Veterans

Established to be the first point of contact for support, Veterans’ Gateway is a new service that can connect Veterans, their families and their carers to organisations that can help them with a range of issues, including those related to housing, finance, mental health and employment

Between September 2011 and January 2014 the MoD announced the various stages of its redundancy programme, due to take effect in batches over a period of several years as part of the government’s plan to cut the number of serving regulars from 102,000 to 82,000 by 2018. The MoD has made sure there is a robust resettlement process and a generous tax-free payment in place for all those selected for redundancy, to help make their transition to civilian life as smooth as possible.

Even if you have a job to go to on leaving the Armed Forces, you are still strongly advised to attend the CTP Career Transition Workshop (CTW), along with any other that you will find of benefit, such as CV Writing or Interview Techniques.

Most people who leave the Armed Forces transition effectively back into civilian life, but not everyone does. Stoll – the leading provider of supported housing for Veterans – helps the most vulnerable Service leavers by providing them with an affordable home to rent and the support they need to lead independent lives.

Quest ‘civvy’ contributor Ryan Mansfield reports from the resettlement frontline on an issue likely to be of concern to our readers: the unforeseen difficulties you may encounter with colleagues in the civilian workplace. While his focus here is on teaching, much of Ryan’s guidance has wider applications …

Most people who leave the Armed Forces transition effectively back into civilian life, but not all. Stoll – the leading provider of supported housing for Veterans – is there for the most vulnerable. Looking for work in civvy street after serving in the RAF, Nicola Stokes found herself in need of their help. Here’s her story …

Regular Quest contributor Ralph Straw reports once more from the resettlement frontline. This month he muses on the difficulties of fitting back in to civilian home life following a long stint in the Forces. It’s important to remember, he says, that resettlement is not all about you – your nearest and dearest will also be facing significant upheaval and change as a result of your decision to leave. You could be in for a bumpy ride, but Ralph has some tips to help you (and your partner/family) hang in there!

The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is a partnering agreement between the MoD and Right Management to provide 3rd Line tri-service resettlement support. This consists of career transition services, training and job finding support for leavers of the Armed Forces. RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity – is an integral part of the CTP and leads on the provision of job opportunities and employment support.

Quest’s regular ‘civvy’ contributor Ryan Mansfield reports from the resettlement frontline on another issue likely to be of concern to our readers: how to form a clear strategy for your next career move. It’s a task, says Ryan, that will involve you coming up with some straight-talking answers to some straightforward questions: What do you want to get out of your new job? What motivates you? What really inspires you? It’s time to be honest with yourself …

As George’s story shows, Stoll is there to help Veterans whatever their age. You never know when you may need help …

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