RAF Families Federation - Single Personnel Service Evaluation - DELAY

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the launch of the Single Personnel Service Evaluation has been delayed by 2 days.

The Survey Monkey link will now be live from Weds 31 Jul 24 at 0900 hrs.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

I am writing to you today to let you know of some work being undertaken by the RAF Families Federation which is specifically focussed on Single RAF personnel. (This includes personnel in long term relationships, divorced, widowed, or have single parental responsibilities).

We are emailing personnel within the Chain of Command who are able to share this email within appropriate networks and those who have engaged with the RAF Families Federation as a member of the single RAF community.

Why are we carrying out this work?
We have been told that single RAF personnel feel disadvantaged in some ways, in comparison to those who are married or in a civil partnership - particularly in how accommodation and allowances for the single cohort are managed; this also includes allowance entitlements for single personnel serving overseas. We are also aware that single personnel don’t feel like they have the same level of support that married personnel do.

Research Participants Request - Service Spouses & Partners

This research project is student-led; it is not being carried out on behalf of the MOD nor is it endorsed by the MOD.

Trust launches Armed Forces Covenant Fund: Service women: Seen & Heard programme for 2024/25

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has launched Service women: Seen and Heard Programme under the Covenant Fund exciting three-year Funding Framework.

The Service women: Seen & Heard programme is now open for applications for one-year grants of up to £50,000 and two-year grants up to £100,000, for projects that aim to tackle issues enabling targeted support for serving women and giving access to support to which they can self-refer.

What is the Service women: Seen and Heard programme all about?
The Trust ran a public consultation in 2023, which identified that one of the key areas to focus on was ‘ensuring our Armed Forces communities are not disadvantaged’.’ This programme will enable serving women to make informed choices and access services that enhance their health and wellbeing and increase accessibility into activities and support, leading to significant improvements to Service women’s quality of life. The consultation findings are available to read on The Trust website. 

The Service women: Seen and Heard programme will support projects which achieve all the following outcomes:  

• Enabling Service Women to choose activities and or/ find advice that improves their wellbeing, whether preventatively or at times of crisis.  
• Opening up choices for Service women who may not otherwise know where to seek help for issues which specifically affect them.  

Organisations can either apply for a one-year grant of up to £50,000 or a two-year grant of up to £100,000.

Trust launches Armed Forces Covenant Fund: Hidden Voices programme for 2024/25

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has launched a further Covenant Fund programme under its exciting three-year Funding Framework.

The Hidden Voices programme is now open for applications for grants of up £20,000 for projects that will provide accessible mental health and wellbeing services for under-represented serving Armed Forces personnel, Reservists, Veteran and families.

What is the Hidden Voices programme all about?
The Trust ran a public consultation in 2023, which identified that one of the key areas to focus on was ‘reducing isolation and loneliness for Armed Forces communities.’ This programme will enable and deliver accessible mental health and wellbeing support, as well as to identify known and unknown gaps in service provision. The consultation findings are available to read on The Trust website. 

The Hidden Voices programme will support projects which achieve all the following outcomes:  

• Build collaborative partnerships between Armed Forces organisations and specialist non- Armed Forces organisations.
• Identity and address known and unknown gaps in service provision.
• Provide accessible, preventative, and defined interventions.
• Increase knowledge and understanding with mainstream voluntary sector of the unique needs of the Armed Forces community.

NHS England Guidance for Service Parents: Registering a child with an NHS GP and use of the NHS App

Togetherall: Self Compassion

Serve & Protect Credit Union - Upcoming Webinars and 'Lunch & Learn' Sessions starting in Sept 24

From September, Serve & Protect Credit Union are launching 'Lunch and Learns' with the following topics:

• ​Managing the Cost of Living
• Budgeting and Spending
• Boosting your Credit Score
• What Lenders are looking for

​The link to sign up for these, plus other webinars throughout July and August, is here: Webinars - Serve & Protect (serveandprotectcu.co.uk)

The Ripple Pond - Summer Newsletter

To view the newsletter please click here - The Ripple Pond Summer Newsletter

Social health in the Army and wider military community

Understanding the Afghan Relocation Assistance Policy (ARAP)

The Afghan Relocation Assistance Policy Scheme and Service Families

08 July 2024

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Annex A: Afghan family journey from Third Country to Settled Accommodation in the UK.

What is the ARAP scheme?
The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) Scheme is a safe and legal migration pathway into the UK for Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan in exposed or meaningful roles. It is an evidence-based scheme and is intended for a select group of Afghans rather than for all who wish to relocate to the UK.

Afghan citizens who are eligible for relocation to the UK under ARAP may relocate with a partner, dependent children and additional family members who are deemed eligible by the Ministry of Defence, and suitable for relocation by the Home Office following security vetting.

Most of the families will be staying in/on Defence Training Estate and/or SFA when they arrive in the UK.

Those who are eligible under ARAP are given ‘indefinite leave to remain’ meaning they have the right to live, work and study in the UK indefinitely. See https://www.gov.uk/indefinite-leave-to-remain for more information.

More information on the ARAP scheme is available at the GOV.UK website: Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy: further information on eligibility criteria, offer details and how to apply - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

A reminder of the help available from the Forces Employment Charity

Don’t miss out on Wraparound Childcare in the new autumn term. Are you eligible to claim WAC funding?

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Bulk Recruitment across Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Isle of Wight

As the UKs largest public service department, DWP are responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy, transacting around £212 billion in payments each year, operating out of more than 800 locations with over 90,000 employees.

Recruitment is now taking place for the following with a closing date of 6 Aug 24

Location: Chippenham, Devizes, Lymington, Ryde, Salisbury, Swindon
Role: Work Coach
Number of roles: 70

For more information and to apply, please click HERE

ESBA combined medical centre - econsult

 

ESBA Combined Medical Practice

The medical centre operates on booked appointments only and we do not hold appointments for walk in patient’s. If you attend the medical centre without an appointment you may be turned away and requested to complete an eConsult. eConsult should be your first route to access routine care from us.

Life threatening Emergencies should dial 112.

To access the econsult website, please follow the link econsult

Family Action Job Opportunity: Corporate Partnerships Manager - London Hybrid or Home Based

The charity Family Action have a London Hybrid or UK Homebased role that may be of interest to a military spouse/partner. They are looking for a Corporate Partnership Manager – full time or part time hours, with regular travel (twice monthly to London if home based). To read more & apply –

​Corporate Partnerships Manager - London Hybrid or Home Based, Full Time or Part Time, Permanent Contract - Family Action (family-action.org.uk)

#Andysmanclub

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: New Covenant Fund programme focusing on prevention of Veteran suicide

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has launched the third in its series of new Covenant Fund programmes for 2024/25.

The Embedding Prevention of Veteran Suicide programme will award one-year grants up to £50,000 and two-year grants up to £100,000, for projects which draw upon the key findings from their One Is Too Many programme, and will enable systemic change and long-term, sustainable impact in supporting Armed Forces Veterans with poor mental health, their families, and those who are caring for or supporting them.

What is the programme all about?

The Trust ran a public consultation in 2023, which identified that one of the key areas to focus on was ‘Help Veterans with significant mental health needs’. This Veteran-focused programme will address this aim by supporting projects that meet one or more of the following outcomes.

* To support staff who work with vulnerable beneficiaries.

* To address mental health wellbeing, help-seeking, and stigma within the Armed Forces community.

* To address the needs of under-represented groups.

The consultation findings are available to read on The Trust website. 

Who can apply?

The Trust is inviting applications from UK-based registered charities and statutory organisations. Full details are available on their website.

The Ulysses Trust

 

DIO: Service Family Accommodation (SFA) Communications Update

 

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust launches first new Armed Forces Covenant Fund programme for 2024/25 - Serving Families: On the Move

Hurricane Beryl – Guidance for impacted personnel and their Chain of Command

Hurricane Beryl, a category five storm, has caused significant damage to homes, property, and infrastructure across the Caribbean islands where it has made landfall. This includes Grenada and St Vincent at the time of writing.

The full extent of the damage caused by the storm is yet unknown and casualty numbers, while thankfully low so far, continue to grow. Communications with the impacted areas remain extremely challenging and it is unclear when telecommunications services will be restored.


Significant numbers of British Army personnel originate from the affected region and have immediate family and friends who may be directly impacted by the storm. Additionally, some civil servants working as part of the Chain of Command will be similarly affected.


The Chain of Command and Line Managers should be prepared to support affected personnel, including signposting to the range of support organisations available to them through the usual provision of British Army and civil service welfare resources.


The following resources provide information about the current impact of the storm:
FCDO Website: Foreign travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk);
Government (www.gov.vc);
https://www.svghighcom.co.uk/site/Home.html.

The damage caused by the storm has been extensive and the rebuilding process will likely be lengthy. All personnel are encouraged to support their colleagues through this challenging time.

Hurricane Beryl – Guidance for impacted personnel and their Chain of Command

Hurricane Beryl, a category five storm, has caused significant damage to homes, property, and infrastructure across the Caribbean islands where it has made landfall. This includes Grenada and St Vincent at the time of writing.

The full extent of the damage caused by the storm is yet unknown and casualty numbers, while thankfully low so far, continue to grow. Communications with the impacted areas remain extremely challenging and it is unclear when telecommunications services will be restored.

Significant numbers of British Army personnel originate from the affected region and have immediate family and friends who may be directly impacted by the storm. Additionally, some civil servants working as part of the Chain of Command will be similarly affected.

The Chain of Command and Line Managers should be prepared to support affected personnel, including signposting to the range of support organisations available to them through the usual provision of British Army and civil service welfare resources.

The following resources provide information about the current impact of the storm:

FCDO Website: Foreign travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk);

Government (www.gov.vc);

https://www.svghighcom.co.uk/site/Home.html.

The damage caused by the storm has been extensive and the rebuilding process will likely be lengthy. All personnel are encouraged to support their colleagues through this challenging time.

Should further information be needed, please don't hesitate to get in touch: RC-Pers-HIVEComms-0Mailbox@mod.gov.uk

GameCare

 

HQ Brigade of Gurkhas: Cradle to Grave Guide

 

HQ Brigade of Gurkhas has launched a 'Cradle to Grave' publication. The aim of this booklet is to:
​Inform potential recruits (PR) joining the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Guide to officers in the Brigade to support their leadership, command, and management.
Provide awareness for personnel involved in supporting roles, welfare, management of facilities and on temporary attachment.
Provide awareness for Regional Point of Command (RPoC) and Formation HQs with Gurkhas under command.
Provide awareness for local authorities, external supporting agencies, schools, and local councils.​



​To access the guide, please go to this link: Gurkha Life Skills - Cradle to Grave - Gurkha Brigade Association (gurkhabde.com)

Ex-Military Working Dogs Re-homing Opportunity

The Defence Animal Training Regiment are actively seeking forever homes for both young and old Military Working Dogs, especially Shepherd-cross breeds, who are retiring due to end-of-service, training, or veterinary reasons. 

 To apply, please use the QR Code or complete the online form at this LINK