Veterans with health conditions who are worried about their finances in the cost-of-living crisis can get help from The Poppy Factory as they take steps towards employment.
Our Employment Consultants are based regionally throughout England and Wales, offering one-to-one support for ex-Forces community. They help veterans with health conditions overcome barriers on the way back to work.
Four in every five of the veterans we support have a mental health condition and one in two has a physical health issue. Despite those challenges, our employment service helps hundreds of veterans transform their lives by moving into new jobs each year. 1
Hundreds more make significant progress towards employment. Regular check-ins with veterans showed that 64 per cent of those who used the employment service last year reported improved health and wellbeing, while 60 per cent said they had increased stability.2
As well as offering guidance on job searches, CVs, interviews and training, Employment Consultants can support with funding applications to cover training and equipment. They can also help veterans complete financial and benefits assessments and guide them towards specialist support from other organisations.
Debbie Boughtflower, Director of Operations at The Poppy Factory, said:
“We know this is a particularly challenging time for many in the ex-Forces community who are under financial pressure and are not currently in work. For those with mental and physical health conditions, it can be very hard to see a way through.
“Our Employment Consultants help veterans move forward on their journey towards employment and find the support they need to progress. Every step forward is a step towards greater stability, improved health and wellbeing and a brighter financial future.”
Tony Scott, a veteran of the RAF Regiment who was supported into employment as an HGV driver, said:
“Christina, my Employment Consultant, listened to what I was saying, identified where I needed to focus my efforts and put some structure in place to help me think about seeking new employment. I got my class 2 HGV licence and moved into a new job in May, delivering diggers and other heavy machinery. It’s a good job, and I worked hard to get it.
“I had a bit of a wobble during the process of being supported, and Christina tuned in to that very quickly and encouraged me to get the help I needed. I felt that I was being looked after.”
Find out more and register for employment support.
1 The Poppy Factory’s Employment Consultants supported 498 veterans in 2021-22. These veterans started 349 new jobs and achieved 2,144 interim outcomes, including completed training courses, funding applications, financial and benefits assessments and voluntary placements.
2 Employment Consultants carried out Outcomes Star assessments of 269 veterans every 3-4 months in 2021-22, to gauge progress in different areas including stability and health and wellbeing.
