Families in Stress projects underway; and making a difference
In February 2018; we made 13 grants of up to £300,000 for projects that are supporting the families of serving personnel facing stressful circumstances requiring immediate short term intervention.
Projects we have funded cover a wide range of issues for both partners and children from domestic abuse through to debt management, caring responsibilities, bereavement, personnel in the criminal justice system and supporting families with young children who are experiencing a particularly difficult challenge.
Projects began in April 2018; and the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust grants team have been catching up with these projects to see how they are getting on.
Rachel Dawkins, Grants Manager at the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust is part of the team that has been getting out and visiting these projects.
“We have made some fantastic and interesting visits across the UK to these organisations, and we have been hugely impressed by the partnerships being built with local Armed Forces bases so far, with services already beginning to be designed and rolled out to families in need. We are really excited to see how this work will continue to develop as these partnerships provide much needed support to the serving community and look forward to seeing this impact grow over the coming months.”
Southern Domestic Abuse (SDAS) Service was awarded £299,832 from The Armed Forces Covenant Fund: Families in Stress to work with people affected by domestic abuse in South East Hampshire. This is a partnership project with SDAS, Portsmouth City Council, University of Portsmouth and Royal Navy/Royal Marines Welfare (RNRMW) Service. SDAS will provide and evaluate a healthy relationships programme for Royal Navy (RN) personnel and their families: working with those using unhealthy relationships and/or domestic violence and abuse, including support for both partners. This innovative approach works to create healthy relationships.
The project has received strong local support. Portsmouth City Council Leader, Cllr Gerald Vernon Jackson said:
“I’m glad that the Armed Forces Covenant Fund has enabled the funding for this this domestic abuse service; which will help families and support with the development of healthy relationships.”
Other projects funded under the second round of the Families in Stress programme include, £123,224 to Home-Start York for their project Supporting Military Families in our Community; £149,319 to Test Valley Community Services for their Strengthening families through positive parenting project and £299,735 to the Warrior Programme, for their project to support Families in Stress.