Support available
Find out about the support available to assist the Armed Forces community with employment, and information on how to access adult education or training:
Op Prosper
Op PROSPER is an Office for Veterans’ Affairs programme which will support veterans and their families in the United Kingdom to get equal access to employment opportunities and support them into sustainable, valuable careers.
Specialist-trained employment advisors can introduce you to new career opportunities across different sectors, can offer direct access to veteran-friendly employers and offer tips and advice on how to navigate the individual recruitment pathways.
Op PROSPER | Forces Employment Charity
Operation Re-org
Operation Re-org, is Groundwork's ex-military skills for employment programme helps veterans who have struggled to find permanent employment and offers personalised assessment to identify support needed, building skills and confidence, support to secure employment with six months in-work support, access to training and accredited courses.
Groundwork - Operation Re-Org: Employment skills for military veterans across Greater Manchester.
Jobcentre Plus
Every Jobcentre Plus district has an armed forces champion to help current and former armed forces personnel and families to access Jobcentre Plus services.
Gov.uk - Armed forces access to Jobcentre Plus services.
Work and Health Programme
The Work and Health Programme helps former members of the armed forces or an armed forces reservist to find and keep a job if you are out of work. You will get support in finding long-term employment, match your skills to work that's available, get training to help you find work and support to manage health problems to reduce their impact on work.
Gov.uk - Work and health programme.
British Forces Resettlement Services
BFRS helps the Armed Forces community with their transition into civilian life. It is open to:
- Service leavers
- Reserve forces
- Veterans
- Civilian Ministry of Defence employees
- Partners and families
BFRS - British Forces Resettlement Services.
Bury Adult Learning
Bury Adult Learning Service is a fantastic choice if you are thinking about starting a course to learn something new or improve existing skills.
Career Transition Partnership
The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) offers courses tailored to service leavers, which are Ministry of Defence approved.
Career Transition Partnership - Resettlement training courses.
Lifeworks
This support service helps veterans either move into sustainable employment, training or education; or provides advice and guidance on how to help land that dream role. It is available at zero-cost to the veteran, regardless of when, where or how long they served.
Lifeworks Families also helps military families get the job they want. It's available to the immediate family of any serving members of the British Armed Forces, or veteran.
We are Lifeworks - Training and employment.
Forces Families Jobs
Forces Families Jobs is the go-to place for training and employment for family members of currently serving UK military personnel.
Forces Families Jobs - For jobs. For training. For success.
Warrior programme
This programme enables individuals to manage their emotions and to develop resilience, focus and motivation to succeed. The programme has been developed to meet the demands and challenges experienced by past and present members of the Armed Forces and their families.
Volunteering
Volunteering can be a way into into work by getting involved in local groups and learning new skills or passing on your own experience.
Bury Voluntary Community Faith Alliance has information on its volunteering webpage .
How your business or organisation could support the Armed Forces community
Businesses and charitable organisations (of all sizes) who would like to demonstrate their support can also sign the Armed Forces Covenant to show you are actively supporting our Armed Forces community. This includes veterans, reserves, serving personnel and their families. Signing the Covenant is really straight forward and comes with a number of benefits to businesses and organisations. Pledges can be adapted depending on the size and nature of the organisation. For example, you could adapt the Covenant to:
- Promote the fact you are an Armed Forces-friendly organisation
- Support the employment of veterans and service leavers
- Offer flexibility in leave for service spouses and partner before, during and after deployment
- Support reservist employees, allowing leave for training and deployment
- Offer discount to members of the Armed Forces community
There is also an opportunity for businesses and charitable organisations to add their own commitments based on local circumstances.
The Covenant is usually signed by someone in authority who will make sure that pledges are implemented; this could be the Chief Executive or HR director. To start pledging your support visit the Armed Forces Covenant website.
Current Bury businesses that have signed up to the Covenant can be found on the Armed Forces Covenant website.
Op Prosper
The Forces Employment Charity actively engages with employers across the country within nationally significant sectors. We work with employers to maintain or establish military pathways, and deliver events across the country connecting employers with veterans. All of this is aimed at supporting the recruitment, retention, progression and tracking of military talent from the Armed Forces community.
- Register your interest with Op PROSPER