Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assistance the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations provide for recruiting reservists and cadet instructors.

The Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (RFCAs) offer support to recruitment in multiple ways.

The RFCAs provide media and communications support, including through the provision of small grants from regionally generated income for both Reserve and Cadet units to produce recruiting materials. The RFCA communications teams also support Cadet units with social media aimed at increasing awareness of the cadets and to encourage young people and adults to join. The results have been significant; recent social media campaigns have seen a 200% increase in expressions of interest.

The RFCAs also showcase the Reserves and Cadets with bespoke short films at Lord-Lieutenants’ Awards ceremonies, reinforced with other media around those events. Annual online Cadet Adult Recognition Awards are hugely popular – highlights are then used to advertise adult volunteering on our social media platforms. RFCAs also support County shows and other engagement opportunities that support and enable recruitment.

The RFCA’s Permanent Support Staff manage the in-flow of Cadet Force Adult Volunteers to cadet units, including some recruitment process administration, and it’s Volunteer Estate output actively supports recruitment by providing modern, well-maintained Cadet training centre or Army Reserve Centres that are attractive to potential new recruits.