New programme helping spouses of veterans to find new careers heads for Helensburgh

Lifeworks, the award-winning employability programme delivered by Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI), is expanding the support it offers to ex-services families, with support from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs.

Face-to-face, four-day courses, designed specifically for families of veterans, are now available, free of charge.

Spouses and family members of veterans will be able to access training and support to help them get a foothold in a new career to suit their skills.

Having successfully delivered this programme at Army garrison locations in Catterick, North Yorkshire, and Tidworth, Wilshire, Lifeworks is staging its next family-focused event at Helensburgh, near HMNB Clyde, Scotland.

It takes place between Monday 28 April and Thursday 1 May.

Steve Parrott, Head of Lifeworks, said: “This location will allow us to provide vital support to the highly prominent Royal Navy community, and others in the surrounding area.

“At Lifeworks, we recognise that family support is essential. Too often, assistance is focused solely on the individual who has served, overlooking the crucial role that families play.

“We are really grateful to the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, whose Career Development Fund is enabling us to offer these new courses.

“By empowering families of veterans to build new careers, we aim to ensure that veterans and their loved ones can thrive.”

Participants will benefit from the ‘Vital Skills’ package, which provides recognised training qualifications across three key categories, helping to open pathways to further training and employment opportunities.

In addition, the course includes 12 months of one-on-one support from a specialist tutor, each of whom comes from the Armed Forces community, with many having served themselves. “This ongoing guidance ensures that participants receive the help they need to succeed,” Steve Parrott added.

Family members of veterans are welcome to apply.

The location of the Lifeworks course is Drumfork Community Centre, Churchill Square, Helensburgh G84 9HL.

Lifeworks has worked with nearly 6,000 ex-service personnel since its launch in 2011, and it is estimated that for every £1 invested in the programme, the UK economy benefits by £8.

To secure a place, please contact 0800 3196 844 or email [email protected]

For more details, see Veteran Employment Support.