ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is delighted to award a £270,000 grant to the Forces Employment Charity (formerly RFEA) to fund its Ex-Forces Employment Programme supporting Army veterans and reservists across the UK.
The charity funds a range of charities and organisations that provide employment support to the Army family. Last year the Forces Employment Charity supported over 21,000 Armed Forces veterans and their families.
The charity’s Ex-Forces Employment Programme helps veterans to identify roles that would suit them, develop vocational skills and explore opportunities with forces-friendly employers. Last year, the programme helped over 4,000 people, of these, 2,900 Army veterans received comprehensive employment support and 1,100 found new jobs.
Colour Sergeant John Owens, who served in the Gulf War, Northern Ireland, The Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan before registering with the Forces Employment Charity for advice on finding work as a veteran, said:
“Being unemployed was affecting my mental health and I really struggled with interviews being conducted online due to COVID. My advisor continued to send me updates and job boards until I secured employment and was always on hand to answer any questions I had. Securing a job was a massive morale boost and my new career gives me a chance to learn new skills.”
Alistair Halliday, Chief Executive, Forces Employment Charity, said:
“Our life-changing work simply wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of great organisations like ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. We are extremely grateful for their continued support of our Ex-Forces Programme. Thanks to them, we can continue to offer completely bespoke, regionally based employment support to anyone in the Army family throughout their lives.”
Brigadier (Ret’d) Peter Monteith, Chief Operating Officer at ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, added:
“The Forces Employment Charity plays a vital role in helping veterans find meaningful employment so that they and their immediate families can live a life of independence and dignity. We are always proud to fund its programmes that reach so many in the Army family.”
More details about the recently renamed Forces Employment Charity are available here: www.forcesemployment.org.uk
