When Preity McGarry decided she wanted to join the Police in the future, she knew signing up for our cadet scheme would give her a good insight into the career.
And the experience proved so positive for her, that now she’s old enough, she’s stepped up into the role as one of our cadet leaders.
The 18-year-old student, who is studying uniformed public service at Coventry College, said:
“Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed cadets. It helped build my confidence, self-esteem and social skills.
“Cadets gives young people a community to belong to, so they’ll know there’s support when they need it and highlights some of the opportunities that are available.
“Many cadets also develop some great friendships – I have and they’ve been very supportive in my journey from cadet to leader.”
It was only recently that Preity made the transition from cadet to leader, but she’s already seeing how she can make a difference.
“A great part of being a leader is the impact that we have on young people.
“I can speak from experience when I say that many cadets find the sessions to be a safe place, so even if circumstances aren’t great at home or they’ve been having a rough time at school, they can come to cadets and get away from everything for two hours.”
As she embarks on a new chapter of her life as a leader, Preity has a message for the cadets she’s now helping to thrive:
“Never give up on your dreams. No matter what anyone says, no matter what obstacles you face in life, you can keep going. Never forget to have fun because you’re only young once. And know that your cadet leader will always have your back, offering support to you however they can.”
• If you’d like to be a positive role model for young people in your area, find out more about becoming a Volunteer Cadet Leader.