Meet the cadet leaders who volunteer their time to give back to the community

“You can be the light at the end of the tunnel for young people.

“This programme has done amazing work for me and I’ve learnt a lot from it. I want to give other cadets that opportunity.”

Meet cadet leader Matthew Rudnicki, who just 12 months ago was attending weekly cadet sessions and is now giving back to his community by volunteering with Nottinghamshire Police.

The 19-year-old, from New Basford, is one of 31 cadet leaders who volunteer their time each week to support young people and help run the force’s cadets programme.

“I feel like I’m giving back to the programme,” Matthew said. “It’s really important that the police have a connection with young people and that everyone from our communities is involved.”

Volunteer Police Cadets are the nationally recognised police uniformed youth group in England and Wales.

In Nottinghamshire, junior cadet sessions are available to those at secondary school between Years 7 and 11, with senior cadet sessions available to those in Years 12 and 13.

After one year as a senior cadet, Matthew decided to progress to become a cadet leader at the Hyson Green cadet base, where he volunteers at two sessions per month for around four hours.

He said: “It’s an amazing thing to experience really, especially when you get through to some of the cadets who are harder to reach.

“I’ve had cadets approach me with personal concerns they have been experiencing and it has been rewarding to help them out with that and what they were going through at the time – you can be the light at the end of the tunnel.

Matthew said he gets an immense sense of pride from giving back to his community and being able to put on his cadet leader uniform.

He added: “If you have an interesting session planned and deliver it well, those cadets go back home to family and friends and you’re giving them an opportunity they may not experience elsewhere – that’s the best part of the job.”

Cadet leaders are made up of police officers, staff and civilian volunteers, who offer their time, skills and knowledge to operate the force’s six cadet bases by running weekly sessions during school term time to 148 young people across Nottinghamshire.

Sessions can include visits from different police departments, assisting with community events and initiatives, and other fun activities.

Lilia Walters, 18, joined the cadet leaders as a way of sharing her passion with others.

“I have always had an interest in the police,” she said. “The leaders that I had when I was a cadet were always nice to me, and so I suppose in a way it’s giving back to people what I had.”

The student, who alongside Matthew progressed to a cadet leader in October 2024, now regularly volunteers at force headquarters.

As part of their role, the pair recently assisted staff from the Royal Navy to run a scenario-based activity where the cadets had to design and build a new gadget from the materials provided.

During the session, they circulated the room to support cadets with their problem-solving, team building, and presentation skills.

Lilia said: “It feels quite good to be able to help shape the next generation of cadets. It’s really rewarding to learn why they want to be there, hear what they have to say, and give back to the community.”

The purpose of the cadets is not to recruit future police officers, but to encourage the spirit of adventure and good citizenship.

This can involve engaging with young people from all backgrounds, including those who may be vulnerable or at a greater risk of becoming involved with anti-social behaviour, in a fun and interactive way to make positive life choices.

The cadets are part of the force’s Prevention Hub, which is a collaboration between multiple force departments responsible for developing and delivering strategies to prevent crime and disorder throughout the city and county.

Sergeant Vanessa Wake, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Prevention Hub, said: “Cadet leaders are a valuable part of Nottinghamshire Police who provide vital support to the communities they serve and their contribution cannot be understated.

“Our cadet programme, thanks to the selfless work of our cadet leaders, continues to go from strength to strength and equips young people with valuable and transferable life skills in an environment where they can create friendships and make lasting memories.

“We are always on the lookout for new cadet leaders and I would urge anybody interested in volunteering with our brilliant young people to email [email protected] for an application form.”