Sea Cadets Impact Report 2023/2024

The Sea Cadets Impact Report 2023/24 is the latest annual evidence summary for the UK's leading nautical youth charity, part of Marine Society & Sea Cadets. The survey was completed by 2,324 cadets, 1,898 volunteers and 2,184 parents/carers across 14,095 cadet places. Key findings include a cadet Net Promoter Score of +57, strong safeguarding confidence (92% of cadets know who to contact), disproportionate representation of looked-after children (8%), young carers (8%) and autistic young people (6.2%), and meaningful progress in satisfaction among LGBTQ+, disabled and Asian cadets. The waiting list of around 3,000 young people highlights sustained demand to expand capacity.

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About

Weekly unit-based activities aligned to Royal Navy customs and traditions; nautical training including boating, kayaking, seamanship and navigation; Royal Marines Cadets strand; offshore voyages (TS Royalist); First Aid and other nationally recognised qualifications; Duke of Edinburgh Award; cadet courses at national and regional training centres; Sea Cadets Portal for course booking and progression tracking; waiting list of approximately 2,968 young people Custom geography from upload: UK-wide (England, Northern Ireland)

Key Metrics

Key Metric 1 14,095 cadets; 8,647 volunteers; survey completed by 2,324 cadets, 1,898 volunteers and 2,184 parents/carers in winter 2023/24

Key Metric 2 Cadet Net Promoter Score +57; Parents/carers NPS +75; 38% of cadets live in bottom 40% of socio-economic deprivation — in line with the UK population; 55% of Sea Cadets units in areas of relative economic disadvantage vs 33% for other youth groups

Key Metric 3 Cadets approximately twice as likely to live in 'left behind' areas vs general population; 8% looked-after children (vs 1.1% nationally); 8% young carers (vs 6% nationally); 6.2% autistic cadets (vs 2% nationally)

Key Outcomes

52% of cadets strongly agree Sea Cadets improved their ability to work in a team; 81% agree Sea Cadets is a safe environment; 83% agree Sea Cadets is a supportive environment; 92% of cadets would know who to go to if hurt or abused at Sea Cadets
Satisfaction of LGBTQ+, disabled/neurodivergent and Asian cadets has substantially narrowed gap with general cadet population — LGBTQ+ NPS +45 (up 6ppts); disabled/neurodivergent NPS +54 (up 6ppts); Asian cadet NPS +53 (up 4ppts)
Junior Sea Cadets NPS +77 (up 6ppts); volunteer satisfaction declined from peak 2020 — likely due to £738k in-year reduction in Grant-in-Aid, uniform provision suspension, and capped allowances; LGBTQ+ volunteer NPS -8 (down 12ppts — area flagged for targeted action)