Managing Volunteers
A Guide for Cadet Leaders
by L J Collins. Paperback. Price £10 including UK postage
Here is a succinct guide for unit and area commanders looking to develop or refresh their management and leadership skills. It offers a practical and user-friendly resource that will prove very useful to volunteers to assist with basic organisation and planning guidance.
The author uses layman’s terms throughout, which is particulary helpful to our wide range of volunteers who hail from various backgrounds. It is arranged in three parts under the headings Understanding Management, Managing People, and Communication.
Clearly set out are the basic requirements to assist with coping with various issues and day to day running of a Unit. The book also gives advice on how to deal with various scenarios and describes issues and a scope of subjects across a wide range.
The knowledge imparted would be extremely helpful in assisting any young adult in coping and managing a unit from basics to complicated issues. It would also serve as an information resource to existing staff in helping them manage and cope with training guidelines. Whilst not explicitly directed at the Sea Cadet movement, the book describes the various terms and practices within the three cadet forces, which in itself is a useful comparative exercise.
It covers a scope of subjects ranging from IT to PR through to letter writing and would be useful to assist our volunteers to study and achieve various qualifications in management skills.
The book also covers basic and advanced skills in coping with managing people and resources.
I would recommend it to our volunteers as it is straight to the point and very simple to read and understand, it also highlights various scenarios that I know as a volunteer do happen regularly and sometimes guidance to problem solving in certain situations is very time consuming and difficult to get the right advice from our experienced senior officers on an immediate basis. The book is a step by step guidance and information pack all in one that is quick and factual to read.
The author is well-qualified in his subject. Dr Larry Collins served in the Army before accumulating a further twenty years of management and training experience in voluntary sector organisations, including the ACF, ATC, and CCF.
Reviewed by Lt Cdr (SCC) Janet Picton RNR
"The guide is comprehensive and will certainly be of assistance to adult instructors with varying levels of knowledge and experience"
CVQO
"A handy pocket book guide to best practice in youth leadership. Everyone involved in the Sea Cadet Corps will find this both interesting and useful."
Brian Thomas
Director, Professional Seafarer Operations,
MSSC
To purchase your individual copy at £10 including UK post & packing contact our Book Services Manager telephone 020 7654 7008.
Discount may be available for bulk orders.