What does St John Cymru Wales do?
What programmes are offered by St John Cymru Wales?
What do Badgers do?
What’s the Badger programme?
How often do Badgers meet?
What do Cadets do?
What’s the Cadet programme?
What do Young Adults do?
How do I join?
How much does it cost to send my child to St John Cymru Wales?
Do I need a uniform?
Where can I buy the uniform?
How much is the uniform?
How should the badges be placed on the uniform?
How do I find my nearest division?
Are divisions open over the summer holidays?
How will my child benefit for joining St John Cymru Wales?
How do you vet individuals who work with young people?
What is your code of behaviour?
What do I do if I have concerns?
Can parents get involved?
Q. What does St John Cymru Wales do?
St John Cymru Wales is a major youth organisation, with over half of our 4,500 volunteers under the age of 18. Many of our older members move on to become Youth Leaders, and play a crucial role in the development and progress of our young people.
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Q. What programmes are offered by St John Cymru Wales?
St John Cymru Wales is proud to provide many opportunities and development programmes for individuals aged between 5-25 years old.
These programmes are created to teach lifesaving first aid skills, help create friendships and provide lots of exciting new challenges.
Individuals can sign up to be a Badger or a Cadet, with both groups offering training in essential lifesaving skills, a place to make friends and participate in many unique opportunities.
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Q. What do Badgers do?
Anyone aged between 5 and 10 years old can join one of our many Badger Setts located throughout Wales. Being a Badger is all about having fun and going on adventures!
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Q. What’s the Badger programme?
Badgers take part in a lively programme, working towards their Super Badger Award. The programme has been developed to enable young people to learn important life skills in a fun and safe environment.
Badgers can choose from fifteen subjects to help complete their award. These include from Creative, Active, Healthy and Caring subjects. Badgers learn important first aid skills through their Super Badger Award and various first aid courses.
Once a Badger has completed their membership paw, they move onto their bronze paw, which is awarded after completing three subjects. A further three subjects will enable a Badger to gain the silver paw and another three for the gold paw. The Super Badger Award is awarded when twelve subjects have been completed.
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Q.How often do Badgers meet?
Badgers usually meet once a week for around an hour and a half. Our Badger leaders are appropriately trained and follow guidelines to ensure young people are safe and get the most out of being a member of St John Cymru Wales.
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Q. What do Cadets do?
10 – 17 year olds can join one of our Cadet units which operate across Wales. Cadets focuses on having fun, learning new skills and being a part of the community.
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Q. What’s the Cadet programme?
Guided by youth leaders, Cadets take part in a full, interactive programme, working towards their Grand Prior Award. The programme enables young people to learn important life skills in a fun and safe environment, but with challenges appropriate to their age.
Cadets can choose from over seventy different subjects to help complete their award. These range from fire prevention and photography, to sports and first aid.
Younger Cadets learn first aid skills through our training course for young people while older Cadets can undertake a community first aid or first aid at work course. Cadets can put their first aid and other communication skills into practice by providing first aid at public events or teaching first aid to other young people and adults.
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Q. What do Young Adults do?
Anyone aged 18-25 can join as a young adult and have the opportunity to progress their personal and professional development skills within St John Cymru Wales. We offer the Amalfi Challenge, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, LINKS groups and overseas opportunities for our young adults.
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Q. How do I join?
All you need to do is click on the “Join Us” button. This will take you through a step by step registration process. Once this has been completed your local division will contact you direct within 2 weeks.
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Q. How much does it cost to send my child to St John Cymru Wales?
This will vary depending on your division but it is likely to be between £50 and £100 per year. This fee usually covers the cost of the hire or upkeep of the meeting place, and is collected by local arrangements. Trips, camps and activities are usually charged separately.
Cost should not be a barrier to any member of St John Cymru Wales and if you feel this may be an issue, please contact your Divisional Leader.
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Q. Do I need a uniform?
St John Cymru Wales volunteers wear a uniform depending on the age range.
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Q. Where can I buy the uniform?
Uniform can be bought through the division that your child attends.
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Q. How much is the uniform?
On average, a Badger uniform costs around £25 and a Cadet uniform costs around £50.
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Q. How should the badges be placed on the uniform?
A detailed guide explaining how badges should be placed on both the Badger and Cadet uniform can be found here.
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Q. How do I find my nearest division?
The post code search function on our website can give you the location and type of division nearest to you. Click here to access the search function.
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Q. Are divisions open over the summer holidays?
Many of the divisions tend to have a break over the summer holidays in line with the school term.
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Q. How will my child benefit for joining St John Cymru Wales?
We’ve found that children who join St John Cymru Wales are more confident, responsible and have a wider set of friends. Being a Badger or Cadet can help advance your child’s social skills and provide them with access to a unique range of activities and opportunities.
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Q. How do you vet individuals who work with young people?
All volunteers who help to run our divisions give their time freely to help young people enjoy St John Cymru Wales.
Youth Leaders are interviewed locally and asked to provide references. Everyone who works with young people in St John Cymru Wales are asked to undertake a Criminal Record Check (Disclosure and Barring service.) We are committed to ensuring that St John Cymru Wales is both an enjoyable and safe organisation for everyone who takes part.
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Q. What is your code of behaviour?
We train all our adults in best practice and take any measures required to strengthen and improve existing practice. We monitor and audit divisions to make sure they are in line with current practice, and pay announced and unannounced visits to ensure they are adhering to policy guidelines.
We believe in a society where every young person has the opportunity to make a real difference in their community, and to help others in need of support and development. We teach our young people about self protection, ensuring all our young people are aware of what they should and should not expect from the adults they interact with. We make sure parents, children and young people know how to voice their concerns and obtain help if they are unhappy or worried about anything.
The organisation is regularly reviewing and updating its safeguarding policy to provide fresh guidance on legislative changes, the advances in technology and increased expectations of society. Keeping young people safe will always be of paramount importance to us.
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Q. What do I do if I have concerns?
If you are unhappy with anything relating to your child’s time in St John Cymru Wales you should raise it with your child’s leaders. If you would prefer to speak to another individual, please contact safeguarding@stjohnwales.org.uk.
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Q. Can parents get involved?
Parents are welcome to volunteer and we encourage you to talk to your local division to find out about ways that you can help. Everyone has a skill that can be utilised! There’s no pressure to continue as a volunteer, but hopefully we will be able to inspire you by showing how rewarding it is to volunteer with St John Cymru Wales.
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