Call for Veteran's from Kent and Medway
Earth Craft UK are looking for Veteran's to take part in their next Veteran Trees programme.
Veterans Trees is a free theraputic woodland prgoramme offering an introdution to the woodland as a resource that promotes mental and physical health, and social Wellbeing. They will be exploring a range of nature based activities including forge and fire, green woodworking, bushcraft and archery.
Learn more at: earthcraft.com/veteranstrees
STEP-IN has been established for Veterans by the Welfare Team at RBLI.
Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) is a national charity supporting the Armed Forces, people with disabilities and people who are unemployed.
The RBLI Welfare Team is working in collaboration with other charities and third parties to ensure that individuals have access to the right support including:
- Housing advice and support to access suitable accommodation
- Benefit and welfare advice
- Access to advice on money and debt management
- Access to financial assistance
- Physical and mental healthcare
- Access to support for drug or alcohol problems
- Pre-employment LifeWorks courses
- Support finding employment
- Volunteering opportunities
- Access to formal educational courses
- Work placements at Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company
Any veteran can also apply to live on the RBLI Village; the STEP-IN support programme’s initial assessment will help to identify the need of each individual so that suitable housing is found, and their welfare needs can be identified.
The STEP-IN scheme recognises that no two people will need the same help and offers a personalised programme that supports veterans in achieving their goals depending on their individual needs and circumstances.
The aim is that each individual actively participates in building a better future for themselves and their family.
For further information, phone 01622 795923 or email welfare&community@rbli.co.
Royal British Legion provide specialist support to the Armed Forces community who are at risk of homelessness and housing insecurity, or are simply trying to understand their rights. They help people find emergency accommodation, support people into social housing, and help people furnish and settle into new homes with our direct grants. We provide this support to serving and ex-serving personnel and their families, including bereaved family members and separated partners and spouses.
If you are, or you are working with, identified members of the Armed Forces community, please consider if the Legion can assist you in accessing suitable and sustainable accommodation.
The Legion’s contact centre remains fully operational to support the Armed Forces community and can be reached on 0808 802 8080 (8am-8pm, seven days a week), at info@britishlegion.org.uk, or via webchat on our website.
The Legion also continues to operate the Veterans’ Gateway, along with a network of Armed Forces organisations. Veterans’ Gateway supports veterans and their families across a range of issues including housing, employment and finances. Advisers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 0808 802 1212 or through www.veteransgateway.org.uk.
Defence Discount Service provides those in the Armed Forces, Veterans and the Defence Community with discounts both online and in store. The Defence Discount Service also allows small and large companies to get involved with offering a discount and encourage companies in local areas to offer discounts to the Armed Forces Community.
Online Discount
The Defence Privilege Card is the official recognition card that can be used on the High Street in order to obtain a discount. It allows those not currently serving in the Armed Forces to obtain discounts and gives them a card to show that they were in the Armed Forces or are currently in the defence community, as a spouse/partner of someone currently serving for example. Each Defence Privilege Card is personalised for the member and it costs £4.99 for a 5 year membership.
Veterans' Breakfast Clubs
Calling all veterans, come along to our Breakfast Clubs based in Dover and Deal to receive advice and socialise.The Royal British Legion and SSAFA alongside other supporting services will be available to take any requests for support. Don't forget to be classed as a veteran, you only have to have served for one day!
Armed Forces Online Training
If you are supporting any one from the Armed Forces community, the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire, Armed Forces Covenant partnership have developed a programme of e-learning modules focused on particular audiences and needs. The online training is for any one supporting veterans, there are two modules:
- The Armed Forces Covenant for frontline staff: explaining the commitment of the covenant and how it can be honoured and implemented by the community.
- Housing, homelessness and the Armed Forces Covenant: looking at how the covenant applies to housing and homelessness. It also explains some of the specific needs of, and issues experienced by, current and former service personnel and their families and how they can be supported.
To access the training please click here
As part of our ongoing commitment to support the Armed Forces community, Dover District Council (DDC) has launched a new survey to help us find out more about the community across the district.
The survey follows a pledge to support the Armed Forces community, as part of the Armed Forces Covenant. This means that DDC recognises the value that service personnel, both regular and reservists, veterans and military families contribute.
The survey is gathering general information about the local armed forces community, including the age range, the branch of armed forces they served in, and what groups or services they currently access. The survey will help us to see what areas may need additional support, or where improvements could be made.
Cllr Keith Morris, Leader of Dover District Council, said: “Dover District is proud of its connections with the armed forces, and we continue to work to support the needs of the armed forces community. This key survey will help us to continue to develop this important work, and we hope as many people as possible give us their feedback.”
To complete the survey, please see www.surveymonkey.com/r/haveyouserved or to request a hard copy, please call (01304) 872408, or for more information, please email communitycovenant@dover.gov.uk
The Ministry of Defence is launching ID cards for Armed Forces veterans to help the Public and Charities see who they are, and to recognise their service easily. This is useful as currently there is no way for veterans to easily prove they have served.
A new mobile app has been launched to signpost members of the Armed Forces community in the South East to support and advice in their area. The "Forces Connect" app is designed to link users in four easy clicks to organisations offering help and support across a wide range of services.
The free app is aimed at the entire Armed Forces community - serving personnel, reservists, veterans and their families - as well as frontline public services staff. To download the app, search "Forces Connect" in Apple's App Store or the Google Play Store. This is only available on IOS and Android devices.
This is a day is to thank our Armed Forces Community for serving the country with their lives.
Army Families Federation (AFF), in conjunction with other key stakeholders including Naval RAF Families’ Federations and Defence Relationship Management have created this platform to enable spouses and family members of current UK Armed Forces military personnel to have a ‘one stop shop’ where they can apply for jobs directly with employers who have singed the Armed Forces Covenant as well as fund signposting to other career and training opportunities. Dover District Council has proudly signed the Armed Forces Covenant. Please see the link below for job opportunities and for more information.