The project is  focussed in the Solent area, working with veterans, employers and civil society to understand the employment challenges faced by the veteran community as well as small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) seeking access to this resource pool, and to develop a new model for veteran employment.

Ray Lock, Chief Executive, Forces in Mind Trust, said: “Forces in Mind Trust has funded this research to address two key issues in the employment of ex-Service personnel.  Firstly, current recruitment methods are largely focused on CVs and job titles rather than skills and core competencies. This can be an obstacle for ex-Service personnel when seeking employment where there is a lack of understanding about transferable skills.  Secondly, smaller business, such as SMEs and Start-Ups, are often unable to engage in veteran recruitment and transition services, which have largely been focused toward large employers.

By identifying and understanding the twin challenges of engaging smaller businesses and skills-translation, the research will provide new insight into, and potential solutions for, the challenges faced by ex-Service personnel and their partners in employment.”

Richard Tyrie, Chief Executive of GoodPeople, said: “We are pleased to be supported by FiMT to explore the barriers faced by veterans and their families in navigating the rapidly changing jobs market. The transferable skills that veterans offer can be invaluable to employers big and small but knowing how military skills translate into a civilian environment can be a challenge for both employers and veterans alike. Understanding these challenges and the opportunities to overcome them is the first step towards a better working future for veterans.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Ray Lock is available for interview. To arrange please contact James Gillies at james@amazonpr.co.uk / 020 7700 6952 or Ana Carvallo-Phillips, Ana@amazonpr.co.uk / 020 7700 6952.

About the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT):

FiMT came about from a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund (‘the Fund’), Cobseo (The Confederation of Service Charities) and other charities and organisations. FiMT continues the Fund’s long-standing legacy of support for veterans across the UK with an endowment of £35 million awarded in 2012. http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/.

The mission of FiMT is to enable ex-Service personnel and their families make a successful and sustainable transition to civilian life, and it delivers this mission by generating an evidence base that influences and underpins policy making and service delivery.

FiMT awards grants (for both responsive and commissioned work) to support its change model around 6 outcomes in the following areas: Housing; Employment; Health and wellbeing; Finance; Criminal Justice System; and Relationships. All work is published in open access and hosted on the Forces in Mind Trust Research Centre’s Veterans and Families Research Hub. A high standard of reportage is demanded of all grant holders so as to provide a credible evidence base from which better informed decisions can be made.

Useful links:

Website: www.fim-trust.org
Reports: www.fim-trust.org/reports/
Who we have helped: www.fim-trust.org/who-we-have-helped/
Twitter: @FiMTrust
About the Mental Health Research Programme: www.fim-trust.org/mental-health/research-programme/