Overview of Youth and Cadet Demographics Analysis

Cadet Attraction Statistics

 Between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010, 27,645 Canadian youth became members of the Cadet Program. The top five reasons for joining were as follows:

1. 7,742 (28.0%) joined because of the “adventure / opportunities”;
2. 7,284 (26.3%) joined because of “friends”;
3. 3,634 (13.1%) joined because of “other” reasons;
4. 3,124 (11.3%) joined because of their “curiosity”; and
5. 1,752 (6.3%) joined because of their “parents”.

This reinforces the message that corps / squadrons have been doing a tremendous job of attracting a significant number of youth to the Cadet Program.Continued attraction efforts coupled with new initiatives are required, particularly at the local community level, to achieve the CPGI’s broad growth objectives.  Additionally, enhanced efforts to monitor analyze and refine these attraction statistics are necessary, particularly at the national level, to capitalize on the potential of this useful information.

Cadet Attrition Statistics

Between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010, 25,477 Canadian youth ceased their membership with the Cadet Program.The top five reasons for leaving were as follows:

1. 8,941 (35.1%) “loss of interest”;
2. 6,446 (25.3%) “other reasons”;
3. 2,462 (9.7%) “too busy” or “other activities”;
4. 1,803 (7.1%) “moving”; and
5. 1,595 (6.3%) “school”.

This reinforces the message that all CCM stakeholders need to focus on retention initiatives to maintain the interest of and make it easier for Cadets to stay involved in the Cadet Program.Additionally, enhanced efforts to monitor, analyze and refine these attrition statistics are necessary, particularly at the national level, to capitalize on the potential of this useful information.

Cadet and Youth Population Data Tools

A series of tools containing various charts and tables providing CCM leaders with population data to help establish regional and local growth objectives and to shape retention and attraction initiatives have been emailed under a separate cover and is posted on national cadet website. This reference contains population data for Canada, six Regions and eleven Provinces / Territories / Geographic Jurisdictions and approximately 290 Census Divisions (CD[1]Population data for Canada is provided at Annex A.

Cadet population data are drawn from Fortress, End-of-Year Reports and ANSTATS.The youth population data are drawn from the 2001 and 2006 Census Canada data with a formula developed internally to project population data for 2011.  All data will be updated annually and will be based on the most current census data available[2]