It’s International Volunteer Day—sometimes abbreviated to IVD—today, so here at East Anglia RFCA it’s a good opportunity to say thank you to our Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, without whom so much of what our young people learn and experience would not be possible.
IVD dates back nearly 40 years, to 1985 when the General Assembly of the United Nations passed a resolution inviting national governments to celebrate what was at the time the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development. Since then, IVD has expanded to encompass all volunteers around the globe and seek more support for them from their home nations.
Whether they are working with the Sea Cadets Corps, Army Cadet Force, Royal Air Force Air Cadets or Combined Cadet Forces (CCFs), volunteers are the lifeblood of most units. Without adults offering their time to share their knowledge and experience with the teenaged cadets the units could not function. Even schools with CCFs rely on CFAVs’ enthusiasm to organise, instruct and look after their cadets.
The volunteer Contingent Commander at Nene Park Academy CCF in Peterborough, Lt Vicki Barkney (pictured above centre) is also her school’s careers lead, for example. Lt Barkney’s work is just one example of CFAV roles, which can vary from County Commandant to adventure sport instructor to adjutant to expedition leader to administrator.
As with any good youth organisation, safeguarding our young people is the primary concern of all three cadet corps. While the RFCA itself does work directly with teenagers, we support cadet administrators in their safeguarding work. In particular, any prospective CFAV must pass a raft of checks before they are allowed to work with young people.
Once volunteers have been vetted, RFCA staff can help them secure qualifications and certifications that improve both their volunteering work and their own skills. Supporting such learning really is the least we can do to say thank you for the effort and encouragement East Anglian CFAVs invest in our young people.
To find out more about volunteering as a CFAV, visit the website dedicated to cadet adult volunteering or email East Anglia RFCA on ea-info@rfca.mod.uk for more details of local units.