in policing National Evaluation of the Police Cadets May 2019 Authors Dr Matthew Callender, Kathryn Cahalin, Daniel Moloney and Dr Iain Britton Executive Summary Overall Headline Findings • Cadet programmes across England and Wales are currently being rejuvenated and there has been a +10% rise in cadets across the country (excluding the Met which has conversely seen a 9% fall); • The Volunteer Police Cadets (VPC) ofers positive impact and value to young people and their future; • Young people were proud to be a cadet and were positive about their experiences in the cadets, especially in relation to gaining confdence, reducing social anxiety and meeting new people; • Cadets valued making a diference and impact in their community, have a strengthened sense of social responsibility, and have a desire for more community involvement in the VPC, more events and opportunities to volunteer; • Cadet leaders were less positive compared with cadets, with key issues infuencing these results being having enough time to do the role well and having enough cadet leaders; • Strategic leads for the VPC in forces indicate that the VPC is a positive and important programme within local contexts, though there is support for more standardisation on regional and national levels; and • Issues around recruitment of cadet leaders is a key threat to sustainability, which is also consequential to planned growth. More and better training for cadet leaders is a key need of the VPC alongside achieving a sustainable fnancial model. Introduction their intended future pathways. This report provides the fndings and results Since its conception, it has grown to involve from a national evaluation of the Volunteer some 12,329 young people spread across nearly Police Cadets (VPC) in England and Wales. The all forces in England and Wales. Forces indicate VPC is a nationally recognised police uniformed further planned growth in cadet numbers, with youth group throughout the UK for 13 to 18- a forecast rise in numbers up to 15,398 in the year olds, frst developed in South Norwood coming year to 2020, signifying a quite rapid (Lambeth) in March 1988 as a community period of planned growth of 24.9%. There are initiative to engage with young people. The VPC signifcant numbers of people who deliver the aims to be diferent to other uniformed youth VPC, with initial fgures suggesting that there groups, ofering young people an opportunity to are 62 full-time ofcers and 63 full-time police better understand policing whilst acquiring new staf, approximately 1,400 other ofcers engaged skills and abilities to better position them within either part-time or voluntarily, approximately 3 Executive Summary 380 other police staf engaged either part-time of positive impacts to others through or voluntarily, and approximately 640 PSVs and volunteering and raise money for charitable 200 Special Constables. causes; • For young people who present challenging There are signifcant diferences in scale and behaviours or attitudes, the rules and ethos design across sites. This report takes a signifcant of the VPC environment has a positive efect, step at establishing an evidence base for the ofering a positive alternative for these young VPC, with there being a dearth of evidence people to construct a pro-social identity; and on the VPC and outcomes in relation to social • New strategies, guidance and refection are impact and value. There has also to date been a needed to give young people who exhibit relatively limited development of the evidence- negative behaviours or attitudes the best base for ‘what works’ across the development possible prospect of positive change, keeping and delivery of the VPC programme. them engaged in the programme and avoiding them dropping out. Approach Transitions Headlines A mixed method approach was taken to explore • The VPC positively impacts the career the VPC in England and Wales. To capture the aspirations of young people, especially those views of cadets and cadet leaders, a national who were interested in a future career in online survey was administered by the VPC and policing; focus groups were completed in 4 sites across • More focus is needed within sessions for England and Wales. To explore the perspectives cadets on how to navigate pathways into of strategic leads, semi-structured interviews employment alongside policing content; were completed. Data from the national cadet • Important diferences are evident in the census exercise were considered to provide a interest to join policing along gendered national picture of the VPC. and ethnic lines, which warrant further consideration; Social Impact and Value Headlines • Being a cadet provides benefcial evidence to enhance young people’s CV’s and • The fgure for social action hours requires employment prospects, helping to distinguish further analysis, but as a broad initial cadets from other young people; and indicative fgure there appears to be at least • There is good practice of the VPC facilitating 540,000 hours of social action undertaken links with the application processes for the across cadets; Special Constabulary and Police Support • The VPC ofers important opportunities to Volunteers, however it was suggested that develop life skills, such as frst aid, team work such connections need to be strengthened. and independence as well as specifc awards such as the Duke of Edinburgh; • Cadets feel more aware of the consequences of their choices and behaviours, which relates to a more mature sense of self; • Cadets are empowered to deliver a range 4 Introduction This report provides the fndings from a national would not have been possible without the evaluation of the Volunteer Police Cadets (VPC). support and dedication of police staf who It documents perspectives on the programme, deliver the VPC. Nevertheless, there remains outlines how being a cadet achieves social a signifcant opportunity to build further from impact and value as well as exploring young the current VPC model, increase its footprint people’s transitions following being a cadet. within localities and enhance the value and Additionally, the report outlines strategic impact for young people. It is argued that the perspectives on the programme and makes VPC is advantageously strategically positioned recommendations to further build and develop to support national objectives and priorities, the impact of the VPC in the future. such as the National Strategy for the Policing of Children and Young People: Child Centred The VPC is a nationally recognised police Policing. uniformed youth group throughout the UK for 13 to 18-year olds. The frst volunteer police cadet This report draws on evidence from a secondary unit started in South Norwood (Lambeth) in analysis of a national census of cadets March 1988 and was developed as a community completed by forces in January 2019, primary initiative to engage with young people. Whilst analysis of national surveys of cadets and cadet being a recognised youth programme nationally leaders, a series of focus groups conducted with across forces, there are signifcant diferences cadets across four forces and semi-structured in scale and design across sites. There has also interviews with cadet leads in forces. to date been a relatively limited development of the evidence-base for ‘what works’ across Chapter 2 sets out a context for the VPC and the development and delivery of the VPC provides an overview of evidence that has programme. A little over two decades since its documented the value of uniformed youth conception, this report is timely as it will enable groups. forces to refect on how to improve and grow local VPC programmes. Chapter 3 provides a national picture of the VPC, providing fgures on the numbers of young This report takes a signifcant step at establishing people and units in diferent areas. an evidence base for the VPC, with there being a dearth of evidence on the VPC and outcomes Chapter 4 outlines general perspectives on the in relation to social impact and value. The VPC VPC based on evidence from cadets and cadet programme ofers a valuable opportunity leaders. for young people to engage in positive and constructive activities as well as achieve a social Chapter 5 details the identifed social impacts impact in communities. The VPC aims to be and value of the VPC for young people, society diferent to other uniformed youth groups, and policing. ofering young people an opportunity to better understand policing whilst acquiring new skills Chapter 6 explores the impacts of the VPC on and abilities to better position them within their the future pathways and life course trajectories intended future pathways. for young people. The evidence points to an impact which 5 Introduction Chapter 7 details key themes that emerged from strategic interviews with VPC leads in diferent forces. Chapter 8 draws together the key fndings and makes recommendations to improve the development of the VPC and enable a signifcant step at realising its potential. 6 Index Page no. Setting a Context for Police Cadets 8 National Overview of Cadets 16 Perspectives on the VPC 23 Social Impact and Value 42 Transitions 56 Strategic Perspectives 63 Conclusions and Recommendations 75 Setting a Context for Police Cadets This chapter explores existing literature and evidence to provide a context for the police cadets. Setting a Context for Police Cadets “The purpose of the VPC is not to recruit relations between the police and young people; police ofcers of the future, but to encourage the spirit of adventure and and nurture their feelings of social responsibility good citizenship amongst its members. We so that they become active citizens. For example, believe that every young person deserves the Modern Crime Prevention Strategy aims to the opportunity to thrive regardless of prevent crime by building positive character his or her background. We encourage traits and increasing young people’s abilities to young people from all backgrounds to make good decisions and achieve positive life join the VPC, including those who may be outcomes (Home Ofce, 2016).