Police cadets provide young people with skills for future

I was coming to the end of my time at secondary school when I noticed the advert in the Shropshire Star about recruitment for the Telford Volunteer Police Cadets writes police cadet Kate Theodore.

At the time, I was considering my possible career options, and becoming a police officer was my ultimate goal.

After completing the recruitment process for the cadets, I was thrilled to hear that I had been successful and couldn't wait for it to begin.

The cadets meet every Thursday evening to participate in various activities. These activities include listening to guest speakers who come to talk to us about different police related subjects and the range of positions within the job itself. Examples of these subjects include forensic work, drugs and diversity.

We undertake fitness training which not only improves our levels of fitness, but also aims to heighten our determination to exceed prior results.

Regularly, we are asked to conduct different duties which can range from patrolling bonfire nights to attending career talks. These duties allow us to work alongside full time police officers and community support officers and this gives us a great insight into their important role within the community.

A radio training input is also given to cadets - allowing us to use actual police radios – and therefore we learn the phonetic alphabet and how to send and receive information.

We also make use pocket notebooks which are the official documentation that the police are required to use to record all information. These experiences will benefit me greatly in pursuing a career within the police service.

Twice a year we attend Hindlip Hall, West Mercia Police Headquarters where we undertake a weekend of team activities competing against fellow squads. Every cadet looks forward to the HQ trip - it's a weekend full of physical and mental challenges that we work on in our squads.

There is a purpose to each challenge. We're learning important policing techniques and putting all of our effort into the weekend, whilst still having a blast!

In the summer we also go on an 'Outward Bound' week away. The week consists of crazy outdoor activities and everyone facing their fears, but with the motivation and enthusiasm from your squad you fly through the week and feel an amazing sense of achievement at the end!

I have no doubt that I have developed as an individual since joining the police cadets. The scheme aims to encourage you to step outside your comfort zone, build your confidence, and find hidden qualities that you didn't know you had. That's exactly what it's done for me.

I genuinely enjoy every minute I spend with the people I work with at the cadets and also being in uniform out in public with the attached responsibilities.

Currently, being the leader of my squad has allowed me to gain new skills that I will need throughout my life. Knowing I am making a difference and helping others gives me a great sense of achievement.

Through the cadets I also volunteer at a local primary school helping disadvantaged children with attention and behavioural issues. This gives me further great experience and a feeling of satisfaction after every visit.

Although many cadets will go on to join the Police Service, others have gone onto completely different careers taking the many skills they have learned with them.

I have no doubt that the skills gained with the cadets will only go on to benefit each and every graduate in the future.

I can testify to that personally.

Anyone interested in finding out more about Telford's Volunteer Police Cadets can do so by logging on to http://www.westmercia.police.uk/get-involved/volunteer-cadets/telford-volunteer-cadets.html.