Lifeworks launch year-long evaluation of success

It has recently been announced that Royal British Legion Industries’ Lifeworks division will be launching a year-long evaluation highlighting key successes and learnings of our award-winning employment support programme.

Launched in 2011, Lifeworks was created to support veterans who are experiencing difficulties transitioning from the Armed Forces to the civilian job market. It has since grown on a national scale, supporting not just veterans, but the families of currently serving military personnel, with over 900 people supported in 2021 alone.

79% of the people we support have either a physical or mental health condition, making it difficult for them to find a new career to suit their individual needs. Our dedicated Lifeworks team provide every participant with a FREE vocational assessment before enrolling them on a course, helping them to apply their existing skills and experiences in the military to support them on their employment journey. Lifeworks also provide ‘forward assist’; an element of the programme that entails ongoing support over a period of a year after the course, ensuring additional assistance is on-hand should it be required.

In addition to our training programme, individuals can also gain access to the Lifeworks Hub; a gateway to employment with information on upcoming Lifeworks courses in specific locations, exclusive jobs courtesy of our employment partners and useful downloadable content.

Nick’s story

Meet Nick, a veteran previously serving 24 years in the Royal Navy. Unfortunately, as a result of his military service, Nick now suffers from severe arthritis and problems with his spine, hips and joints. Nick told us that his chronic pain was slowly wearing away at his personality and mental state, and so he was finding it difficult to find work due to a lack of confidence, afraid of how his disability would affect his employment prospects.

Since attending our Lifeworks course in Hull, Nick has gained a newfound confidence in himself, taking away an improved knowledge of his employability skills. Nick commented; “I walked out of the Lifeworks course smiling. It was a massive confidence boost and I should’ve done it ages ago!”

You can read Nick’s and many other Lifeworks success stories here.

The year-long evaluation will provide feedback and statistics on how Lifeworks has supported people across the country, further increasing RBLI’s social value initiatives. 83% of Lifeworks participants have found employment, training, or volunteering within 1 year of attending the course and we want to ensure that every veteran is provided with the best possible support, further increasing our reach and impact for years to come.

For more information on our award-winning Lifeworks courses, please visit us at https://wearelifeworks.org.uk/about-us/