Entrain Space is resuming admissions for military service leavers and veterans and is now issuing a call-out for new applications and referrals, having previously been forced to suspend activities since March due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
For many, Covid-19 will add to the challenges and pressures of establishing life after military service as the competition for housing and jobs intensifies.
Entrain Space can help veterans and service-leavers meet these challenges. It offers high-quality affordable serviced flats and access to a fully equipped training suite, enabling those who have left the Armed Forces to save for a deposit, develop their skills or acquire new ones, explore new opportunities and build connections, and apply for jobs or develop an idea for a business. Skills and enterprise support are a core component of the provision to all residents and additional personal and welfare support is also available for anyone who needs it. The mission is to help veterans and those leaving the Armed Forces secure a good transition to a satisfying civilian life after Service.
The support provided at Entrain Space is tailored to the individual with the aim of helping all residents tackle challenges to progress their lives and to flourish.
For those leaving the Armed Forces there can be challenges around saving for a deposit and securing a decent home, refocussing skills for the civilian job market and finding the right career. For some there may also be challenges around homelessness or personal issues, such as family breakdown or mental health problems, or just a lack of direction and purpose. Covid-19 may have increased these challenges, but Entrain Space is about raising aspirations, and ambitions at the scheme remain undimmed.
Matthew Bell, founder of Entrain Space, said: “It is great to be able to restart our admissions – we are keen to get on with ‘Entraining’, which we think is needed now more than ever to secure good jobs and brighter futures for veterans as part of the Covid fightback – no one should abandon their aspirations or goals because of recent events.”
Entrain Space is located within a supportive and actively engaged local community in Wilton, just outside Salisbury, but applicants are welcomed from anywhere in the country – having a local connection is not necessary. Anyone of working age seeking a fresh start – from those planning their move-on from the Armed Forces to those who have already left but now need some help gaining a new direction – are encouraged to apply.
Operations Manager, Alex Rochester, said: “This is a very practical approach. We provide that bridge to help residents save some money, get help with an issue they may be struggling with, or simply have the time and space to try out some different career options and get support from other peers and our specialist staff team”.
The veterans’ facilities were officially opened in December 2019 by Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex, and also visited by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was impressed with the scheme.
By the time the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions hit in March 2020, over half the 44 flats were occupied. Lockdown meant that further admissions, as well as most training activities, had to be suspended, and unoccupied flats were made temporarily available to house people in need of emergency accommodation as part of the Local Authority’s Covid-19 response. Now this is being wound down, spaces are once again available for ex-military occupants.
Anyone wishing to apply should email enquiries@entrainspace.co.uk or visit the website (www.entrainspace.co.uk) for more options.