Posted on 22nd Sep
Nottinghamshire Police has partnered with the YMCA Community and Activity Village in Newark to host its new junior base, which will offer up to 24 additional places for young people aged between 11 and 18.
Shaun Ostle, Nottinghamshire Police’s cadets lead, said: “Cadets is all about encouraging young people to challenge themselves, develop social skills and friendship, and build their confidence.
“By launching our new cadet base in Newark, we’ve now established another location where we did not previously have a presence, which makes the programme more accessible and complements our wider efforts to engage with young people and tackle anti-social behaviour.”
Volunteer Police Cadets are the nationally-recognised police uniformed youth group in England and Wales.
Nottinghamshire Police already operates six thriving cadet bases in Arnold, Bulwell, Bestwood, and Mansfield. This builds on recent expansion into Hyson Green last year and Worksop earlier in 2025.
At the launch in Newark, young people were introduced to the cadets programme and took part in two team-building games. They had to navigate a course while ‘impaired’ with beer goggles and work together to build a tower of blocks using ropes and a hook.
Sessions can include visits from different police departments, assisting with community events and initiatives, and other fun activities — recent ones have included responding to a mock major incident scenario at headquarters, preparing hot meals for the homeless and vulnerable, and a community project that brought a care home’s garden back into use.
Each cadet base offers unique and exciting opportunities for young people to learn about different aspects of policing and develop invaluable life skills, including communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
The main purpose of the cadets is not to recruit future police officers, but to encourage the spirit of adventure and good citizenship.
This can involve engaging with young people from all backgrounds, including those who may be vulnerable or at a greater risk of becoming involved with antisocial behaviour, in a fun and interactive way to make positive life choices.
A team of more than 50 volunteers, comprising police officers, staff, and members of the public, offer their time, skills, and knowledge to help run the weekly cadet base sessions during school term time for 148 young people across Nottinghamshire.
For more information about cadets or how to volunteer for a leader role, email [email protected]
