The ANC has primary focus on the youth development aim of exploring the world within a safe environment.  This aim is captured in the cadet activity focus on Cadet Safe Stay Safe.  In order to allow young people to have adventures, the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Navy Cadet organisations have invested considerable effort in framing the CADETSAFE Development Project.

The delivery of CADETSAFE involves specific delivered programs covering IT, training for staff and cadets, communication and management of risk assessment for all physical activities.  In one area, the ANC is leading the other defence cadet schemes: a renewal of IT support that captures data on hazards and accidents and allows the ANC to actively learn better ways of adventuring.  This tool will allow staff at unit level to inform and seek advice from a hierarchy of qualified safety staff about any safety issue.

Overall, CADETSAFE encompasses a whole new way to approach safety.  This means a leadership approach that is informed but not scared of safety. 

In particular, there is a dedicated effort to:

• Keep safety policy and procedures simple
• Make the instructions and safety and risk assessments relevant to the cadet environment, including using language that is familiar and useful to the cadets themselves
• Reduce the paperwork burden
• Match Navy safety management system tools and language wherever possible
• Recognise OHS expertise within the ANC and to enhance this capability through external training when needed,
• Test each component in a number of cadet units, or by asking ANC Unit staff members to provide feedback
• Allow staff and cadets to provide feedback to change and update components of CADETSAFE and other training on a regular basis
• Provide training when issuing new items and equipment
• Provide support during initial implementation of any new safety or training initiative, and on an ongoing basis.