Funding of £1,500 from the John Laing Foundation and Hill Osborne Fund contributed towards the cost of setting up an ‘Emergency Cadets’ group in Market Harborough, including equipment for practical exercises and uniform.
Market Harborough Emergency Cadets is a new community group led jointly by police and fire service staff, and local young people. East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) will also be contributing resources to some sessions.
The group aims to:
• promote a practical understanding of community safety amongst young people
• encourage a spirit of adventure and good citizenship
• inspire young people to participate positively for the benefit of their communities.
The unit involves 30 young people aged 13 -18 years and is based at Robert Smythe Academy and Market Harborough fire station. Cadets participate positively for the benefit of their communities through volunteering for 3 hours a month; supporting local projects as well as crime reduction and safety priorities. They also learn about first aid, safety, social action and life skills.
Both fire and police cadets are national models, designed to be sustainable through the use of volunteers from police, fire service and the community, and their young members have opportunities to progress to be junior instructors/mentors on subsequent courses. The model also stresses the value of Cadets working in partnership with other uniformed Cadet agencies. Rather than open two separate units in the same area, both of them following similar programmes, Market Harborough Emergency Cadets is a ‘blended’ cadet group, and one of the first units of its kind in the UK . It is run as an independent community group whose management committee and voting members include young people. At least a quarter of its membership is among vulnerable young people.
For information on the full range of projects and groups you could support by setting up your own fund with us, please contact Katy Green on 0116 262 4804 or email: katy.green@llrcommunityfoundation.org.uk.
