Kym – Humans of Avon and Somerset
Children have the realisation that they can achieve something, and this confidence bleeds into their other actions. I’ve seen it make the world of difference.
One of the most impactive parts of my childhood was joining Avon Army cadets in 1984, being one of the first group of girls that joined my specific unit. Even though I was only there for 18 months, the positive effects were obvious. It provided me with stability, discipline and boundaries that I did not have in my upbringing. When I had children, I wanted them to experience the benefits that Army Cadets had given to me, so I encouraged them all to try it out for at least a year. What I didn’t expect was to have the opportunity to volunteer with the Army Cadets again, in a completely new but equally rewarding role.
We received a letter announcing the cadets’ twice-weekly parades would be reduced to once a week. I immediately asked “why?”, as my children enjoyed this part of their week, and the response was the unit were struggling to recruit adult instructors. My response was – “sign me up!”. Even though I had no military experience, I wanted to join immediately. My first detachment was in Horfield in 2009 where I began to learn everything about the cadets. There was so much to absorb: how to teach the children, the syllabus they’ll follow and the subjects they’ll learn. I found that, as well as learning these new skills, I found my strength in administration. I quickly became a detachment commander after completing my officer training course in Sandhurst. I was now ready to embark on leading my first cadet unit and putting my learnings to the test.
Children can join at 12 years old and stay with us until they are 18. There is a real variety of children who sign up, and that’s what makes the experience unique for every unit. The difference in backgrounds and upbringings mean children can learn from each other as well as the lessons provided to them. There are a few subjects we teach that involve reading and writing, but the majority is hands on practical learning. We teach them first aid, outdoor navigation and basic survival, just to name a few topics. They also have the opportunity to participate in extra activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Ten Tors. As well as these educational units, cadets also make new friendships, take care of themselves and build a productive routine.
Some children who join do not identify with the “normal” routes of life, or they do not feel like they fit in the usual academic boxes of school. Some come from disadvantaged backgrounds, not have boundaries at home, or may be at risk of engaging in criminality. What unites the children is they found cadets and they throw themselves wholeheartedly into the organisation. In school, children learn by starting with the basics of each topic and gradually progressing. The ethos is much the same in cadets in terms of the rank structure, and they can progress from Lance Corporal to Corporal to Sergeant, and potentially further.
The structure we provide can be appealing and refreshingly simple for children living in a complex world. Gone are the days when most people didn’t have a mobile phone. Children of today won’t experience the childhood I had. Cadet sessions are held for one evening a week for two and a half hours. They don’t have access to their mobiles because we collate them and put them out of reach, so children can engage, talk and listen to each other. I thought there would be quite a lot of pushback on that from the children when I learnt about this policy, but they love it. In fact, they often walk through the door and are excited to take a break from their screens. When the unit goes away on weekend excursions, there is often no phone signal, so they can fully involve themselves in the activities. The cadet experience offers these children the opportunity to develop valuable personal abilities, build life skills like teamwork and resilience, and fosters a sense of service to others.
I believe it’s important for children to have positive role models in their life, and to be able to see themselves with adults they interact with. I have dyslexia and I’m very open about it with my cadet unit. We have a friendly running joke where sometimes I will be writing on the big whiteboard in front of them, and I’ll have to ask them how to spell a certain word. The children can see an adult being open about a learning difficulty and children with dyslexia themselves can identify with me.
One of the most rewarding aspects I’ve found is the confidence of the children soars. When some children have joined cadets, they have low confidence or no belief in themselves. But after joining, they might get on the range, fire the air rifle and hit the target. They have this realisation they can achieve something, and this confidence bleeds into other areas. I’ve seen it make the world of difference.
My partner trains and assesses new students on the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) course at Avon and Somerset Police, and part of their training is getting out into the community. It seemed only natural that the student officers come and give a talk to the children, which was met with great enthusiasm. Surprisingly, the most important topic that the children wanted to discuss was knife crime. It was great to hear they wanted to know what they could do, and how to stop people their age be affected by something so devastating. It was a privilege to see two parts of my life combine.
During my time at cadets, I have been through a fantastic journey that keeps getting better. I am now second in command of Normandy company, my current cadet detachment, as well as staff officer to the Officer in Command. One of my biggest achievements was receiving the Lord Lieutenant certificate commendation for my work in cadets. Sometimes it can be like having another full-time job alongside my role with Neighbourhood Watch, but with the rewards it gives me and the children, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
