A grant of £4,500 from the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund will enable the SkillForce Veterans’ Support Programme to provide practical support to former Royal Air Force personnel whose transition to civilian life has not been successful and who have ended up at risk of being in police custody…
The Programme provides mentors who reach out to Veterans, developing their confidence, resilience and self-esteem, and helping them to make positive choices towards their future. The programme uses peer Veteran-to-Veteran support, offering opportunities for vulnerable individuals to engage with an experienced, professionally qualified ex-Service mentor who gives beneficiaries the time and space to talk about matters that are of concern to them.
Ben Slade, CEO of SkillForce, said: “It is disappointing to know that those who have given so much to defend our country can reach this point, having played such a key role in the country’s safety and protection. Thanks to the generosity of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, SkillForce is able to play its role in supporting even more of those who have given so much and helping our RAF Veterans through the Veterans’ Support Programme.
“When we signed the Armed Forces Covenant, we made a commitment to help the Defence community. We wanted to give something back as the majority of our employees are former Armed Forces personnel. It is a privilege to be able to offer support in their time of need – a way of saying: ‘you have done your bit – now it’s our turn’. Our sincere thanks to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund for standing with us in this time of need.”
Peter Ashcroft, RAF Benevolent Fund Welfare Projects Manager, said: “The RAF Benevolent Fund works with a number of specialist support services to ensure the RAF Family have access to the support they need, whatever challenges they face. Skillforce provide essential support to RAF veterans in crisis, helping the Fund in its mission to ensure no member of the RAF Family faces adversity alone.”
