The Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT), has awarded funding for a research project, in partnership with the Local Government Association (LGA), which aims to improve the delivery of local covenant pledges.  The research contract was awarded to Shared Intelligence following a competitive tender process.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.  Community Covenant pledges at a local level complement the Armed Forces Covenant.  However, there is a lack of understanding as to how various local covenant pledges are being delivered in practice, and how their delivery could be supported and improved.

At the heart of the co-commissioned project will be a survey of how the various local covenant pledges are being delivered across Great Britain from the perspectives of all stakeholders, followed by an analysis and subsequent promotion of good practice.  Priority areas the project will examine include education, health and social care, housing, employment, front-line staff awareness and training, wider communications, and community integration; the co-commissioners also anticipate other aspects to emerge and to be recognised.

Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) was established in 2012 with a £35 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund.  The mission of FiMT is enable ex-Service personnel and their families make a successful and sustainable transition into civilian life, by providing an evidence base that will influence and underpin policy making and service delivery.

The Local Government Association (LGA) is a politically-led, cross-party organisation that works on behalf of councils to ensure local government has a strong, credible voice with national government.

Ray Lock, Chief Executive of the Forces in Mind Trust said:  “A successful and sustained transition into civilian life after a time in service can require the support of a myriad of agencies.  Many provide this support within the framework of the Armed Forces Covenant.  We know, however, that there are differences in expectation, perception and delivery of local covenant pledges across Great Britain.  By funding an independent study, in partnership with the LGA, we expect to provide policy makers and service deliverers with the tools to improve that delivery, and we are delighted to have awarded the contract to Shared Intelligence, whose experience in this field is extensive.  The project will complement our ongoing work with Ulster University, whose study on veterans’ support in Northern Ireland we announced in August last year, to provide the first comprehensive overview of the Armed Forces Covenant in the United Kingdom.”

Lord Porter, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said: “Local government has a long and lasting relationship with our Armed Forces and we are deeply grateful to our servicemen and women for their commitment, service and sacrifice to our country. The Armed Forces are an integral part of who we are as a nation and an inspiration to us all. All councils across the country have signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant, which demonstrates their commitment to supporting those in service, as well as our veterans and reservists. We’re delighted to be working with the Forces in Mind Trust to help councils improve the support they are able to provide our servicemen and women, and their families, when they come into contact with our public services.”

ENDS

For more information please contact Talia Cohen at The PR Office on tcohen@theproffice.com / direct dial: 020 7284 6957.

 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.  Since 2004 the Fund has given more than £88 million to programmes supporting veterans. http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/.
  • Our Vision is that all ex-Service personnel and their families lead successful and fulfilled civilian lives. Our Mission is to enable them to make a successful and sustainable transition. Our Strategy is to use our spend-out endowment to fund targeted, conceptually sound, evidence generation and influence activities that will cause policy makers and service deliverers to support our Mission.
  • FiMT awards grants (both reactive and proactive) and commissions research along three key themes: Evidence, Innovation and Collaboration.  All work is published to a high standard of reportage to add to the evidence base from which better informed decisions can be made.
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 About Shared Intelligence

Si a social policy and research consultancy working with a wide range of clients in local and central government, other public bodies and voluntary and community sector organisations. www.sharedintelligence.net