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24 Aug 23. Access to veteran-specific supported housing and health care services at all-time high.
The Government has worked with NHS England, housing providers and charities to provide record levels of dedicated support for veterans, as outlined in the latest six monthly report published by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs.
- The Office for Veterans’ Affairs has today published the latest six monthly report
- The UK Government is working to improve veteran care with dedicated support pathways, including the newly launch housing hotline – Op FORTITUDE
- Dedicated health support has reached an all-time high, with at least one veteran-friendly GP practice in 71% of Primary Care Networks
The Government has worked with NHS England, housing providers and charities to provide record levels of dedicated support for veterans, as outlined in the latest six monthly report published by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) today.
Op FORTITUDE is a first-of-its-kind, central referral pathway for veterans facing homelessness. The £8.55 m programme aims to eliminate veteran homelessness by matching vulnerable former service personnel with supported housing across the country. It will be rolled out across 14 housing providers and hundreds of housing units by September and brings together Local Authorities and charities.
The Government is also working with NHS England to ensure all veterans can access mental and physical health care that caters to their unique needs. Access to accredited healthcare settings is at an all-time high. 71% of Primary Care Networks have at least one practice accredited as ‘veteran friendly’ and 75% of NHS trusts in England were accredited as ‘veteran aware’.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Rt Hon. Johnny Mercer MP, said:
This six-monthly report shows the incredible work done here at OVA and by our partners, which I’m immensely proud of. We’ve taken massive strides to making the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran by making sure the right support is available.
We’ve made clear pathways for health care and housing, and are recognising the contributions and sacrifices veterans have made to national security and our local communities.
Going forward, this report sets out the OVA’s plans to publish a Women Veterans’ Strategy, roll out veterans ID cards and support veterans into employment.
Recognising the role of nuclear test veterans, many of whom will receive their dedicated medal ahead of Remembrance Sunday, is just one example of the many ways that the OVA recognises the positive contributions and challenges faced by veteran communities.
Another example is the historic review into the impact of the ban on LGBT personnel serving in the military prior to 2000 has been published, and was followed up with an official apology from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The Government also recently concluded a review investigating the effectiveness and efficiency of welfare services for Armed Forces Veterans. The Veterans’ Gateway, which has already supported over a m veterans and which provides information on financial matters such as pensions and compensation, in addition to other areas, will be transferred to the OVA in 2024. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
18 Aug 23. Making the Civil Service a Great Place to Work for Veterans.
Detail of the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative. In 2018 the Government published the first ever Strategy for our Veterans and followed this up in 2020 with the Veterans Strategy Action Plan which set out the first steps the Government is taking to achieve its ambition of making the United Kingdom the best place to be a veteran anywhere in the world. Making the Civil Service a Great Place to Work for Veterans is just one part of achieving this ambition.
There are around 2.2 m Armed Forces Veterans in the United Kingdom and every year around 15,000 people leave the Armed Forces. Around 60% of them are under 35 with most seeking to take up a new career or job opportunities in civilian employment. As well as making the Civil Service the most inclusive employer in the UK the Government is committed to maximising the support and recognition for veterans in society. This includes those aspects and opportunities, such as employment in high quality jobs, which help them to flourish and successfully make the transition from life in the Armed Forces to civilian employment. Veterans also bring with them unique skills and experience and many of the values which the Civil Service also thrives on; a commitment to public service, team work, inclusion, creativity and drive.
A Great Place to Work
In February 2020, the Government announced the introduction of a new initiative to make the Civil Service ‘A Great Place to Work for Veterans’. Many veterans already work in the Civil Service and contribute a huge amount to the organisation, and this initiative aims to encourage more veterans to take this step. These new measures are focused on roles at all grades, functions and professions across the Civil Service.
We are now taking the first step in delivering this and meeting the Government’s 2019 manifesto commitment to make it easier for veterans to secure interviews for Civil Service roles.
As a result veterans who meet the minimum criteria for a role will progress to the next stage of selection. In most cases this will be an interview, but depending on the vacancy it may be another method of selection such as an online test or an assessment centre.
Early Adopter phase and wider roll out
The scheme completed an early adopter phase in five early adopter departments: the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice, National Crime Agency and the Home Office (including Border Force). The Welsh Government also ran the scheme. This Early Adopter phase allowed the Civil Service to conduct user testing (including research) of recruitment solutions, ensured the experience for veterans, recruiters and managers was a positive one and helped evolve the scheme so that it can be successfully rolled out across the Civil Service.
From November, we began to roll out the initiative across the Civil Service. Please note that initially not all job vacancies in all Departments will be selected for the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. Roles available will be clearly marked.
If you are an applicant and are unsure, you should contact the vacancy manager or recruitment point of contact. We expect the majority of vacancies will be part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative by 31 March 2022.
Roles selected for this initiative will be externally advertised, and can be either temporary or permanent, and at any grade.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this scheme in the Civil Service, you must:
- have served for at least one year in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces (as a Regular or Reserve); this includes time spent training
- be in transition from, or ceased to be a member of, HM Armed Forces
- not already be a civil servant, or be employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body
There is no maximum time limit from when you left HM Armed Forces to be eligible for this initiative.
Using the initiative
When you apply for a role through Civil Service Jobs, you will be prompted to enter whether you are eligible for the Great Place to Work Initiative and whether you would like to apply for the role through this route.
Please note that during pre-employment checks for a role in the Civil Service, your employment history will be checked. An attempt to use this initiative fraudulently may result in your application being terminated.
Recruitment in the Civil Service
The Civil Service recruits using the Success Profiles Framework. This allows us to assess candidates against a range of elements using a variety of selection methods. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. Not all elements are relevant to every role, so the Success Profile will be different for different types of job.
We have a range of tools and approaches that can be used to assess candidates to determine their suitability for the role and we may use more than one assessment method during the selection process. There may also be more than one stage of selection.
The assessment approach, along with the criteria required for the role, will be outlined in the job vacancy or candidate information pack.
You can find out more about careers in the civil service at Civil Service Careers and find vacancies at Civil Service Jobs.
Minimum standard
In order to use the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative, you must also meet the minimum standard for the role you would like to apply for.
The minimum standard is the combination of experience, behaviours, strengths, abilities and technical/professional skills that a candidate will need to perform effectively in the role.
The minimum standard will be clearly set out in the job vacancy or the candidate information pack. If you are unsure what the minimum standard is, you should contact the recruitment manager for the role.
Multiple stage recruitment
For some jobs, candidates will go through multiple stages, such as online tests, paper sifts, assessment days and interviews.
If the application process for a role has multiple stages, the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative can be applied at each stage, but it will only move the applicant along one stage, and only if they meet the minimum standard at each stage.
High-volume recruitment
It may not always be practicable or appropriate to interview all veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in high-volume recruitment, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews by selecting the candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than all of those that meet the minimum criteria.
In these circumstances, organisations can select the candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than all of those that meet the minimum criteria.
Working in the Civil Service
Many veterans already work in the Civil Service and make a fantastic contribution to it. The Great Place to Work initiative will add to existing entry and experience routes for veterans to join the Civil Service operated by some Departments and the Going Forward Into Employment Scheme and HMRC’s RISE programmes. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
18 Aug 23. John Deere to hold careers event to help military personnel resettle. John Deere is holding a careers event in September to help resettling military personnel take the next step in their careers.
The virtual event on 20 September at 7pm is the first major event to be held by the company where details of the landmark John Deere Military Hiring Programme in the UK and Ireland will be set out.
The initiative was launched in July and helps those leaving military service find jobs working with some of the world’s most advanced agricultural and professional groundscare machinery.
Attendees of the free virtual event will find out how they can bring their unique skill sets and experience to technician roles in dealerships, and hear from individuals who have transitioned from military service into various roles connected to the John Deere brand.
“The armed forces produces people who are highly skilled, motivated, and extremely competent, and many already have the engineering skills needed to become qualified technicians,” says Allan Cochran, John Deere Branch Training Manager. “With many transferable skills, those with experience of military machines will be perfectly placed for a new career working with some of the world’s most advanced agricultural and turfcare equipment.
“This virtual event is a great opportunity for ex-servicemen and women to find about a rewarding John Deere career that can take you anywhere in the world, working with an internationally recognised and respected brand.”Registration is open now via this link, or by searching ‘John Deere virtual careers event’ on www.eventbrite.co.uk.
It was announced that the Military Hiring Programme was being rolled out in the UK and Ireland following its huge success in the USA.
“Those who have served are experts at working under pressure and logically solving problems in order to keep a machine operational,” Allan says. “These are the skills John Deere dealerships need to keep the wheels turning.”
Those signing up to the programme will be offered free technical training to help them apply their current skills to John Deere products and services. There are more than 70 courses on offer.
“Everyone who signs up will be assigned to an employee from the John Deere network who has served in the armed forces who will be there to support each individual during the resettlement process,” Allan says.
Interested service members and ex-service members can learn more and fill out a contact card by visiting www.Deere.com/JDMHP.
For further details please contact:
Allan Cochran
John Deere
07715164344
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SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, has been providing lifelong support to our Forces and their families since 1885. In 2020, our teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 79,000 people in need, the currently serving (both regulars and reserves), veterans from the Second World War and those who have served in more recent conflicts, as well as their families. SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. And we are here for that person – any time they need us, in any way they need us, for as long as they need us.
https://www.ssafa.org.uk/about-us
https://www.ssafa.org.uk/support-us
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