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Army Cadet Force, Adult Volunteer Selection Process

I applied to become an adult volunteer in the Army Cadet Force (ACF) and I have been invited to an induction in January. I wish to prepare for it, are there any people on here who are part of the ACF and have gone through the process?

I need advice because I really want to go through with this, I don't want to get rejected...

Reply 1

Talon

I am an ACF instructor. At what point in the process are you in? Is this an evening induction thing or is it the Familiarisation and Assessment weekend? I will assume it is the former. I wouldn't worry too much about it. It is basically an evening where you get shown what we do and what the training process is. All you really need to do is turn up, act like you are interested and not be a jerk. If you decide you wish to continue after this, you will have forms to fill in, include a DBS check for obvious reasons!

Reply 2

SunTiger

Original post by Talon

A reply at last, better late than never! :biggrin:

Yes it is the F&A weekend. I have already filled in mountains of formalities including the DBS form. Could you talk me through what the weekend is like? I have mine at Walthamstow.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 3

Talon

I have never witnessed one myself as the process has been overhauled in the last few years (I joined in 2008) but this is what the syllabus for the weekend consists of:

•

Introductions and ice-breakers

•

An introductory brief (probably about what you will do on the weekend

•

Commandant's welcome and introduction to the ACF

•

Individual presentations briefing (I'm not sure what this is - if I had to guess I would assume that you will be asked to prepare a short presentation on a subject of your choice, but don't quote me on that)

•

Introduction to Roles, Responsibilities, Guidelines and Safety

•

Overview of ACF courses and adult instructor progression

•

Introduction to Working with Cadets and overview of Cadet Activities

•

Introduction to Cadet Activities - Turnout and Drill

•

Introduction to Cadet Activities - Admin in the Field, Introduction to Field Shelters, Introduction to Cooking in the Field

•

Introduction to Cadet Activities - Shooting in the ACF

•

Training Safety Exercise

•

Teamwork Tasks (probably "command tasks" )

•

Individual Presentations

•

Group discussions

•

Comprehension Exercise (no idea what this is)

•

Commandant's Interviews

Some of the above may sound daunting, but we are not expecting you to already be an expert youth leader, just to see if you are the sort of person who can work with others and has the right attitude to train young people.

Reply 4

SunTiger

Original post by Talon

I have never witnessed one myself as the process has been overhauled in the last few years (I joined in 2008) but this is what the syllabus for the weekend consists of:

•

Introductions and ice-breakers

•

An introductory brief (probably about what you will do on the weekend

•

Commandant's welcome and introduction to the ACF

•

Introduction to Roles, Responsibilities, Guidelines and Safety

•

Overview of ACF courses and adult instructor progression

•

Introduction to Working with Cadets and overview of Cadet Activities

•

Introduction to Cadet Activities - Turnout and Drill

•

Introduction to Cadet Activities - Admin in the Field, Introduction to Field Shelters, Introduction to Cooking in the Field

•

Introduction to Cadet Activities - Shooting in the ACF

•

Training Safety Exercise

•

Teamwork Tasks (probably "command tasks" )

•

Individual Presentations

•

Group discussions

•

Comprehension Exercise (no idea what this is)

•

Commandant's Interviews

Oh my... Some of that does sound daunting. I am not the most confident of speakers (when it comes to presentations). Though it is more of a taster weekend on what life with the ACF is like, so shouldn't be too demanding lol. :s-smilie:

Reply 5

Talon

It sounds scarier on paper than in really is. Bear in mind that outside of your training, your time in the ACF won't be quite as "full on" as this. The idea of the weekend is to weed out those who really shouldn't be there due to their personality.

Reply 6

Ace 100

Original post by Talon

hi i am due to do my Familiarisation and assessment just looking for some help so i pass the couse

Reply 7

Talon

Original post by Ace 100

hi i am due to do my Familiarisation and assessment just looking for some help so i pass the couse

What kind of help?

Reply 8

Pitboot

Don't bother. I did 13 years as a volunteer then as an officer. It took me that long to see the light, join the real army or at least get a life.

Reply 9

Talon

Original post by Pitboot

Don't bother. I did 13 years as a volunteer then as an officer. It took me that long to see the light, join the real army or at least get a life.

People don't normally join the ACF as an alternative to the Army. Those that do are not the sort we want.

Reply 10

Gavlaa

Hi I'm ex army but now partially disabled If I tried to volunteer at my local acf as a spare driver or something similar would | still need to the induction.

Reply 11

Talon

Original post by Gavlaa

Hi I'm ex army but now partially disabled If I tried to volunteer at my local acf as a spare driver or something similar would | still need to the induction.

It would depend on exactly what you wanted to do. If you just wanted to help out as a driver and similar sorts of things (as a "non-uniformed volunteer" as we put it) rather than going in to uniform as a full instructor, you would have to do the Familiarisation and Assessment weekend but not the rest of the induction process, which is geared towards instructors.

Reply 12

kevuk79

When they say weekend does that mean you have to travel somewhere and sleep at a camp or is it simply just like an all day 9 till 5 thing.

Reply 13

Talon

Original post by kevuk79

When they say weekend does that mean you have to travel somewhere and sleep at a camp or is it simply just like an all day 9 till 5 thing.

Normally you will sleep at the camp. Sometimes accommodation isn't available and you will go home in the evening.

Note that camp means an army camp, not a camp site, although camp sites are used for expeditions.

Reply 14

LeeD71

Hi Talon
I have just been given an appointment letter and now have been told that I will be taken on as a NUV and not as a CFAV why would that be? I am fit as a fiddle and only 51yrs old. On my interview nothing said about being just a civilian helper. I was told I would start as a PI....any suggestions?

Reply 15

Talon

Original post by LeeD71

It could be a miscommunication. I would expect you to be notified if there is a reason you couldn't become a CFAV. Speak to whoever your contact is who should be able to look into it for you.

Reply 16

AscheJ87

Hi and good evening to you all.

I have signed up and started filling out the forms and off to an interview with the local senior adult instructor.
I was wondering about medical if they check your medical history and go for a medical check etc?
Many thanks.