Welcome to Cadets!

If you are aged between 10 and 18 you can join Cadets. There are Cadet units across the West Midlands.

Fun, friends and awards

The Cadet programme has been designed to allow young people to have fun, meet new friends, improve personal and social skills, as well as taking part in various award schemes. Whatever you are into, St John Ambulance can help you achieve your goals as well as improve your CV. If you are looking for a career in the health sector then St John Ambulance Cadets is a great start.

As well as our own award, the Grand Prior Award, Cadets can work towards external and well-recognised awards such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Becoming a Grand Prior Cadet is the highest achievement you can obtain in Cadets. You have to complete 24 subjects from eight different categories. There are over 100 subjects you can choose from, and through weekly meetings and other events you learn about each subject in a fun and interesting way.

As all of our young people can make their own decisions about what they would like to do within St John Ambulance, you may choose not to do your Grand Prior Award.

Adults who help Cadet units undertake training to help ensure we offer a safe environment and a positive development experience.

Why become a St John Ambulance Cadet in the West Midlands?

Being a Cadet gives you life experiences that colleges, universities and employers all look for. Being part of St John Ambulance shows you have commitment and responsibility to your community. You can also get real first aid and patient care experience. We encourage our Cadets to take part in first-aid duties in their area; in the West Midlands these include Premiership football matches, theatres, speedway, sporting events and many other exciting events.

St John Ambulance in the West Midlands offers many other activities for Cadets. Every Cadet has the chance of entering annual competitions, where different units compete to become the West Midlands champions. They then get the chance to represent the county nationally!

All our Cadets also get chance to go on regular fun weekends. As a county, we run weekend camps and an annual full-week summer camp. We also offer residential events at our cottage in Wales.

As a Cadet you can become a Cadet trainer, and help train other members at your unit. You can also go on leadership development courses to help assist at your Cadet unit. Each year we appoint a West Midlands Cadet of the year, and they spend a tough weekend in Nottinghamshire where a national Cadet of the year is chosen.

All our Cadets get the chance to choose what they want to do in St John Ambulance; from first aid to DIY. There is something for everyone.