As Britain emerges from lockdown, shops are opening, and people are flocking to the streets. The hustle and bustle certainly appears to suggest a promise of recovery for the UK jobs market. 2020 was a year like none before. Yet, in the face of a global pandemic, Veterans Aid supported 102 veterans into work & on training courses.
Veterans Aid’s Development Officer, Delia, explains how the charity’s flexible and holistic approach allowed successful adaption during the tumult.
‘Veterans Aid has always adapted, depending on what the veteran needs at any given time, throughout its history. When face-to-face was off, we stepped up to the situation and used a lot of online facilities.’
Training and qualifications give our veterans greater access to secure and well-paid work. Delia works closely with the Operations team, empowering individuals to sustain independence and flourish in their communities. Recently, the different departments worked together to see one veterans go from being homeless to becoming trained as an accountant.
‘He left the forces without all the documentation to work in the UK, so he became a veteran without the ability to be housed or work… effectively becoming homeless. From serving in the British Army and being eligible to work in Britain, he just, unfortunately, fell through the net.’
‘Every department at Veterans Aid has worked with this client. We saw him through to becoming an accountant. Through us, he had the ability and opportunity to establish himself. He has now become a highly qualified individual. The frustration of the lockdown was that opportunities were on hold as he finished his qualifications.’
‘However, he got on to some university courses, and in fact, he ended up doing five or six of those. Including things like; working in a team, an online project training course— all to prepare him for the working place while he was in this holding situation.’
While this year has put plans on hold for everyone, hit hardest have been those struggling to escape poverty. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, ‘workers in poor-quality jobs in terms of security, hours and pay were disproportionately at risk of losing their job or having reduced hours.’ During the pandemic, inequalities that had previously lay beneath the surface have been brought to light. Individuals in insecure work, such as agency workers or those on zero-hour contracts, faced the greatest risk of losing those very jobs.
Veterans Aid has always put an emphasis on long-term solutions that meet the needs of individual veteran.
Delia says:
‘We will only work with companies that have good ethics and who treat their employees well.’
The past year has taken its toll on workers and destroyed many jobs. However, fortunately, it does appear that the rise in unemployment has not been as drastic as predicted.
Delia notes that:
‘A lot of companies had to furlough staff. However, the key-worker roles have been on the increase. As the pandemic settles down, there may be job losses in this area, so what I need to do is work out whether opportunities will create sustainable working conditions for our veterans, rather than being a temporary, reactionary situation.’
Where prospects may appear promising, it remains paramount to prepare for all weather. Whereas unemployment hasn’t risen as much as predicted, many workers are still on furlough, and we may still be hit by future waves of the pandemic. Furthermore, as the job market evolves to these unprecedented times, there have been varying impact across different sectors.
‘The digital world has done hugely well, and therefore veterans with IT expertise have got an advantage.’
Veterans Aid successfully adapted under Covid-19 restrictions, and by embracing new digital channels, prepared itself for the changing workplace. Keeping abreast of the situation, our team continues to support ex-servicemen and women in crisis towards sustained independence.
‘We are working with veterans who have served the country, who have been in crisis and deserve a sustainable and fulfilled future with as much success as we can launch them into.’
