Each year a small group of RAF Air Cadets are selected to take the highest level of first aid qualification and become instructors/assessors. The Gold First Aid Cadet Instructors is only ran once a year and consists of several weekends of training as well as a one week residential and several weekends of assessment. It has been my goal to be accepted and qualify on the Gold course since I took my first initial Blue first aid badge. I am also motivated to share my knowledge and experience after saving my mothers life and assisting other friends and family.
Qualifications Gained at the End of the Training & Assessment
- Methods of Instruction
- Activity First Aid
- Youth First Aid
- Instructor Package for Essential First Aid & Youth First Aid
- Assessor Course for Activity First Aid & Youth First Aid
- Competition Skills Package
- CASSIM Skills
- AED Operator
- Course Admin and Planning Awareness
- St Johns Apprentice Instructor
After having to formally apply for place I had not one but two selection interviews with both the Wing and Regional First Aid Officers. Cadets were selected from across the South West, London and South East with over 150 applying for a place. Eventually after a nervous wait I was extremely pleased to be offered a place with only 30 cadets selected!
Methods of Instruction – Weekend One
Over the weekend of 20th and 21st June we had our first training sessions for our Methods of Instruction qualification. All cadet instructors are required to obtain this in order to gain the necessary skills to prepare lessons and teach a variety of topics. This initial weekend was 9am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday over Teams.
We covered a large amount of information but one of the most interesting areas was learning styles and how you can adjust your lesson and resources for cadets in your classes with different learning styles! We also looked at lesson planning and the methods of instruction workbook which we need to complete and submit as part of our assessment.
Next Training Weekend – June 2023
Our next training weekend is in June when we will start presenting the topics we have been assigned to develop as lessons. Each of us has two first aid topics to prepare lesson plans for and to present. My own topics that I have been assigned are “How to cope in an emergency” and “Poisons”. You have no choice in the subjects as these are assigned to us by the Officer Commanding on the course.
To keep up with all of my first aid experience and qualifications check out the blog category of First Aid
