And take spares for wet kit to make sure your soggy old socks don’t end up in with your rations.

5

WAYS CADETS CAN KEEP IT CLEAN ON CAMP 26 ACF SUMMER 2017

A FEW TIPS FROM OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS TO HELP CADETS STAY FRAGRANT… AND HYGIENIC

1

2

A BAG OF SWEETS

Once your cadets complete a difficult task, pass the bag around. They’ll be grateful for the rest of camp.

BRING SPARE KIT Pack more than one towel and twice as many pants as you think you might need.

Little luxuries like this can make camp feel like a week at a spa.

2

DRESS THE PART A spare set of civvies can make you feel clean and human again at the end of a long day (and no, a bottle of fabric refresher is no substitute for clean clothes).

GOOD ADVICE

GET IN TOUCH

3

A WISELY PACKED BERGEN

@ArmyCadetsUK facebook.com/ Armycadetforce E: marketing@ armycadets.com

Put soft items against the side that will be on your back so you don’t have mess tins digging into your kidneys. Remember to wrap cutlery or anything that jangles in clothing or towels to keep it silent.

4

8

VASELINE

Before applying cam cream put a layer of Vaseline on. That way, when you remove it later, it won’t take off half your face with it.

5

CHEAP GLASSES

Do you wear glasses?

If your prescription allows, pick up a cheap pair from the supermarket. It won’t matter if they break or you lose them (inevitable).

Grab a few from the mess. It’s surprising how much you’ll appreciate them.

7

SUN CREAM

6

SOCKS. LOTS OF SOCKS

1 0

COMMON SENSE

…and a jungle hat, and insect repellent. A peeling nose is not a good look.

And then a couple more pairs. And keep your feet powdered.

3

And only water. Do not substitute with Coke, Fanta or Irn Bru. You can’t make tea or coffee with a fizzy drink, you can’t wash in it and it doesn’t hydrate you as well as water.

9

LITTLE SACHETS OF SALT AND SAUCE

USE THIS FOOT-POWDER CHEAT… Put your powder in a resealable bag instead of a bottle. Then you can just dip your feet into it every time you change your socks to save making a mess.

WATER

4

BE SHOWER-SMART Bring a shower cap if you have long hair. Pack flipflops to keep your feet off the wet floor in the showers. Use a shower gel that doubles as shampoo to save space.

Eat and drink when you can, change into dry gear when you can and sleep when you can.

And only carry what you need.

5

REMEMBER THE BASICS Keep your nails short and clean. And just because there’s no one nagging you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use soap and water.

ARMYCADETS.COM 27

OFFICERS

STEPPING UP RECENT PROMOTIONS AND AWARDS, PLUS THE BENEFITS OF THE ACF’S COURSE FOR NEW OFFICERS

DID YOU KNOW? About 170 newly commissioned officers are currently enrolled on the IOT

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

INITIAL OFFICER TRAINING IOT is a compulsory course made up of online, practical and residential elements, designed specifically to prepare recently commissioned officers for their new roles

O

ne of the biggest changes in recent years to the officer experience in the ACF is the introduction of the Initial Officer Training (IOT).

It’s recommended that new officers do the IOT over a year, and there are several online modules to complete.

Each participant is assigned a course tutor and a unit mentor to ensure they are supported and guided through the course.

This is because it is not a case of pass or fail for the new officers.

“They’ve already ‘passed’ the Cadet Forces Commissioning Board (CFCB),” says IOT tutor Sarah McEntee, from Cadets Branch at Regional Command.

“The IOT enables them to do their ACF job more easily. Most importantly it enables them to give the cadets the best experience they can.”

2Lt Georgia Allen, Simpson Detachment, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland ACF, recently completed the IOT. Georgia says: “Modules cover your responsibilities as an officer, values and standards and how they relate to being an officer, self-development and leadership. Most of the modules have practical assignments, which are assessed by your course tutor.”

The course culminates in three days at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Georgia attended the very first IOT residential in December, with a group of about 20 other new officers. “I was very apprehensive that it would be like another CFCB selection,” says Georgia.

“But when I got there I quickly realised that wasn’t the case.

We were there to show we had

I WAS VERY APPREHENSIVE THAT IT WOULD BE LIKE ANOTHER CFCB SELECTION BUT WHEN I GOT THERE I QUICKLY REALISED THAT WASN’T THE CASE 2Lt Georgia Allen

28 ACF SUMMER 2017

2Lt Georgia Allen attended the very first IOT residential at Sandhurst

assimilated the knowledge we’d gained over the year and to look at ways of applying it. We did a lot of practical tasks, problem solving, written exercises and role-play. The staff were really encouraging and brought a lot out of us – as individuals and as a group working together.”

Sarah adds: “It was an opportunity for the officers to hone the leadership skills they had learned online. But it was also a once-in-a-lifetime chance to study at Sandhurst.”

Sarah and her colleagues received valuable feedback

from this first group, which has allowed them to refine the course going forward.

“We recognise that we are expecting people from a broad range of backgrounds to become ACF leaders,” Sarah says. “So our job is to put new officers in the best position possible to be able to do their job on the ground.”

For Georgia, at least, it appears to be working. “I feel like I understand what is expected of me,” she says. “I understand our policies and where they come from and I have a better sense of the bigger picture.”

STEPPING UP

ACF OFFICERS

The following have been selected for a commission by CFCB PRV RNK

ANTHONY ELLISON: 42 Rank: 2nd Lieutenant Joined: 2014 County: Greater London South East Sector Day job: Head of a council family information service OFFICER PROFILE

ANTHONY ELLISON nthony Ellison thinks that the role of an officer suits him pretty well. “At 42, I’m that bit older and I’ve had a lot of experience outside the ACF managing people and admin. I’m really good at paperwork, plus I’m not a very shouty person. I’m better at calm conversations,” he says with a smile.

Anthony joined the ACF in January 2014, quickly heading down the commissioning route with the encouragement of his county commandant. “I wasn’t a PI for very long but I feel I’m no worse an instructor and my relationship with the cadets is actually better for having become an officer quite quickly,” he says.

His passion is teaching navigation. “I’m still getting out there and building up my experience,” he adds.

Following his commission, Anthony took the IOT throughout much of 2016, when he was self-employed.

“I was able to prioritise it when I had deadlines, which was lucky as I know other

A

people had to fit it around full-time work. However, I still had a few issues with motivation. I remember opening up a couple of online modules and thinking: ‘Why am I doing this?’”

Despite this, Anthony completed the course in January and has found it immensely valuable. “It gave me the confidence to be assertive,” he says. “I’m relatively new to the ACF, and I often come across people with ten years’ experience in the cadets.

Before the IOT I found them a bit difficult to manage but the course has helped me define the role of the officer in the detachment. I’m able to have honest conversations with the CFAVs and balance up everyone’s experience.”

The course has also given him valuable tools for the day job. “It’s enabled me to analyse situations a bit better.

If there’s a conflict with somebody, it doesn’t have to be waded into straight away. It’s sometimes better viewed from a distance and analysed. It’s enabled me to be a better manager.”

SURNAME

INITIAL COUNTY/BATTALION/SECTOR

AUO

MANGAN

J

AUO

LOMAS

CH

BEDFORDSHIRE AND HERTFORDSHIRE ACF NORTHUMBRIA ACF

SI

TAYLOR

SC

LANCASHIRE ACF

AUO

HOLROYD

MT

CORNWALL ACF

SI

ALLSOP

GC

SUSSEX ACF

SSI

FARMER

MA

HAMPSHIRE AND IOW ACF

SSI

DAVISON

AK

SHROPSHIRE ACF

AUO

HESELDEN

G

KENT ACF

SSI

THOMPSON

RC

STAFFORDSHIRE AND WEST MIDLANDS ACF

SI

SCOTT

J

HUMBERSIDE AND SOUTH YORKSHIRE ACF

SI

ASLETT

CN

SOMERSET ACF

SSI

NUTBEAM

DP

HAMPSHIRE AND IOW ACF

SMI

TOWNSON

C

GREATER MANCHESTER ACF

SMI

STOTHARD

S

CLEVELAND ACF

SSI

CARROLL

J

NORTHUMBRIA ACF

SSI

SLACK

SM

HAMPSHIRE AND IOW ACF

SSI

CORK

PJ

STAFFORDSHIRE AND WEST MIDLANDS ACF

SSI

JOHNSON

E

CHESHIRE ACF

SMI

COLLINS

M

GLASGOW AND LANARKSHIRE BN ACF

SMI

KELLY

LJ

SI

MADDISON-WHITE M

SUSSEX ACF

LANCASHIRE ACF

AUO

GIBBS

SD

BEDFORDSHIRE AND HERTFORDSHIRE ACF

AUO

ELSSON

TE

DORSET ACF

SSI

THOMAS

LE

GLOUCESTERSHIRE ACF

SSI

GREEN

D

GLASGOW AND LANARKSHIRE BN ACF 1ST (NI) BN ACF

SI

RUTHERFORD

NE

AUO

ROBINSON

W

OXFORDSHIRE ACF

AUO

UNWIN

J

DEVON ACF

AUO

JOHNSON

SA

HAMPSHIRE AND IOW ACF

SSI

ROUSE

CE

BEDFORDSHIRE AND HERTFORDSHIRE ACF

SSI

KITCHING

KJ

CORNWALL ACF

SMI

SWINDELLS

RS

LOTHIAN AND BORDERS BN ACF

SSI

GARNER

E

ESSEX ACF

SI

GRIFFITHS

T

GLOUCESTERSHIRE ACF

SSI

SMITH

S

NOTTINGHAM ACF

SI

HAYDEN

RE

NORFOLK ACF

SMI

BENNETT

MJ

OXFORDSHIRE ACF

SSI

MCENDOO

SA

ROYAL COUNTY OF BERKSHIRE ACF

SI

GLEAVE

BT

CHESHIRE ACF

AUO

TURNER

LK

STAFFORDSHIRE AND WEST MIDLANDS ACF

SMI

EARLE

DM

SUSSEX ACF

SI

FROUDE

NP

HAMPSHIRE AND IOW ACF

SSI

MCNALLY

LM

ROYAL COUNTY OF BERKSHIRE ACF

AUO

PROCTER

AA

OXFORDSHIRE ACF

ARMYCADETS.COM 29

POLICY

ACF UPDATE

DR RICHARD CRAWFORD, SO1 CADETS POLICY AND PLANS AT REGIONAL COMMAND, GIVES AN UPDATE ON ISSUES AFFECTING YOU AND YOUR DETACHMENT

PROJECT LIBRA

NEWS

To subscribe to our e-newsletter go to armycadets.com/ about-us/keep-intouch

Making it better

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lot has changed since the last magazine was published. The main driver behind the changes has been to make things easier. We’ve been looking at processes and rules, simplifying those we already have and removing those that are no longer needed. Project LIBRA was the first attempt in a long time to better understand what the main concerns about rules, processes and procedures were across the ACF. While some of the findings were not unexpected it did highlight that additional processes sneak in at all levels, both deliberately and accidently. It also showed that we all have a part to play in identifying what works well and what doesn’t. Project LIBRA was only the start of that journey, the first steps towards doing things better in the ACF.

Project LIBRA should not be thought of as a list of tasks, but rather as a mindset where we constantly check the suitability of our rules and processes. There is no monopoly on this mindset in HQ: we should all look at our local rules and processes with a critical eye.

As part of the Project LIBRA mindset we must apply three simple questions to our rules and processes: Is it easy to understand and carry out with the minimum possible time and effort?

Can it be carried out using existing rules and processes without the need for new ones?

30 ACF SUMMER 2017

Is it needed at all?

Sometimes, we cannot change the rules or procedures as they come to us through legislation or other external policy, but by applying these three questions where we can, we should start to find unnecessary complication and inefficiency. However, Project LIBRA doesn’t mean that if you find a rule or process that you don’t agree with you can just ignore it, rather it should be highlighted to the appropriate level to review, maybe with possible alternative suggestions. Over time, this mindset should become second

UP DAT E

We all have a part to play in identifying what works well and what doesn’t

nature and we will find our lives becoming easier.

Project LIBRA is a bit like a quality assurance or audit programme. We need to start thinking: “Is this new process LIBRA compliant, and if not, how can I change it for the better?”

One way that Cadets Branch has been using the Project LIBRA mindset has been in the redrafting of Chapter 2 of the ACF Regulations.

The current regulations contain two parts covering officers and adult

instructors, developed independently and often with similar processes.

The work to prepare for the new Queen’s Cadet Forces Commission gave us the opportunity to apply the Project LIBRA approach – was there a need for two parts? Could we refi ne or even remove some of the processes?

Over six months, we asked these questions of the current regulations, and at the start of April we published the revised

Chapter 2 on the Defence Gateway for comment. This revision saw the two parts for officers and adult instructors merged, the same processes applied to both groups where possible, and attempts to improve elements through better use of supporting tables and flowcharts. Hopefully, once the new draft is introduced fully, this will improve the administration of CFAVs in all counties.

This is only the start of the process. We also know we need to get better at communicating the Project LIBRA mindset. Hopefully you have all had the chance to read the new regular update briefs from Cadets Branch, and over time these will include more information on how Project LIBRA is being delivered across the cadet force.

PROJECT LIBRA SHOULD BE THOUGHT OF AS A MINDSET WHERE WE CONSTANTLY CHECK THE SUITABILITY OF OUR RULES AND PROCESSES

ARMYCADETS.COM 31

G A L L E RY

IN THE FIELD

KEEP IN TOUCH BY SENDING US YOUR PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD. WHETHER SELFIES OR ACTION SHOTS, DRILL OR FUNDRAISING, EMAIL THEM TO EDITOR@ARMYCADETS.COM

IN THE PHOTOS: 1: Cdt Cpl Elizabeth Train-Brown of Abbey detachment, Lincolnshire ACF, enjoying ghyll scrambling in Cumbria 2: Proud dad PI Joe Ash (on right) with his son Joseph Ash, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders BN ACF, after Joseph’s promotion to D (Argyll) Company Sergeant Major 3: Northumbria ACF cadets on Exercise Northumbrian Swiss in Crans-Montana ski resort 4: Cadets from Wiltshire ACF take the Commonwealth flag to Stonehenge 5: Alasdair Hutton OBE, narrator for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, with cadets from Glasgow and Lanarkshire BN ACF at the WW100 Scotland launch event at Edinburgh Castle to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Arras.

6: Cadets from 11 Sig Bde and 4 Inf Bde compete in the ACF National Boys’ Rugby Championships 2017 7: Cdt RSM Nick Akehurst and Cdt CSM Robbie Dow fly the Commonwealth flag 450ft high at the top of the British Airways i360 in Brighton 1

32 ACF SUMMER 2017

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3

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SHARE YOUR PHOTOS 6

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Whether you’re at camp, doing command tasks, or any other fun or adventurous activity, send your images to editor@armycadets.com

ARMYCADETS.COM 33

D AY I N T H E L I F E

I love what I do… I’ve found my vocation Funeral celebrant Gemma Offer finds that work, home life and ACF often intertwine, but it’s worth it to do the job she loves 07.30 The first thing I do when I wake up is check my emails on my phone. Then I’m up and into the morning routine. I have two children aged 9 and 12 and we have a strict schedule for getting everyone in and out of the bathroom and eating their breakfast.

08.20 I wave goodbye to my 12-year-old son, then 20 minutes later I leave with my daughter to take her to school.

09.00 As a civil celebrant, I’m selfemployed so I do all my admin from home. If I am officiating a ceremony later in the day, I get myself ready and gather my script, music cue sheet and other documents. I conduct services all over Cambridgeshire, mostly in crematoriums but also at natural burial grounds, depending on the family’s wishes.

11.00 I arrive at the crematorium at least half an hour before a service to make contact with the venue staff. It is my role to deliver the ceremony we’ve agreed and to co-ordinate speakers, timings and music on the day.

12.00 A typical funeral will last about 30 minutes. I love what I do and feel I have found my vocation. But I haven’t always done it – I used to be a support worker for social services. It was only after I got an admin job at a crematorium that I really understood what celebrants did. So I retrained and that’s the reason I’m here today.

12.40 I grab lunch on the go. I might use this time to check ACF emails: in my PR role

34 ACF SUMMER 2017

Gemma Offer became a funeral celebrant after learning about the role while working at a crematorium

I am constantly checking emails and social media throughout the day.

13.30 I visit a family in their home.

Having been introduced by a funeral director, I will then make contact with the family and set up a time to meet. We discuss how everything will unfold on the day and I can advise on music and little touches to make the ceremony unique. I also support family and friends who would like to deliver tributes or readings.

15.00 I pick the children up from school and spend some time with them, then my husband, children and I all sit down and have dinner together.

18.30 I head out to help a local detachment with their training. I don’t have a regular detachment, so I go to help as I’m needed. I parade once a month at company headquarters.

21.00 I use the quiet of the evening, when my mind is more at ease, to create individually crafted tributes. These honour the person who has died and focus on everything that made them special, loved and unique. I always send a draft to the families for checking. This ensures that I have accurately represented everything I have been told and, most importantly, that there are no surprises on the day.

00.00 I don’t go to bed before midnight – I’m a bit of a night owl.

MEET GEMMA Gemma Offer, 33 Rank: Sergeant Major Instructor Joined: 1997 County: Cambridgeshire ACF Day job: Funeral celebrant Why I joined the ACF: I joined at 13 because it looked fun… and never left. Now I’m the Company PR representative and the Assistant Company Training Officer.

Share your story

Write and tell us how you manage a day job and volunteering for the cadets. Email editor@ armycadets.com Gemma joined the ACF when she was 13

ARMY CADET VOLUNTEER

NEXTT N UEE S SU IIS COMING UP IN THE AUTUMN ISSUE

Camp highlights A round up of all the fun at annual camps The Code in practice How to apply the Army Leadership Code in a fieldcraft setting Continued development Learn more about the Train The Trainer course for CFAVs in Fighting In Built Up Areas (FIBUA) and Fighting In Woods And Forests (FIWAF)