Kirklees College has supported volunteers in the Army Cadet Force to complete their level 2 Health and Social Care online qualifications.
The Army Cadets is for young people between 12 – 18 years old and aims to support them to improve their confidence and leadership skills.
A group of Cadet Force Adult Volunteers in B Company recently received educational awards at the cadet’s Navigation Weekend to mark successful completion of a mental health course.
Michaela Oakey, Trainer Assessor at Kirklees College and Woodlesford Detachment Commander, Adult Under Officer (AUO) encouraged her colleagues to take advantage of the free online short courses delivered by Kirklees College. After the pandemic had a significant affect on young people’s mental health and training became more accessible online, Michaela recognised the importance of being able to identify and appropriately support cadets experiencing mental health problems.
As a result, three officers undertook the 10-week Certificate in Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health and NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Awareness of Mental Health Problems. There has also been interest from other volunteers from around the county, including Northallerton and Catterick.
Michaela is eager for even more volunteers to take advantage of these free courses. Speaking about the qualifications, she said:
“I’ve been working across my roles within Kirklees College and the Army Cadet Force to assist volunteers to prepare for and understand potential mental health issues that may arise for young people, especially following the recent lockdown. The initial aim is to have an adult within each group who holds a certificate in Understanding Mental Health.”
Adults interested in volunteering for the Army Cadet Force can find out more information on their website www.armycadets.com.
For more information about free online Health and Social Care courses or to sign up, please visit https://www.kirkleescollege.ac.uk/subjects/health-and-social-care/.
