This year-long project was the first phase of a two-phase project. The first stage focused on assessing how engagement with, and by, families works, and where it could be improved. The findings from this first phase will include recommendations for a pilot project. The proposed pilot study would be the second phase.

Impact

The impact of this project was beyond the production of a report and resulted in a collaboration of projects and organizations. During the project, the BIT project team worked together with the Army, RAF and Naval families federations and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to consider how behavioural sciences could be used to improve the transition process for ex-Service personnel and their families. The project improved understanding of the reasons for non-engagement with the transition process and produced practical solutions, using behavioural insights, to increase family engagement.

The report includes BIT’s EAST (Easy, Attractive, social and Timely) framework which was shared with military charities and the third sector as a useful tool for organizations when communicating with beneficiaries and stakeholders.

We will continue to engage with the project team and MOD to embed the lesson learnt and the behavioural changes needed in both organizations and individuals.