Volunteering cadet instructors were recognised and rewarded for their community based learning achievements by educational charity CVQO on Friday.
Admiral the Right Honourable Lord West of Spithead presented over eighty leaders with Licentiateship, Graduateship and Membership Awards, along with a host of other qualifications at the annual CVQO graduation ceremony. The event was held at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, in the presence of colleagues, families and dignitaries.
Each graduate was presented with a City and Guilds accredited senior award in youth management and training. These awards are comparable to A Level, degree or higher qualifications, achieved through tireless volunteer work with the nation’s youth in organisations such as the air, sea and army cadets. Successful completion of these awards recognises at least five years of volunteering, professional development and youth management experience.
Secretary of State for Education, The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, was in attendance to witness how beneficial adult learning can be. He said, “This is a fantastic day, a day to celebrate the achievements of the men and women giving their time to help young people. The Army, Air and Sea cadet organisations are an outstanding example of the best of British. They provide young people with a sense of discipline, a chance to be part of a team and the opportunity to gain skills which will help them to be successful on whatever path they choose in life. Edward Woods, Lord West and CVQO do a great job and I am deeply grateful for their work whereby cadets can acquire meaningful qualifications. Today we celebrate the adult volunteers who give so much of their time for young people.”
As a leading provider of practical and alternative education, CVQO believes that lifelong learning is a priority and that years of selfless volunteering with the nation’s young people should be properly acknowledged. The awards administered by the charity reflect the hard work put in and the expertise developed by these leaders, giving each graduate key skills that can be recognised and applied in the workplace.
Through current fundraising activities, CVQO aims to offer opportunities to more members of the country’s youth organisations, making a recognised and more broadly based education an achievable goal for more young people and their leaders.