Veterans Outreach Connection Project

This is a collaboration project within South Yorkshire to provide a voice for the veterans across the region through increasing awareness of services available to them via the Military Community Veterans Centre’s Outreach Trailer. This collaboration includes the support of all four South Yorkshire Authorities, The MOD and Rotherham MCVC, however additional organisations will be encouraged to participate and drive the project forward also.

The Armed Forces Covenant has provided funding to purchase a vehicle that can be used to transport the MCVC trailer to events across South Yorkshire or the vehicle can be used as a stand-alone resource to support organisations when making contact with hard to reach veterans and families.

The Outreach Service which includes volunteers and both the vehicle and trailer will be utilised to;

  • Provide outreach support to veterans and their families across South Yorkshire.
  • Promote opportunities for veterans and their families to meet up at the numerous drop in sessions within the region.
  • Provide information to partnership bodies and support their activities to ensure the needs and aspirations of veterans are reflected in strategies, commissioning plans and activities.

There is no cost for booking these resources but the key aim of the vehicle and trailer attending any event is to engage with veterans and their families.

For further information about the project please see below the Booking System Calendar or contact the Project Manager. 

Vehicle & Trailer Bookings

For more information on booking the vehicle and/or trailer, please visit our MCVC Van page.

About The Project

This project will build on work already taken under the previous funding approval awarded to Sheffield City Council for the provision of training and baseline work to identify the size and needs of the military community across South Yorkshire.

From discussions held at the South Yorkshire Military Covenant meetings, it has been highlighted there is an inconsistency of approach and service provision across the region. Through this project funded by the MoD, we will achieve this consistency, so that regardless of where a veteran presents, the same provision will be offered.

The project scope:

  • Provide outreach support to veterans and their families across South Yorkshire,
  • Promote opportunities for veterans and their families to meet up at the various drop-in sessions around the region.
  • Provide information to partnership bodies and support activities across South Yorkshire to ensure the needs and aspirations of veterans are reflected in strategies and commissioning plans. This will be achieved through regular reports to the SY Military Covenant Group who will cascade information to their individual Armed Forces Covenant Groups.

The aims of the project are to:

  • Replicate MCVC’s successful work in Rotherham across South Yorkshire (Rotherham was identified as an example of best practice by the Royal British Legion in 2013 for framework for the AFCC).
  • Maximise fully the existing MoD funded asset provided for the project, this includes the purchase of a vehicle to be used for towing the trailer.
  • Make contact with “hard to reach” individuals who are either too proud to look for support or they don’t see themselves as a veteran.
  • Strengthen partnership working and raise awareness of the needs of veterans to service providers through the South Yorkshire
  • Raise awareness amongst the general public regarding the veteran’s community
  • Improve community cohesion across diverse areas in multicultural neighbourhoods, explaining the role of Armed Forces and the meaning of what it is to be a veteran.
  • Improve awareness and understanding at a community level across South Yorkshire addressing inter-generational perceptions of Military Veterans and contributing to a better understanding of the issues faced by veterans in a community environment
  • Deliver a support service in local communities, reaching out to the veterans in their own towns and villages.

Evidence from Age Concern, Social Prescribing has shown that isolation and loneliness is an issue within today’s society. With the reduction in funding for many services new ways of working have to be identified and this is what this project aims to do.

This project aims to address loneliness, isolation and mental health issues to promote social inclusion and positively influence health and wellbeing within a wider community setting, linking into relevant partnerships including NHS funded community health partnerships

Finally, this project will logistically have a strategic networking and influencing role as well as a broad operational impact increasing the numbers of veterans being made aware of and accessing support services.