128 AIR POWER 2017THE PERSONNEL
21 ST CENTURY PARTNERSHIPSyoung people will come from less advantaged
backgrounds); their parents may be less engaged;
their environments may be less structured and
secure; and they are increasingly susceptible
to fail at the same time as some of their more
privileged peers are more likely to succeed.BROADENING HORIZONS
There are 950 RAF Air Cadet units in the community
and 210 in schools across the UK, with 41,000 cadets
supported by 16,000 CFAV (Cadet Force Adult
Volunteers). Membership of the RAF Air Cadets
provides opportunities for young people to develop
personal, social and life skills, to broaden their horizons
and to recognise their own potential. In addition,
cadets and CFAVs can gain nationally recognised
qualifications, such as BTEC, Institute of Leadership
and Management and City & Guilds up to master’s
degree-level, all of which enhance their employability
and increases the opportunities for social mobility.
The Cadet Vocational Qualifications Organisation
(CVQO) had 3,500 cadets and adults from the RAF
Air Cadets undertaking qualifications in 2015/16;
this will increase to nearly 5,000 per year over the
next three years, thanks to additional funding
sourced from the fines levied as a result of theAir Cadet Flight
Sergeant Iva
Magpantay (right)
was chosen as
RAF Waddington’s
Station Commander’s
Cadet for 2017.
Her predecessor
is Air Cadet Flight
Sergeant Ellie
Sisson (left) (PHOTO:
SGT MIKE JONES/
© CROWN COPYRIGHT)
Libor scandal. RAF Air Cadet units are open to all
young people regardless of their social or economic
background and all have access to the full range of
cadet activity, subject to any medical considerations
that may limit participation on safety grounds.
The 950 Air Training Corps (ATC) cadet
units are spread across the UK and are largely
representative of the communities they serve. Many
are located in urban locations mapped to areas of
high deprivation, and these tend to be coincident
with areas of high Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic
(BAME) populations – areas where social mobility
has traditionally been more difficult to achieve.AIR CADETS IN SCHOOLS
The RAF Air Cadets in schools form the RAF sections
of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF (RAF)) and
currently parade in 210 schools throughout the UK.
The Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) will increase
the number of CCFs in schools across the UK to 500
and RAF Air Cadet Sections to 230 by 2020. Most
people associate CCF with public schools in leafy
suburbs. The reality is – when the second phase
of CEP completes in 2020 – 60% of CCFs will be in
state schools and, with priority given to applications
from state schools in cities and areas of deprivation