The RAF Air Cadets relies on its cadet forces adult volunteers (CFAV) to support our cadets, help our squadrons around the UK and allow us to offer a wide-range of activities and opportunities. There are lots of ways you can join us and make a difference.
Benefits of being a volunteer
Whatever you decide to focus on, you can expect to gain a huge sense of achievement from helping young people realise their potential. Volunteering is an enriching experience – as you can see from the stories of some of our existing volunteers.
Meet some of our adult volunteers
Some of the benefits you can expect when you join include:
- learn skills in a range of areas including working in a team, organising activities and events, safeguarding and much more.
- develop leadership qualities through guiding activities for cadets and other volunteers. If you go into uniform, you will further enhance your teamwork skills by attending the Command and Leadership School at RAF Cranwell.
- personal development opportunities. You will be able to develop specific skills in areas that interest you, as well as gain experience that will help develop resilience, teamwork and patience. Being part of a volunteer team with people from all backgrounds and professions will expose you to different ways of thinking and doing things.
- gain nationally recognised qualifications in areas like expedition leadership, first aid and ILM/City & Guilds accredited qualifications in leadership and management.
Tom Willis joined the Air Training Corps in 2009 when he was 13. He’s now a Civilian Gliding Instructor with 611VGS (Volunteer Gliding Squadron) at RAF Honington:
I have been fortunate enough to benefit from a wide range of opportunities that I could not have done without being in the RAF Air Cadets. The highlight of my time in RAFAC was achieving my Private Pilot Licence! I went on to fly solo in a Grob 115D2 Heron at Tayside Aviation as part of the Air Cadet Pilot Scheme in 2015. In 2015 I was also nominated for the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Flying Excellence Award.
James Miles joined the RAF Cadets at the age of 14. He’s now a volunteer Squadron Leader at 29F (Rugby):
One moment that stands out is when myself and some cadets went in a Puma helicopter around London and saw the Shard from above. That was an amazing day and will stay with me forever. I remember how the staff set me up for success when I was a cadet and I look back on those times with great fondness.
Roles
Most of our squadrons meet twice a week. We’re always looking for volunteers who are willing to try their hand at anything. You could find yourself teaching skills, running activities, or providing encouragement and moral support. If you have specialist skills, we can use them. If you want to learn new skills like rock climbing or gliding, we can train you.
Here are some of the roles you might find yourself in:
Civilian instructor
If you can spend time at least one night each week with your chosen squadron, we can offer lots of opportunities for you to help our cadets and gain your own skills and experiences too. Most opportunities are open to Civilian Instructors, without the time commitment required of uniformed volunteers. You will be able to take on roles helping with the administration and management of a unit as well as training cadets in a variety of subjects. Whatever your interest, there will be a role for you.
Senior NCO or Commissioned Officer
For volunteers with the right prior experience or civilian instructors who want to progress, there are opportunities to move into a uniformed role. SNCOs are the middle management of the organisation, making sure the activities run effectively. For those interested in drill and ceremonial, it is the SNCO volunteers who lead on this training. Commissioned Officers are the command and management function on most units, fulfilling roles such as commanding officer, adjutant or training officer.
Gliding squadron instructor
Our gliding hubs around the UK need volunteers for a range of tasks including admin, teaching, helping with immersive tech such as virtual reality headsets, and driving transport around the field. You don’t need to have an aviation background for these tasks, although we will support you to gain your instructor wings, which takes around 18 to 24 months. There are also ground instructor roles training cadets in aviation subjects based on synthetic trainers at our Aviation Ground Schools.
Chaplain
Our cadets represent diverse backgrounds and we welcome everyone who wants to be involved. Our chaplain volunteers can come from any religion. They are required to attend a minimum of one meeting a month and help to run activities. There are other ways you could get involved too, including supporting events and occasions with religious meaning, help induct new cadets and offer emotional support, pastoral care and moral guidance to our young people.
Civilian Committee member
Civilian Committees help to run the Air Training Corps (ATC) from squadron level through to representation at National Level. Each squadron has a committee that is made up of parents and friends. Its role is to assist the squadron’s Commanding Officer, raise funds and ensure the squadron maintains direction. Committees meet to their own timetable, usually once-a-month, under the direction of a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Most squadron Civilian Committees will be very pleased to accept offers of extra help - even if you can't commit to regular or long term assistance.
Find out more about being an adult volunteer
Joining the RAF Air Cadets as an adult volunteer
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, find the squadrons nearest to you and submit expression of interest.
Someone will be in touch to arrange a visit to the unit, when you will also have an informal interview. You’ll then be asked to complete the final forms on the RAF Air Cadets online system and complete an enhanced DBS check.
If your DBS check is successful, you’ll be able to attend your chosen squadron and help with activities on a 6-month probation. During this time you’ll complete our mandatory Adult Volunteer Induction Course. After your 6 months you can then attend external activities too.
The time from initial enquiry through to starting as a volunteer with your chosen squadron takes around three months, to allow us time to make the necessary enquiries and safeguarding checks.
We look forward to meeting you!
