VPPP Engagement Event
The Trust hosted a Veterans’ Places, Pathways and People (VPPP) engagement event to bring together the ten VPPP portfolio partners. It was a wonderful chance for each partner to tell us about what they had achieved since being awarded a portfolio partnership.
The engagement event was an ideal place to learn about the small steps, big steps and the challenges portfolio partners are over coming to improve lives for veterans and to learn how the ten regional VPPP experts are helping veterans locally; and are already making headway into a joined-up VPPP support system for veterans
Anna Wright, CEO at the Trust, said of the event: “We want to help you to engage with each other and hope this can be a forum of partnership learning.”
Nationwide networks
Jessie Owen from the Office of Veterans’ Affairs, the event’s keynote speaker, talked about how the nationwide networks are improving lives of veterans across the UK.
She went on to say how the wider implications from VPPP will help make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran, pointing out that the partnerships with local and national organisations were vital.
The OVA often hears that veterans don’t know that help is out there or where to ask for help, and that veterans seek out help in different ways. Jessie commented that the VPPP programme gets to the heart of many veteran issues with intrinsic collaboration, and about the importance of wide safety nets, and the value of working together to create sustainable help, making it all the more effective for veterans.
Raising awareness
Among the speakers at the event, Sporting Force in the VPPP North East, Yorkshire & Cumbria region talked about helping veterans with social prescribing activities. A big ambition for them was to support veterans as they waited for the support they need. Part of that challenge is to raise awareness.
They have already overcome some challenges by channeling some of the funds to proven successful routes of their partnerships. They had rearranged roadshows to be more time effective, which came about because of talking to their partners.
David Wiseman from South West region Brighter Futures for Veterans is led by Invictus Games. They spoke about their ambitious aim to support and deliver with “an eco-system of different projects”, citing that sporting activities in particular help with mental health issues.
The North West portfolio partner NW Armed Forces Wellbeing Network, Broughton House, had split their region by places looking for older cohorts, who often find it difficult to talk. They spoke about the importance of mentoring services at local sports clubs where veterans would feel welcome and comfortable.
Representing the East of England with Project Sunrise, Darren from Bridge for Heroes said that VPPP had put in place one-to-one support. A great local success was with the partnership with DMWS. They knew that specialised local knowledge had helped with an uplift in veteran interactions. This is with both small bespoke charities and larger national charities.
Providing a gateway to other ‘trusted’ services
Northern Ireland’s Vital Veterans Network, led by Tanvalley & Anaghlone Project, has a very unique position in supporting veterans. They have eight partners in place, including three that support mental health needs.
Veterans in Northern Ireland are in a unique position amongst the UK. The ‘Northern Ireland’s Vital Veterans Network’ told us that critical to supporting veterans was trust. All partners involved would provide a gateway to other ‘trusted’ services, playing to individual strengths and championing veterans.
During the day, each of the portfolio partners spoke, including the Midlands, Wales, London and Scotland.
We’re pleased that the day was such a great success. The collaborative working and engagement from the partners is having a positive impact on the wider veterans network.
By bringing the portfolio partners together, we hope the great work being done will continue to grow throughout the programme.
To read who the portfolio partners are in each region, and to find their member organisations, please read the VPPP region section on our website
Photos from the VPPP Engagement Event
