Who we are
The Army Cadet Force is one of the UK’s oldest, largest and most successful youth organisations. We have a long and proud history of preparing young people for all walks of life and encouraging an active involvement in local communities. We have 44,000 cadets and 8,000 adult instructors in over 1,700 Cadet Centres spread across the UK. The ACF provide a structured approach to developing young people, working closely with the Local Education Authority, police and other youth initiatives.
What we do
The Army cadets provide a wide diversity of fun, exciting and adventurous opportunities. We help young people activate and develop themselves physically and mentally, improving self-confidence and valuable skills for life, including teamwork, friendship and leadership skills. We welcome cadets of all abilities and backgrounds to access the majority of our activities. We also aim to develop a sense of community in our cadets.
Qualifications and Awards
Qualifications: We are a gateway to recognised vocational qualifications through CVQO (Cadet Vocational Qualification Organisation). Cadets voluntarily enrol free of charge, for both the BTEC First Diploma in Public Services and Music. Each qualification is equivalent to 4 GCSEs (A* - C) and it is not unknown for cadets to achieve Distinction Star in both Diplomas. Some senior cadets go onto to gain a level 2 Certificate in Team Leading from the ILM – a management qualification.
Awards: As part of the a cadet’s training syllabus, the ACF Proficiency Certificate Star Awards go hand in hand with the BTEC First Diploma in Public Services, and the ACF also offers the high profile Duke of Edinburgh Award. Cadets can use these seriously impressive marks of achievement to put on their CV to stand out from the rest in school, college and working life. Working towards these awards means cadets have something to show for their time in the ACF and proof of their self-development during this.
Young people across the academic scale benefit from their involvement in cadets. Those high-end achievers who undertake a BTEC Diploma find it adds breadth to their CVs while those who are struggling at school often find the Diploma, gained through cadets, is the clincher that brings them back into sixth form education.
Adult Volunteers
Adults who are interested in helping to shape the futures of young people can play an active part in youth development when they volunteer to be one of our Instructors. By attending the Cadet Training Centre as an Adult Instructor volunteers can achieve recognised youth leadership status and also work towards other vocational qualifications in many areas from mountaineering to youth management and learning and development.
Find out more
Visit our website to find out how to join, learn about our adventurous activities and read testimonials of how the ACF have helped young people to challenge and develop themselves, whilst having fun, and meeting new friends.
www.armycadets.com or call 0845 600 7799 for an information pack.
The Army Cadet Force Association (known as ACFA) is a registered charity in England, Wales & Northern Ireland (305962) and in Scotland (SC039057)