VPPP: Stepping up support for vulnerable Veterans
In November 2023, the Trust was delighted to be awarded an additional £10 million through the Autumn Statement to enable the Veterans’ Places, Pathways & People (VPPP) programme portfolios to continue their impactful and collaborative projects.
These projects are improving how Veterans can access support locally, and are building stronger links between the organisations that support them.
This additional funding is to increase support to a significant community of vulnerable Veterans throughout the UK and enable it to become self-sustaining.
Progress so far
The VPPP programme has been supporting 10 portfolios of projects across the UK over the last two years, which have been improving support to Veterans. The portfolios are delivering support across regions in England, and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A key success in the initiative so far has been the growth of collaborative cross-sector working among organisations that support Veterans. This provides a more seamless interface between statutory and charity or not for profit support.
The interim evaluation of the VPPP programme highlighted some key themes including:
- improvements to mental health support and services
- greater connection with Veterans
- improved cross-sector support for Veterans
- how partnerships and collaborations have grown and developed.
It also found evidence of projects embedding what they have learned into their ways of working.
What’s next?
We will build on this work in the continuation of this programme.
We’ve listened when organisations have told us that it’s important not to lose momentum. So, we’ll be inviting the portfolios to apply for some interim funding to work with their wider portfolios and networks to deliver consultations and develop strategic plans to inform how the funding should be spent in each area.
We are keen to ensure that everyone who has an interest in this work can take part in the consultation process. We’ll share details in the next few months about how to get involved.
We think there will be many good ideas within each portfolio area about the best ways to develop better local sustainable support and pathways for Veterans. Although not all good ideas will be able to be funded.
We hope that by working together, organisations who want to make a long-term difference to Veteran support will be able to create new collaborative approaches that last into the future.
Get involved
As the next steps of the VPPP programme develop, there will be opportunities for organisations with an interest in this work to get involved.
This may be organisations who have previously been involved with the VPPP portfolios, or those who are engaging for the first time.
We encourage you to check back to our website for further details.
In the meantime, there is a wealth of information available on the VPPP programme at the links below.
Useful links:
VPPP brochure: https://covenantfund.org.uk/resources/vppp-brochure/
VPPP region-by-region: https://covenantfund.org.uk/vppp-region-by-region/
VPPP Webinar: https://covenantfund.org.uk/resources/veterans-places-pathways-people-vppp-programme-webinar/
Reflections on Year 1 of the programme: https://covenantfund.org.uk/resources/better-sustainable-support-for-veterans/
Interim evaluation report: https://covenantfund.org.uk/resources/veterans-places-pathways-and-people-programme-interim-evaluation-report/