Army Cadets advice please!

[FantaCoke]

Hi, my daughter is interested in joining the army cadets, and we’ve looked at everything online, it looks amazing. We’re visiting our local detachment in a couple of days.

Does anyone have any advice, is it suitable for girls, or are there mostly boys doing it? Would you say it’s multicultural and welcoming to people from ethnic minorities?

I’ve only read brilliant things online, so I’m really excited for daughter to join but would like first hand advice.

Im a girl and was in the Army Cadets! I then went on to join the Army and 14 years later im just leaving. I have really fond memories of my time with the cadets. I travelled and did sport with them nationally, 2 weeks away every summer on 'camp' with friends where you're taught map reading etc, various weekends away. I found it very welcoming and inclusive. I cant remember many minorities at the detachment I went to but thats probably more to do with the fact that it was in a small town in Gloucestershire and there werent many minorities anyway. I think in cities/bigger towns minorities would defo be represented. Is she interested in joining the army?

I know a girl who was in the Army Cadets, she then joined up as an RAF Officer at 19! She loved it, I’d imagine it suits some personalities more than others but definitely worth a go

The army cadets often walk past my house it seems roughly about 50/50 in terms of boys and girls. I cant say I've really noticed how many kids from ethnic minorities there are but there is definitely one girl who goes who wears a hijab.

I don’t think she’s interested in joining the army, but she’s desperate to make new friends and become more active/confident. I feel like it will really help her feel part of something. She is also already very tidy and particular about things, so she’s very excited about the uniform and marching.

We live in a diverse city, so hoping it will be.

Ds1 was in Cadets. It was the absolute making of him. He'd always been decidedly average and unnoticed at school, never picked for anything. At Cadets he was transformed from a shy little boy to a team player and leader who would throw himself into anything. He's an adult now and has progressed quickly into a junior management role, which he seems to be thriving in, which I put much more down to what he learned at Cadets than anything he got from school.

DS2 didn't enjoy Cadets at all so they need to try it and find out.

It is very inclusive. Girls very much equals and kids from all backgrounds, including some of the ones you might not want DC to be friends with initially. Our detachment is very good at reaching and supporting children who have no one else in their corner.

including some of the ones you might not want DC to be friends with initially

Pardon?! 😳

My daughter is in air cadets. It’s about 30% girls, 10-20% minorities.

@Letsallscreamatthesistene

including some of the ones you might not want DC to be friends with initially

Pardon?! 😳

Oh come on? every class has children you'd rather your DC weren't friends with. The ones who are always in trouble etc. Cadets is brilliant for them.

I was in the air cadets as a teen, and had female school friends in the army cadets and sea cadets. I had loads of fun and it instilled discipline and taught me to work as a team. My own kids DD DD DS were not interested in the cadets but they went all the way through with scouts and loved that. It instilled the same values in them. I think all these kinds of things are great for kids.

DS is just leaving cadets as he’s about to turn 18, he joined later than some but it was really good for him, tell her to take as many opportunities as they offer and she’ll thrive

DS’s group was roughly 25:75 girl boy split and they all got along well

My daughter has been in air cadets for a couple of years, she loves it and I was saying to DH yesterday that it has done wonders for her confidence and gets her out of the house doing some really cool activities that you would have to pay a fortune for otherwise.

The ratio of girls to boys is about 20/80 but my daughter goes to a girls school so I think that balance works for her.

Our area isn't massively diverse and this is reflected in her squadron but, that being said, one of her friends wears a hijab and trousers (rather than the skirt) as part of her uniform and is incredibly happy, chatty and confident, which I hope means they are doing something right!

Thank you for the brilliant replies! Just what I want to hear! I’ll definitely be advising her to take up all the opportunities she’s given!

I’ll be going along to the visit much happier now!

The Army Cadet unit I help out at has many girls. On average, around 30% of cadets are girls, but at one point I ran a unit where its was 50/50. With regards to being multicultural, the unit tends to reflect the community it is in. Everyone is welcome.

The best way to advance in cadets is to take up a many of the training opportunities given. A lot of the training can only be done on camps or training days due to facilities and equipment, so when these opportunities arise she she sign herself up.

Yes the one around me, my kids have really enjoyed it for the past 2 to 3yrs until lately that the unit sergeant was changed and now my kids are not loving it and interested in it like before, just because of the new sergeant, she shouts at them and talk down on them don't know may be because they are from the minority.