YOUR VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK
CONTENTS Welcome 3 Getting to know the Sea Cadets 4 Ways to get involved 6 Volunteer commitment 7 Training and support for personal development 8 The essentials 9 Recognition and awards 11 Making a complaint 11 Communications and feedback 12 Help with fundraising 13 Leaving Sea Cadets 14 MSSC employee responsibilities 14 Becoming a member 15 All documents outlined in this handbook are available to all volunteers at sccheadquarters.com. and all references to Sea Cadet Regulations can be found at sccheadquarters.com/scrs 2013 Edition MSSC (Marine Society & Sea Cadets) 2
WELCOME Whether at sea or on land the Sea Cadets offers an environment where young people can find new confidence and inspiration. Across the UK 14,000 cadets are challenging themselves and developing new skills like boating, sailing and rock climbing, supported by 9,000 committed volunteers. We have 400 units in towns, cities and ports across the country and our members meet every week. Each unit is an independent charity and a member of the Sea Cadet Corps (SCC). This handbook gives you a brief insight into what you can expect and what we offer you as a volunteer with the charity. Find out about what roles best suit you, the courses in which you can enrol plus basic information you will need to do your job well. It is not an exhaustive look at what we do, but it will give you a great insight into the basics to get you started. The charity is reliant on volunteers to guide, help and support young people and I can assure you of an experience that will be challenging, rewarding and fun! Thank you for joining the Sea Cadets it s great to have you on board. Martin J Coles Chief Executive 3
GETTING TO KNOW SEA CADETS Sea Cadets is one of the UK s largest and oldest nautical youth charities. Established in 1856 we ve been supporting young people with a head start in life for over 150 years. We enjoy close links with Britain s maritime community and our biggest supporter is the Royal Navy, whose customs and traditions are at the heart of what we do. As a volunteer you ll be helping us to deliver a fantastic cadet experience that inspires young people through fun and nautical adventure, to learn and develop new skills that will give them the best possible head start in life. Our volunteers are vital in delivering this and we will support you every step of the way. ON JOINING All volunteers join the Sea Cadets at a national level but are attached to a local unit in their home area and where the need and their skills will be most useful. As a volunteer you commit to contribute your time, energy and skills to support the national Sea Cadets charity as well as your local unit. Your commitment is hugely valued and can prove exceptionally rewarding. Working as a volunteer does not represent a contractual engagement of employment. There are detailed recruitment requirements for all volunteers and these may vary slightly dependant upon your role. Key elements include: You must be 18 or over Personal details will be protected in accordance with the Data Protection Act Approved applications and reference checks Be medically fit to carry out your specific role to avoid placing yourself or others at risk while undertaking Sea Cadet activities Attend courses to develop your role as a volunteer Support our policies including its child protection policies Share and commit to the vision and values of Sea Cadets Appropriate disclosure and safeguarding checks will be made 4
CADETs Instructional staff & Unit Assistants (UA) Unit Management Committee (UMC/Charity Trustees) Commanding Officer/ Officer-in-Charge (CO/OIC) Unit Chair (UC) District Officer/Company Commander (DO/Comp Cdr) District Chair (DC) Senior Staff Officer (SSO) Area Chair (AC) Area Officer/Deputy Area Officer (AO/DAO) Area Business Manager (ABM) Captain Sea Cadets & Director of Operations (CSC) Director of Business Management (DBM) Chief Executive (CEO) MSSC Council This diagram highlights some of the core roles in the organisation. 5
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED Instructors: Train, guide and supervise cadets and other volunteers following the national structured SCC Training Programme. Volunteers can, depending on their skills, roles, abilities, experience and preferences work as officers, senior rates, non-uniformed or as affiliated instructors. Unit assistants: Give essential support in a wide range of roles from helping in the kitchens, minibus driver or the person that runs the tuck shop! Unit management team (UMT) member: Each unit is a registered charity: UMT members are the trustees of that charity who are responsible for overseeing the business and management of the unit. Sea Cadets unit chaplain: Many units are supported by a chaplain who once appointed, irrespective of their own faith, is to be the friend and advisor to all cadets and volunteers of all faiths and beliefs at that unit. Parent & supporters association (P&SA) member: Parents and close relatives of staff and cadets, past and present, or anyone who wants to support a unit can join a unit s P&SA. You will work with the UMC to organise and support fundraising activity, assist with the unit s running in areas such as canteen staffing, social events, HQ maintenance etc, taking a practical interest in a unit as a whole and in cadets welfare. UMT Chairperson and members (trustees) Newly elected UMT chairpersons are welcomed into the role by the area business manager (ABM) and given guidance and support on the role and responsibilities. UMT members are welcomed by the unit chairperson and reach an agreement as to the specific role you will take on treasurer, secretary or fundraiser. Trustees can also attend courses, such as the Basic Leadership Course, the Youth Development Course and other subject related courses. SEA CADET INSTRUCTORS As part of our six month probationary period, new instructors undertake an initial unit induction followed by the Adult Induction Course (AIC) which is compulsory. Once completed, new instructors can follow one of two paths; either a uniformed instructor, acting petty officer (APO) or acting sergeant (ASgt) or as a civilian instructor (CI). 6
VOLUNTEER COMMITMENT The Sea Cadets are guided in all that we do by these values: Commitment, Respect, Loyalty, Honesty, Integrity and Self-discipline. We aim to instil these values in all who work with us our cadets, volunteers and staff. People s motivations for volunteering with us are as varied and unique as our 9,000 volunteers. One thing we all share though is the common goal of giving young people the best possible head start in life. Our Volunteer Commitment to you ensures that both you as a volunteer and the charity can meet that goal. We (the charity) will: Welcome you as a volunteer and provide you with opportunities to help us achieve our Vision & Strategy Provide you with appropriate training, support and guidance for your role Work together with a unity of purpose across every part and at every level of the Sea Cadets Ensure you have a safe working environment for cadets Listen to your concerns if things aren t going right Recognise that you are a volunteer and have other commitments Treat you fairly and with respect In return we ask you to: Support Sea Cadets in having fun and giving them the best possible head start in life Be committed to the safeguarding of our cadets Commit to appropriate development and training for Sea Cadets Corps Regularly contribute time and energies to your unit Share our values and standards Be fair to those around you Be professional and loyal to the Sea Cadets and MSSC, the parent charity responsible for setting all policies and procedures that govern the Sea Cadets Talk to your Sea Cadet or MSSC colleagues (volunteer or employee) first if you have a problem Enjoy what you do! 7
TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT All new volunteers take part in an induction in the first nine months of joining. The course shows how we work, our values, how we are organised and how new volunteers can play their part in helping to deliver the Sea Cadet experience at their unit. There are sessions on working with young people, corps knowledge, health and safety, safeguarding and career development. Your CO or TO will register you on the course. If you want to join as a uniformed instructor you will need to complete several core training skills courses to ensure you have the right and necessary skills to work with young people in the Sea Cadets. For Sea Cadet instructors this includes: Instructional Methods (IM), Youth Development, Seamanship and Drill. For Royal Marines Cadets instructors, it includes IM, Youth Development, MCD Drill, Field Craft and Map Reading. Once you have completed these modules you will be ready to attend a two-day Basic Leadership Course held at a national Sea Cadet Training Centre in readiness for promotion to the next rank. In addition, our volunteers have opportunities to develop their skills and expertise with further training courses. These vary from skills-based opportunities such as learning to sail, through to Sea Cadet career courses designed to support volunteers as they t ake on new roles within the charity, such as First Lieutenant, District Officer, Area Chairperson etc. Many of our courses are linked to external qualifications and accredited via nationally recognised bodies, like the RYA and BCU. Some courses are compulsory for those volunteers looking to develop their Sea Cadet career and seek promotion while others are skills-based, helping you to teach new skills to cadets. If you would like to explore more general lifelong learning opportunities you can do so via the Marine Society: marine-society.org A comprehensive range of GCSEs and A Levels are available via distance learning. Through partnerships with quality providers there are also degree programmes, both traditional and through work-based learning. There are also courses in a range of skills such as book-keeping; starting a business; creative writing. There is also an award-winning e-learning course Maths@Sea. Designed to help with the basics of functional maths for nautical students, the course is ideal for Sea Cadets and volunteers. Its companion course Writing@Sea aims to address common errors in everyday written communication and is relevant to all members of the Sea Cadets. For the full range of courses online please visit marinesocietyshop.org where you can also purchase a range of books. 8
THE ESSENTIALS There are lots of ways you can keep up to date with your organisation. Much of this is held here: sccheadquarters.com it s your one stop shop for all information, updates, policies, procedures and marketing support and you ll find a whole range of PR and marketing materials and guides in the Brand Centre. ALLOWANCES AND EXPENSES As a volunteer we recognise that you may as a result of your involvement with us incur some costs. Where appropriate MSSC assists volunteers, cadets and units with the costs of training, and provides and supports training through various allowances, such as travel, volunteer allowances and uniform. Please visit sccheadquarters.com on how to claim your expenses. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES As a well-regulated youth organisation, we have a number of good practice documents specifying how it shall be run. The principal set of requirements is Sea Cadet Regulations (SCR) and the first chapter highlights all the other documents known as Appendices to Sea Cadet Regulations (ASCR). This includes our Volunteer Code of Conduct for all volunteers and gives a clear understanding of the standards of behaviour we expect. There is a separate Code of Conduct for cadets. Please familiarise yourself with these policies and procedures, not only to help you with your volunteer role, but also to help guide your fellow volunteers. Sea Cadets is fully committed to the welfare of its young people as well as volunteers. Clear policies and procedures exist to support this and cover safeguarding, child protection, health and safety, anti-bullying, equal opportunities, internet and email acceptable use and data protection and privacy. These are reviewed regularly so please revisit them. You can find the SCR, ASCR, and relevant policies, many of which are referred to in this handbook here: sccheadquarters.com. 9
WESTMINSTER Westminster is an online Management Information System designed for the Cadet Forces. It stores, handles and processes personnel documents in a standardised way for Cadet Forces and it is central to the running and managing of the Sea Cadets. Volunteers are required to use it according to the role they perform. It has a wide range of uses including; recording details of volunteers and cadets in order to support safeguarding, supporting our duty of care, meeting charity law requirements and helping provide assurance to the Royal Navy and MSSC Trustees. require insurance and showing service records of all craft. You will also use it to book your courses from. The security of personal data on Westminster is a high priority and users must successfully complete the Protecting Level 1 course before access is approved. Permissions to read and edit information is controlled and determined by role. How to Guides are available, as well as support from volunteers who specialise in its use. The Westminster system is a key element to help run an efficient, modern, volunteer organisation. It has specific functions for recording disclosure checks and safeguarding requirements, for documenting training qualifications, for personal information including next of kin and medical conditions, for recording all assets that CUSTOMS AND ETIQUETTE As a volunteer, it is likely that at some time you will visit a Royal Navy establishment and dependant upon your role, may stay overnight in their accommodation. You should be aware that they have their own particular customs and etiquettes which you will be expected to observe. Customs and Etiquette guide to life in a Royal Navy Wardroom and Warrant Officers and Senior Rates Mess is briefly covered in the AIC. Should you visit Army or Royal Air Force establishments we recommended you familiarise yourself with their customs and etiquettes too. 10
RECOGNITION AND AWARDS MSSC recognises the amazing and vital contribution volunteers make and there are a variety of awards to honour volunteers who make a substantial or an outstanding contribution to the work of the Sea Cadets. These include national awards like the MBE or BEM as well as our own awards, these are: The Sea Cadet Medal (For outstanding service) The Captain s Medal (50 years service) Cadet Forces Medal (For 12 years continuous service) MAKING A COMPLAINT We hope that everyone involved with the charity will have a positive experience. However, on occasion a dispute or complaint may arise. MSSC s complaints policy and procedure is for anyone (volunteers, cadets and or their parents/ guardians) who would like to raise a concern or make a complaint about a matter associated with the Sea Cadets or problems at a unit. As most Sea Cadet activity takes place at a local, community level it is expected that where appropriate these concerns will be dealt with quickly and courteously in an informal way by local Sea Cadet volunteers. If a complaint arises that requires a fuller enquiry, this may involve area office and MSSC. We re committed to resolving these complaints fairly. In the event that you suspect malpractice in the Sea Cadets you should report your concern immediately using the whistle-blowing procedures which are also provided in our complaints policy and procedures. You can find this at: sccheadquarters.com 11
COMMUNICATIONS AND FEEDBACK There are lots of ways to stay in touch and up to date with Sea Cadet news. Our online members area: sccheadquarters.com gives you access to a full range of how to guides, regulations and updates everything you need to know about running a great unit from getting media coverage to health & safety. You can also raise questions and queries through our: ask the Captain, ask the CEO and ask NSCAC (National Sea Cadet Advisory Council). Your area office will also post updates on their pages here too. Our volunteer magazine, Fleet is sent to units three times a year (we re always looking for stories) and our digital magazine for cadets called Current is launched through our official facebook.com/seacadetsuk. Plus each MSSC member receives a copy of Seafarer News. We also make sure units can stay up to date with Navy News, which we post out each month. Each unit has its own branded Sea Cadets website and our communications team can help you with any queries you have in getting started or in providing a range of branded material to help support you in recruitment and public presentation most of which can be found here: sccheadquarters.com/ brandcentre Handy emails/websites: fleet@ms-c.org marketingsupport@ms-sc.org webmaster@ms-sc.org sccheadquarters.com facebook.com/seacadetsuk sea-cadets.org We welcome feedback and you can contact us through the routes above or call us on 020 7654 7000. Other opportunities to give feedback include; area conferences; your area NSCAC representative (see governance tab on sccheadquarters.com); via your area office or MSSC HQ. Surveys are carried out on a regular basis and the results published via sccheadquarters.com. CAREERS AT SEA Sea Cadets is not a recruiting organisation for a career at sea. However, many of our young people are interested in finding our more about sea-related career opportunities. Recommended sites for more information: marine-society.org/careers-at-sea careersatsea.org royalnavy.mod.uk/careers 12
HELP WITH FUNDRAISING We have a dedicated fundraising team at MSSC HQ to help you with the following types of fundraising: Support in funding applications Strategic planning Report writing Advice on event planning Identifying funders that could support your unit For an overview of fundraising for Sea Cadets and ideas you can use please take a look at the How to fundraise guide here: sccheadquarters.com/ guides-and-manuals If there is a particular area of fundraising you d like direct support in, please get in touch with us. Contact us here: 020 7654 7000 or fundraising@ms-sc.org. Membership Management of legacy donations Fundraising workshops 13
LEAVING SEA CADETS The type of volunteer role you hold with us and your ability to do it will determine when you leave us. There is no specific retirement age, however at 79 years and over, those in an instructional role must complete an annual insurance health questionnaire to ensure they are insured appropriately. There are straight forward processes and forms to be completed when volunteers leave us. Leave of absence is often sought by volunteers due to other personal commitments; health reasons or maternity/paternity leave and this can easily be arranged. MSSC EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES Part of the role of MSSC trustees, directors, managers and employees is to ensure that the contribution made by volunteers is valued with relevant and timely support being provided to help promote volunteers development. MSSC values emphasise the need to work together. In order to clarify the responsibilities of employees and volunteers, every key role in MSSC and Sea Cadets has a clear job or role description with details of how different groups and departments relate to each other. MSSC is guided in all that we do by: Serving, Professionalism, Teamwork, Innovation and Safety. 14
BECOMING A MEMBER MSSC is the joint sponsor and parent body of the Sea Cadets. This national charity fundraises to provide the additional elements of support, management and training outside of the training activities provided by the Royal Navy this includes the offshore fleet, training centres and boating stations around the UK. We encourage all volunteers to become members. As a member you have a voice in shaping the charity s future. Plus you re invited to the MSSC Annual Court where you can speak directly with other members, trustees and senior management team. You ll also receive invitations to events around the UK and regular updates from our magazine Seafarer News. We have a growing number of MSSC branches around the UK who fundraise for their local units. If you live in an area covered by one of these branches, your subscription is given to that branch so they can directly support local units. Members in areas with branches also benefit from local events which are a great opportunity to meet potential supporters for your units. Find out more about membership here: membership@ms-sc.org or call us on 020 7654 7013. We hope you ve found this document useful. Any queries please speak to your commanding officer or area officer, or you can get in touch with HQ by calling 020 7654 7000 or emailing info@ms-sc.org 15
No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission of: MSSC (Marine Society & Sea Cadets), 202 Lambeth Road, London, SE1 7JW Patron: HM The Queen A charity registered in England and Wales 313013 and in Scotland SC037808