Homeless veterans charity Launchpad has praised the impact of the government’s Op FORTITUDE programme after 187 previously homeless veterans have benefitted with 71 successfully moving on to independent living and 63 securing employment within the first year.
Launched by the government in 2023, Launchpad was selected as one of nine funded organisations to deliver the two-year £8.5 million programme, which aims to reduce veterans’ homelessness.
Over the last 12 months, the charity has been providing additional, sustained support to homeless veterans across its three houses in Newcastle, Liverpool and Durham. In addition, Launchpad partnered with Healthier Heroes CIC based in Burnley and together, 230 veterans will be supported over the two years.
Residents have benefitted from psychotherapy sessions, engaging in activities to boost their confidence, support with training and employment and follow-on support into independent living once they have moved on.
In the first 12 months across all locations, Launchpad has delivered 1,480 psychotherapy sessions to residents which were delivered on a one-to-one basis and tailored to their individual needs. The sessions are proving to be popular, and feedback from those attending scored the helpfulness of psychotherapy as 8 of out 10.
Since last September, 144 residents have engaged in training and work experience and 63 have secured paid employment. Funding from Op FORITIDE has enabled the charity to employ dedicated Employment and Training Co-ordinators in all locations.
Regular breakfast clubs, gardening, hiking and walking, cycling, cooking, fishing and organised trips and visits to various attractions are just some of the wider programme of organised activities residents have been able to participate in and enjoy. Engaging in diversionary/skills-building activities helps to reduce isolation and improves their communication skills and mental health and wellbeing.
Once the residents move on to live independently, they are supported by our dedicated Independent Living Co-ordinators who support them to move on, help them build support networks so they sustain their recovery and do not return to homelessness. Since last September, 84 residents have been supported.
Jill Murray, Chief Executive of Launchpad, said:
“We have been surprised at the scale of demand for this service. Between all three Launchpad houses and Bancroft House in Burnley, managed by Healthier Heroes CIC, we have capacity to collectively accommodate 127 homeless veterans. In just 11 months, 259 homeless veterans were referred from Op FORTITUDE which is unfortunately more than we can accommodate.
“However, the impact of those who we have been able to support has been immeasurable. No veteran should be homeless and this programme demonstrates that more needs to be done to support our UK Armed Forces veterans who have fallen on hard times. We will continue to support our veterans and hopefully, the new government will allocate funding to similar programmes.”
Sam Jackson, Manager of Launchpad’s Speke House in Liverpool, said:
“There has been really good team collaboration and sharing information. We have multi-agency and forum meetings with other providers. The activities programme we can now run thanks to Op FORTITUDE is amazing – engagement and motivation is now at an all-time high!”
Phil Thompson, Manager of Launchpad’s Hollyacre House in Durham, said:
“The Op FORTITUDE funding has raised morale and confidence, it has stopped isolation and helped with engagement and social skills. The funding has given residents the opportunity to see a psychotherapist straight away, without long NHS waiting lists which were always a source of negative feedback.”
Andrew and Rio Powell, Co–founders of Healthier Heroes CIC and Bancroft House, said:
“All our roles are in place and the new staff members are doing incredible work. Overall, the Op FORTITUDE referral process is easy, and we can now submit how many beds we have available, which has improved the process.”
