Metropolitan Police Service - Volunteer Cadets

My name is Nana and I am 21 years old. I have been with the Volunteer Police Cadets since I was 15 years old and I now volunteer as a staff member.

I was referred to the cadets by my school counsellor because of behavioural problems. I was on my last warning and at risk from being expelled from school. My school counsellor thought having a structured programme after school would keep me out of trouble. I was initially reluctant to join. I live in Kingsbury Brent and my perceptions of the police were not positive ones.

Despite my reluctance I really enjoyed my first evening in the cadets. Everyone was friendly and welcoming and I couldn’t wait to go back again.

Since I’ve been with the cadets I’ve done my Duke of Edinburgh Awards to silver and I am about to commence my Gold Award. I’ve volunteered at police events, music concerts, film premieres and marched on parades.

I was part of the China UK exchange programme in 2008. This was a fantastic opportunity to travel abroad and for me to gain an insight into a different culture. While I was there I assisted at their local schools, visited silk factories, walked the Great Wall of China and I met the worlds tallest man!

I also took part in Encompass which promotes understanding and tolerance among young people of different backgrounds, faiths and cultures. I took part in a selection weekend of around 20 young people in the New Forest with the best 8 being chosen to represent the UK. I was one of the lucky few! I got to spend a week in Abergavenny in Wales where I interacted with people from Israel, the US and Palestine. During the day we would do team building/out door activities and in the evenings we would learn about each others cultures, different views and opinions.

While I have been with the cadets I have had some fantastic opportunities that I wouldn’t otherwise have had. I have got to experience, sailing, climbing, kayaking and gorge walking, It was through these outdoor activities that I managed to obtain my role as a Store Administrator at an Outdoor shop. My long term aim is to join the Police Force so that I can make a difference in my local community. That’s something I never thought I would say!

In my role as a volunteer leader with the cadets, I get to help young people grow and become responsible young people while having fun. I know without the cadets my life would have turned out to be very different and I want to help other people in similar circumstances.

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One cadets experience of assisting the Army Cadet Force (ACF) at the London Outreach Project, working with challenging young persons from across the London boroughs.

‘Over the May half term 2010, I attended the Outreach camp in Wales as the Deputy Head Cadet with Harrow Volunteer Police Cadets. Part of our job was to act as mentors for the young people who had been selected to go on the trip. For instance I was in the same Billet as the girls and had to make sure that they were in bed by lights out which was no easy task. Throughout the week I took part in a variety of activities along with the rest of my team which composed of a member of my staff, a TSG Officer and an Army Cadet along with 6 young people. These tasks included kayaking, horse riding, climbing, a walk up Pen Y Fan, a high wire course and a dingle scramble.

As the week progressed I became attached to some of the girls and it was quite sad when we came to leave, particularly because of the uncertainty about whether the progress some of them had made would be continued once they returned home. Many of the young people expressed an interesting in joining the Police, Army or Combined Cadet Organisations. I thoroughly enjoyed the week and would recommend it to other Cadets who are given the opportunity to take part and also to officers thinking of recommending young people to the course.’

For more information about the scheme please see www.londonoutreach.com.