Junior Volunteer Police Cadets will launch in Haringey on Thursday, June 6. The Met Police says that it’s for young people aged 10-13 years old to take part in a programme which will teach them life skills, social responsibility and help build positive relationships with the police.
The programme will be led by senior volunteer police cadets (VPC) and cadet Leaders who have been coached and trained in mentoring and leadership, to provide positive role models to their younger peers. The VPC needs around 400 extra cadet leaders aged 18 to 65 from all backgrounds and walks of life to support a drive to increase its VPC programme by 4,000 cadets, as pledged in the Mayor’s Policing and Crime plan.
The junior cadets will join the VPC family, a uniformed voluntary youth organisation, supported by the Met, open to 13-18 year-olds from across London’s diverse communities, irrespective of background, financial circumstances and including those vulnerable to crime or social exclusion.
The programme will provide a safe consistent activity for them as they make the transition from primary to secondary school. It will also involve junior and senior cadets working together to design problem solving projects and initiatives to address key issues in their communities around crime prevention and community safety.
The programme launches whilst a campaign is under way to recruit hundreds more volunteer police cadet leaders to help make a difference to the lives of thousands of young adults across the capital, but there is still a long way to go.
Without more leaders the Met is unable to take on more cadets – so attracting a raft of new role models is vital, the force says. The recruitment of extra cadet leaders could lead to the potential roll out of the Junior Police Cadets across London.
Haringey Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Victor Olisa said: “The Junior Volunteer Police Cadet Programme is an example of Haringey’s dedication and passion to invest in the relationships between police and young persons in the borough Haringey. I am excited that Haringey is leading the Met to deliver this programme”
Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey, MPS lead for the VPC, said: “The police cadets have become an integral part of the Met family and I am very proud of the work they do all across London. We want to build upon their success and involve more young people in the programme, but we can’t do that without recruiting more Cadet Leaders.
“Our existing cadet leaders come from all walks of life, giving up their time to run the programmes, teach young people life skills and help them grow into young adults. This role is extremely rewarding and I urge anyone who thinks they could help make a difference to apply.”
Deputy Mayor for Policing Stephen Greenhalgh said: “It is inspiring that so many young Londoners want to volunteer and to become Met Police Cadets.
“These young volunteers have a vital part to play in providing positive role models for their peers and helping the local police to engage with children and teenagers at the same time.”
To find out more about the VPC programme, visit www.met.police.uk/cadets and for details on how to apply visit www.metpolicecareers.co.uk/cadets or call 0845 434 9519.
