Who are the Sea Cadets

The Sea Cadet Corps is an uniformed youth organisation, that is not para - military nor pre service. It is administered by the Sea Cadet Association and sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. There are about four hundred Sea Cadet Units spread all over the Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Units are grouped into Districts, containing six to ten Units depending on distance: Each District has a name such as Avon, Fens, NE Lancs, Grampian etc. Districts are grouped into Areas of which there are six, South West, Eastern, London, Northern, Northwest and Southern, each containing 60 to 85 Units. Each Area is administered by serving Royal Navy or Royal Marine Officer and a small civilian staff. The Areas are administered by the Sea Cadet Headquarters in London under the Command of the Commodore of the Sea Cadet Corps.

About 90 Units have Marine Cadet Sections whose training is broadly based on a Royal Marines training syllabus.

Many Units have Junior Sea Cadet Sections, which are part of the Sea Cadet Corps but do not receive any funding from the Ministry of Defence and are financed solely by the unit.

Corps' History

The oldest and most enduring youth organisation in the World and Great Britain, is the Sea Cadet Corps. This Corps can trace its heritage back to the Crimean War, when, in 1856, sailors returning home from the campaign set up "Naval Lads Brigades" to give disadvantaged youngsters a taste of self discipline and leadership. From those early beginnings in the back streets of Britain's seaports has grown the Sea Cadets, a 16,000 strong youth movement with 400 units the length and breadth of the Country Based on maritime traditions the Corps, which first became independent in 1910 under the auspices of the Navy League and then the fully-fledged Navy League Sea Cadet Corps nine years later, is pledged to uphold Britannia's naval heritage.

The Corps Today

Although supported and partly funded by the Royal Navy, the Sea Cadet Corps is not a pre-service organisation, and the training programme the cadets undertake, whilst underpinned by seamanship and nautical skills, also offers recognised qualifications in subjects such as electrical and mechanical engineering, computers, communications and catering which will stand the cadets in good stead whatever career they pursue.

In 1976, the Navy League became the Sea Cadet Association (SCA), the parent charity which raises funds to support the Corps and provide the educational and adventure facilities for the cadets, including traditional sail training aboard the Corps' own flagship, the square rigged brig T.S. Royalist. Cadets also experience hands-on sea duty aboard Royal Navy ships.

Under the umbrella of the SCA, each Sea Cadet Unit is an independent charity in its own right, staffed by volunteer officers and senior ratings holding Sea Cadet ranks under the auspices of the Royal Naval Reserve. Boys and girls aged 12 to 18 years are welcomed into the cadet ranks and wear traditional Royal Navy uniforms. Junior sections cater for the 10 to 12 age group, whilst the Royal Marine Detachments for boys aged 13 to 18 have also been introduced to complete the nautical mix, and thus offer a broad range of interest and activities.

Each Sea Cadet Unit has developed close ties with the local community, cemented through a Management Committee that works alongside the Unit's Commanding Officer to provide a worthwhile programme of activities and spearhead fund raising initiatives at local level.

Training Activities

The Sea Cadet Corps' training organisation, offer many activities which young people can become involved in, these fall into three categories:

Firstly, a Cadet can specialise in any number of nine specialisations; Seamanship, Communications, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Cooks and Stewards, Writers and Stores, Physical Training and First Aid. The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme is actively encouraged in Units.

Secondly, Cadets can become proficient in Meteorology, Expedition Training, Target Shooting, Sub-aqua Diving and Music as a drummer, bugler or instrumentalist.

Thirdly and probably the most popular is Canoeing and Boat work, both Inshore and Offshore Power and Sail. The Corps follows the British Canoe Unit (BCU) and Royal Yachting Association (RYA) training schemes. Waterborne activity is conducted on rivers, lakes, and reservoirs not forgetting in many cases around the United Kingdom coastline.

Sea Cadets regularly take part in not only inter Unit/District/Area Competitions but National Competitions as well as Inter-Cadet Competitions.

The Royal Navy supports the Sea Cadet Corps in many of these activities. RN Establishments around the country host many of the training courses and provide resources, which Units cannot normally find.