New £10m Covenant fund awarded to 176 Armed Forces projects
Almost half of the MOD’s new Covenant Grant Fund will help veterans in the criminal justice system.
The new annual fund was launched in June 2015, demonstrating the Government’s long-term commitment to supporting schemes under the Armed Forces Covenant.
The Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly. The 2015 fund priorities are community integration, the coordination and delivery of support to the Armed Forces community, and veterans in the criminal justice system (CJS).
Fifty-nine small grants totalling almost £1m were awarded in late 2015 and a further 93 small bids worth £1.46m and 24 larger bids exceeding £7.4m have now been announced.
Community integration projects involve civilian and military communities working together and therefore increase understanding between them. The coordination and delivery of the support strand is about delivering services such as healthcare, along with improving employability and social support. Schemes that help veterans in prison and on their return to civilian life will benefit from £4.6m.
While the number of veterans in the CJS is small - around 3.5% of the UK prison population have a background in the Armed Forces - the MOD is committed to providing complete support to this group so that they have the successful life beyond service that they deserve. Organisations working to reduce re-offending and improve opportunities around housing, employment and social skills have all been approved.
Defence Personnel and Veterans Minister Mark Lancaster said:
Every year, this fund will back vital projects that support current and former members of our Armed Forces, as well as their families. It will target key areas of need, such as the small but vulnerable group of veterans that pass through the criminal justice system.
Lt General Sir Andrew Ridgway, chairman of Cobseo, said:
The variation and breadth of these grants highlights the diversity and complex needs of the UK Armed Forces community; and is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the membership of Cobseo, the Confederation of Service Charities as well as the many civilian-focused charities that support our sector.
Initiatives, such as Project Nova (delivered in partnership with Walking with the Wounded and RFEA -The Forces Employment Charity) have been going from strength to strength; the newly formed Veterans Housing Advice Office will be an incredible asset to those seeking advice or who are in housing crisis. We look forward to the continued support of the Covenant Fund and hearing about how all of the 174 funded projects are delivering support to the Armed Forces community.
Approved schemes include:
- Barnardo’s - £433,708 - Wales: the underlying concept is the importance of family relationships in preventing and reducing offending behaviour. The partnership includes the Royal British Legion, Prison Liaison Officers and SAAFA.
- Walking With The Wounded - £330,000 - multi-regional: phase 2 of the ongoing and highly regarded Project Nova, which is the leading UK initiative in support of ex-service personnel within the CJS. The early intervention programme identifies veterans in a cycle of low-level, anti-social and criminal activity and prevents a further downward spiral by supporting them back into mainstream society and long term employment.
- The Venture Trust - £315,064 – Scotland: targeted at veterans in the justice system who have experienced a loss of confidence/self-worth, who are lacking direction and motivation and the right skills for a civilian environment. The bespoke, community support programme will help hundreds of veterans to develop and unlock their potential, improve employability and avoid re-offending.
- Our Wilton Trust - £500,000 - South West: to deliver a veterans’ campus combining end-to-end support in a purpose-built, community setting. It will demonstrate how effective veterans’ support, developed at a community-level, is sustainable and highly replicable when coupled with commercial enterprise.
- Combat Stress - £450,000 – Northern Ireland: three-year funding for clinical treatment and support for veterans of the British Armed Forces with mental health injuries. A multi-disciplinary team will help to develop and maintain integrated community outreach and out-patient services to meet current and future demand.
- Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation (on behalf of the Cobseo Housing Cluster) - £290,000 – multi-UK: to create one point of entry and information for any veteran who has a housing need through a web ‘portal’ and telephone advice, delivered through a newly-formed Veterans Housing Advice Office.
The full list of recipients is here.