ACF Adult Instructor Recruitment Thread

Got an extremely good friend who could be VERY interested in joining the ACF as an Adult Instructor (AI) but other than telling her that it is a great thing to do, I don’t have enough specific knowledge to sell it to her properly.

So:

What is so good about being an AI with the ACF?

Friend is not an ARRSEr (edit to add: who normally posts in this forum) but when we have enough quality replies I will be sending her a link to this thread. It occurs to me that many others would want to use the thread to recruit friends of their own into service so as many positive and welcoming posts as possible please.

 

This might provide some useful answers to FAQs:

http://www.armycadets.com/acf/recruitinstructor/career.aspx

 

Having just volunteered the one thing that stuck out to me was the fact that the process sounded like it takes a long long time before you're even allowed to get stuck in. Other than that i'd have to leave it to the people who have been through it...

 

see my FAQ thread http://www.arrse.com/cpgn2/Forums/viewtopic/t=20589.html
, also any questions you like to ask me you can via PM or here. there is a website by Instructors for Instructors
http://www.armycadetforce.com/forum/index.php

 

Cheers guys for the information. This is something I am very interested in. Thanks again.

 

whats so good, where to start ?
it gives you an opportunity to stay in green without the bullsh1t factor ! , seriously you have the the responsibility of training young Adults, steering them away from a life of crime and respecting Queen and Country, your Military training will be useful and you can teach them interesting skills, which can be taught as an interest lesson on top of the normal APC which must be taught as per the manual, you will be providing a positive role model for many cadets who have broken homes, have abusive relationship with parents and families, you can show them that not everybody is bad, there are good people about, there is a good social scene, travel a bit to different parts of the country, you will be making an impression on many cadets for years to come. you do get paid , up to 20 days TA equivalent pay at the rank you are at.

the bad ?

Social climbers especially officers, The Children act which you must keep in mind when training kids especially Girls, limitations in what you can do because of the Compensation Culture, Risk assesment culture for the above, some back stabbing going on as in any organisation. the long wait for clearance (Essential) it can take from 2 to 6 months. mine took 6 months.

it is not all bad, it is a good organisation based on sound principals, many of us have been in years, including some who come straight off civvie street, they get trained by the Cadet Training Team , which is staffed by Regular soldiers, if you can ignore the poiltics, get past the silly rules due to Compo Culture and Risk adverse society you can do a lot however limited it can be, there are ways and means, if you are still interested , go to your Local detachment make yourself known to the CO, go for a few weeks as a Civilian Instructor see how they do things in your local unit, if still interested put an application in and see how it goes.

 

Semper has summed it up nicely

I am always amazed at how much impact and influence the AI's can have on some kids, one lad at my det was brought to us by his stepdad after being arrested for the fourth time, six months later he doesnt hang around on street corners and hasnt been nicked since he joined us.

That is probrably the best part of the ACF giving kids a bit of direction stability and self respect also that important sense of belonging that many kids dont seem to have anymore.

 

well I've been turned down
ex reg
actual qualification in outward bound activitys and a years experiance working with kids and not even invited to selection

 

Did you tell them you were a hippy?

or.......................the system works lol

 

Abso_fecking_lutely. The pleasure in seeing them improve their lot far outweighs the negatives, or it was situation 30 years ago.

NB

 

Hi Ab,

My ten peneth worth........

There are as many reasons to join as there are people, as stated in many threads/links, But........

The best must be that you are making a difference for your community, no point moaning about kids hanging around and getting into to trouble if you don't offer them something to do, what better than a structured, interesting, challenging pastime?

You also receive personal benefits from being involved and your career prospects improve as you grow as a instructor.You will after all be a youth leader and leadership/man management/ administration skills are sought after by employers.

One of the best things with the ACF is that a kid does not have to be academic or well off to achieve success and may get nothing out of school, but their membership of the ACF will set them up for the future even if they have nothing more to do with military life.

There are down sides and unpleasant parts like most things ,but keep your head down, always be willing to learn, don't expect to be spoon fed and stick it out and it will prove one of the most rewarding things you have ever done.

Don't join as an easy option to the TA or if you are a walt or if you are a know all or if you can not commit to two nights per week and one camp per month, you will be wasting yours and more importantly the kids time.

Don't worry about being super fit, most kids these days are not, the right mental fitness is more important.

 

Eh? Turned down? Have they said why? Have you pissed someone off? Most of the Cadet forces are desperately short of adult staff, and with your qualifications, they should pull your arm off! (They did with me, for just having an RCO ticket and FAC!)

If there is an appeals procedure, use it first, then after exhausting that, ask for full disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. You are entitled to it. Someone may have made a mistake and/or mixed up up your CRB return with Gary Glitter's or something!

 

If you were applying to Sussex ACF (I'm assuming you were because of the BRIGHTON in Brighton hippy), as long as you are still interested , it may be worth reapplying as i heard the AO for SACF lost the contact details for most of the prospective AI's....

 

Brighton hippy if it was sussex ACF pm me

I am in Sussex ACF and am most concerned as to why they turned you down without even offering you selection my company in particular are very short of AI'S any help I can supply let me know.

 

Hi, I am a serving regular Officer, commissioned from the ranks, ex-TA and ex-Cadet with a wealth of Op and Ex experience. I have at least 5 years regular service left and am interested to find out more about the ACF as an adult instr. I am CRB cleared and was wondering whether it might be possible to link up with an ACF det to assist with training. Would this be well received, or would I be regarded as stepping on AI's toes or perceived as an ARAB wanting to big time it. Not that that is my aim - would like to give something back to an organisation that set me on the road to an interesting and successful career.