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Corporate Social Responsibility

#NextGen “It Doesn’t Matter There is an entire world of diverse careers, experiences,
events, and activities that they have now had the chance
to be immersed in, from 2018-19 and now moving
Where You Come From, It Is forward from Covid. Cadets visiting major international
Expos at Olympia and NEC, being invited to work with
corporate professionals at their facilities such as ICTS and
Where You Are Going That International SOS, learn about CP and CT work through
very realistic and challenging “real life” training scenarios!
Counts.” Cadets have met CEOs, Admirals, Chiefs, innovators,

people specialists, urban designers, vehicle and transport
specialists, emergency planners, NGOs and many more.
An effective and efficient team includes everyone – from
Teenagers from all communities regularly get negative press. Whether it is about anti-social behaviour, crime, that person in a yellow hi-vis, to a software developer,
being “snowflakes,” the media loves to tell bad news stories about our young people. manager, CEO, local partners – everyone has their part to
play to keep the circle complete and get the job done.
But - there is a much bigger story, that rarely gets the same exposure. A story of hundreds of thousands of
teenagers in every part of the UK, who volunteer every week in uniform with units, squadrons, groups, wings, Thanks to #NextGen, the VPC now has a solid partnership with TWDC EMEA team, Scott Paterson, and
teams, and regions representing all eleven partner organisations of Youth United! The Volunteer Police Sabrina Bains, who have completely embraced the VPC programme. Cadets have been invited to join red
Cadets (VPC) is part of the Youth United organisation. carpet teams at prestigious film premiere events in central London, where they have met professionals from
security groups and teams, learning about running major events, keeping people safe, VIPs and publicity,
VPC is the uniformed youth group of UK policing. Nothing to do with joining the police (though many do copyright, crowds, and risk issues, which the Cadets have loved! New events and experiences are in planning
which is great), but everything about young people through their local police forces, volunteering to make a now, to take this even further.
difference in their communities, learn about operational policing and partners, grow in self-confidence and
self-belief with new friends and trusted adults, volunteers, and policing colleagues. Everyone we have met has been so positive, encouraging, inclusive and totally on board with welcoming,
Nearly 17,000 Volunteer Police Cadets in VPC programmes with forty-four police forces in England and Wales, supporting and encouraging young people. When colleagues are so busy at every level, there is never any
annually give up over 1.2 million hours of their own time in youth-led social action projects and community hesitation in giving up their time, personal experience, guidance, and support for our Cadets, for which we
volunteering. Cadets are almost half and half male/female with significant LGBTQ representation. Over 30% are grateful.
of Cadets from a black or other ethnic minority background (in some London boroughs, this is nearly 80%).
Earlier this year, with the Covid restrictions relaxed, we were excited to bring over one hundred VPCs from
Some of our amazing Cadets are A* students at school or college. Some of our amazing Cadets come from five police force areas to The Security Event at Birmingham’s NEC. Just to be at the show and take part in a
challenging backgrounds, may have had negative past experiences with “authority,” been Excluded from real-life event was exciting enough for many of the Cadets, with a very warm welcome from event organisers
school or previously arrested. In the VPC we say, “It Doesn’t Matter Where You Come From, It Is Where Nineteen Group.
You Are Going That Counts.”
The Cadets here met two inspirational and uplifting guest speakers, Satia Rai and Arevika Stepanian who
Cadets were out in force throughout the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, in central London, in town, villages shared their own personal career and life experiences in security, to where they are now. This had such
and places all across England ad Wales. a positive impact on the young people! Phrases like “you can’t be what you can’t see” are so true; some
perceptions like “that’s not for people like me,” are great to lay to rest and bury.
Cadets support a wide range of charities, support local events, represent a “voice of youth” both for their This has certainly been our experience throughout #NextGen and beyond!
police forces, with government departments and local authorities.
Thank you to everyone who has made this happen, who
And since 2018, thanks to the Security Institute’s “Next Generation in Security” programme, with the EY has reached out to VPC and young people and opened
Foundation, #NextGen, hundreds of Volunteer Police Cadets have had the opportunity to learn all about so many doors raising awareness, ambition, and aspiration.
future careers in security, how corporate sector businesses and public sector organisations keep people If you would like to know more or reach out to VPCs in
safe and protect us from threat and harm, develop innovative new technology and practices, networks and your region or area, please contact Tim via
engagement. [email protected] or visit www.vpc.police.uk.

Thanks to Paul Barnard CSyP MSyI, Pete Lavery FSyI, the Security Institute team and many others, Cadets - Tim Mann MBE, National Volunteer
have been invited to walk through big doors many thought remained “closed” to them, or never even knew Police Cadets Safeguarding and Standards Hub
existed.

What some young people thought “security” was, a store detective or person in a yellow jacket outside a
venue, completely turned around thanks to #NextGen.
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