This is about providing a provision, which includes Community Engagement, Befriending, Involvement, that also creates an opportunity for Ex-Forces and Veterans, including family members to discuss issue, personal concerns and Transitional support needed, linking them up with the correct and most appropriate sources of Professional and where possible, local Support, found within the Community they live in.
FOCUS
Unique, because the focus is on -
Veteran & Community Engagement – Befriending – Well-being – Transition & Employability
PURPOSE
Is to provide a local 'Veteran's Mentoring Support provision and Community Engagement opportunity'.
- The Changing-Step Veteran's Mentor will not only be providing direct Peer support to address local Transitional queries or concerns but also, where necessary, help to deal with issues that maybe affecting an Individual or Family member, through linking up or access to Community related information and support.
- It is also about how to utilise an individual’s transferable skills, gained while in the Forces or through their present Civilian life, these skills identified, will be used to benefit others within the Community they live.
- It also aims to appeal to those who may not, at this point, require support or assistance but may wish help to access the activities, projects or events that may already be on offer, through existing community engagement facilitators, support providers.
What this project is not –
It is not a duplication of services that already exist. There are so many Service Charities trying to do the same thing, in one way or another, this type of provision does not exist in any other form, throughout the area.
THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE
Is to establish ‘Veteran Outreach Support Hubs (VOSH) within the Community, providing a safe, friendly and non-judgemental environment for an Ex-Services individual, to feel relaxed and comfortable enough to share their thoughts, concerns or experiences, that would not necessarily be understood by a non-military person. This will allow for any additional issues to be, informally identified, through Supportive Peer discussion, with the most appropriate local and professional help be considered, this approach has also been designed to help remove the Stigma of Mental Health.
This will be a Gateway to Support, including access to the Professional Organisations and Agencies.
It is that 'Single point of contact' - 'One stop shop', allowing the linking up of the Ex-Service man, woman to the most appropriate help or support, without prejudice, within their own community, not to replace or re-invent an organisation, who are deemed the experts.
LONGER TERM OBJECTIVE
A key and unique aspect of this Project, longer term, is to seek to form a group of volunteers who have a Services background or have been associated with the Forces, to help develop new and creative ways to link up with those more, 'Harder to reach' Ex-Service individuals, living in isolation and who would not normally approach Veteran support groups or organisations. It is also intended to establish sponsorship opportunities throughout the local Business community to help develop this unique project.