Building confidence, forming friendships: What it's like being a member of the Sea Cadets

Sea Cadets from across the country recently converged in London to commemorate Trafalgar Day – where they explained what being a cadet meant to them.

While making friends and getting to experience new things were high on the list, the one overriding factor was building confidence.

Several of the cadets explained how they had been shy when they joined – and how they had now become far more self-assured.

• King celebrates generations of young people as first National Cadets Week begins
• Three-point Cadet Action Plan strategy unveiled as minister pledges more support for force
• Lack of volunteers biggest concern for cadets, BFBS Forces News audience poll finds

One of the cadets visiting London was Petty Officer Cadet Jessica W, who said: "Seven years ago I joined Sea Cadets as a 10-year-old junior. Now I'm teaching other cadets and aiming to become a Royal Navy officer."

Jessica said she could never have imagined where the cadet experience would take her when she first joined.

"I've become so much more confident," she said. "I've made so many friends from all around the country. It's been brilliant."

Jessica is a qualified RYA Dinghy Instructor, British Canoeing Paddlesport Instructor, Physical Training instructor and Drill Instructor and is working towards completing her Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

Leading Cadet Jonathan C, who played saxophone in the band at the Trafalgar Day event, said getting the opportunity to fly was one of the biggest thing in his cadet career.

"Getting to fly about, doing all kinds of aerobatics and properly learn about how aviation works, especially military aviation, was really, really interesting," he said.

But he said another was confidence.

"When I started Sea Cadets, I was very, very shy," he said. "I wouldn't speak to anybody.

"But now, to be able to do this, to speak to my school about cadets, to do all kinds of things, it's really built my confidence up. It's quite incredible."

Darcy W, who has been involved with Sea Cadets since 2019, explained how the organisation's Physical Training branch had helped boost her confidence and shape her future career ambitions.

She has spent four years performing as part of the national Trafalgar Day Physical Training display team in London, performing before thousands of spectators in Trafalgar Square.

"Running onto the square and performing for the audience gives you a thrill you can't really put into words," she said.

And last year, she stepped into a leadership role, helping younger cadets master routines.

"It taught me how important teamwork, communication and patience are," said Darcy, who hopes to build a career in the sports industry, potentially as a personal trainer or sports psychologist.

Sea Cadets, as with the other cadet forces, remains focused on helping more young people develop the confidence, skills and sense of belonging that enable them to thrive.