WHY VOLUNTEER?
The backbone of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets is the volunteer staff known as “Civilian Instructors”. This dedicated group of individuals bring their civilian expertise to the organisation and assist with the organisation and implementation of all activities within the Corps. You can give as much or little time as you can, and you don’t need any formal qualifications – just enthusiasm that’s infectious. Once you have passed your 6 month probation you can (If you wish to) apply to be a uniformed member of staff as either a SNCO RAFAC (Senior Non-Commissioned Officer) or as an Officer RAFAC (Formally RAF VRT).
How do I apply?
Contact Us
First of all you need to make contact with your local Squadron. The easiest way to do this is to give us a call on a parade night, drop us an e-mail or use the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Meet with Us
We will invite you to the Squadron on a parade night to speak with the Commanding Officer and other members of staff. Don’t worry – this won’t be a gruelling panel interview! This is so we can get an idea of what kind of person you are and what your aspirations within the RAFAC are. We will also give you a tour of the Headquarters so you can see the facilities and equipment we have.
Apply
The next step is to complete the official application forms which we will then return to Headquarters Air Cadets. These have multiple parts for you to complete covering your personal details, history and qualifications. We will also require details of two character references as part of your application.
Complete your Enhanced DBS application
Safety of the young people under our care is paramount. As part of the application process you will undergo a background search via the Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service and Security Clearance. You will also have an interview conducted by a Wing Officer who will meet you at our Squadron Headquarters.
Join Us
It normally takes 6-8 weeks to receive your Enhanced DBS certification and Security Clearance. Once you have your certificate you are free to join the Squadron. New instructors spend 6 months on probation before they are granted full Civilian Instructor status from HQ Air Cadets. During this time you will need to complete the Heart Start First Aid Course, the AVIP (Adult Volunteer Induction Program) 1 day course held in various Squadrons throughout the Wing and a number of courses on our online system Utilearn.