New research released by The Directory of Social Change (DSC), funded by the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT), reveals that 78* Armed Forces charities deliver housing support to at least 11,600 beneficiaries annually, with charities spending at least £40 million on housing provision in the previous year.
47 charities provide accommodation services, collectively providing at least 4,700 properties across the UK, which have a total capacity to house at least 10,200 people.
Read moreForces in Mind Trust (FiMT) has awarded £168,813 to King’s Centre for Military Health Research to conduct the first scoping study to explore the experiences of moral injury in UK ex-Service personnel.
The aim of the 15-month study is to address gaps in understanding of moral injury and researchers will focus on a number of areas including:
Exploring the experiences of moral injury in UK ex-Service personnel.
Investigating the impact of moral injury mental health and well-being.
Examining ex-Service personnel and clinician perceptions of potential risk and protective factors for mental health difficulties following moral injury.
Forces in Mind Trust has commissioned YouGov to explore the public perceptions of ex-Service personnel and to understand what influences people’s opinions.
Researchers will hold four group sessions with the general public, lasting two hours and across four locations in the UK. Four online groups will also participate, consisting of: families of veterans, those who donate to veterans’ charities, those who would consider joining the Armed Forces and teachers.
The project will explore the impact of the media and the world around participants in forming their opinions.
Read moreAttitudes of the people of Northern Ireland towards current and former UK Armed Forces personnel have been revealed for the first time in a report released this week, titled ‘Public Attitudes to the UK Armed Forces in Northern Ireland’.
The Forces in Mind Trust funded an additional set of questions in the Northern Ireland Life and Times survey (NILT) and results were collated in a report produced by researchers from Ulster University.
42% of the NI population reporting a high/very high opinion of the UK Armed Forces today versus 12% having a low/very low opinion.
Read moreA new guide launched on 7th June, to help care homes provide better support for the hundreds of thousands* of service men and women in assisted living in the UK.
Produced by Demos think tank, in partnership with the Forces in Mind Trust and the Care Cluster of Cobseo (The Confederation of Service Charities), the guide will be sent to all UK care homes and care home provider headquarters.
Read moreForces in Mind Trust (FiMT) has issued a request for expressions of interest (REOI) to conduct research to understand the transition to civilian life for ex-Service personnel with physical conditions as a direct result of Service or acquired whilst in Service.
The FiMT award is expected to be in the region of £150,000. Although there is no specific completion date, the Trust would like to see the report completed and published within two years of commencement.
The commission was the result of a consultation exercise with stakeholders where it was apparent that those Service personnel who leave the Services on medical grounds and with physical conditions can face particular challenges and may be more likely to experience difficulty when transitioning to civilian life.
Read morePioneering research has revealed that a radical new approach could improve the lives of ex-Service personnel and their families and create significant savings across the NHS.
Findings from a groundbreaking report released today (Monday, June 11), identify the need for changes in the way support is given to people with limb loss, their families and carers.
The challenge of coping with the physical and mental aspects of caring can put a tremendous strain on the family unit and they may feel lost and unsupported, the study highlights.
The project commissioned by Blesma and funded by The Forces in Mind Trust was undertaken by the Veterans and Families Institute for Military Research at Anglia Ruskin University.
Read moreThe inaugural Forces in Mind Trust Research Centre (FiMT RC) Conference, sponsored by Lord Ashcroft, is being held on 11 October 2018 at Church House in Westminster. The conference will focus on research into veterans and their families from the perspectives of academics, policy makers and service providers, and will cover the processes, challenges, benefits and impact of research, highlighting opportunities for research funding and collaboration during four concise sessions. There will be plenty of scope for networking, questions and discussion. Speakers include Lord Ashcroft PC KCMG, Tobias Ellwood (Minister for Defence Veterans, Reserves and Personnel), Hans Pung (Chair, RAND Europe), Professor Mike Thomas (Vice Chancellor, UCLAN) and Air Vice-Marshal Ray Lock CBE (Chief Executive, Forces in Mind Trust).
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We asking you to pledge your support and to update you on some very positive developments on our quest to eliminate Veterans’ homelessness following our reception at the House of Lords in March.
The University of York research that we launched at the reception highlights how some ex-Service personnel slip through the net and end up homeless after leaving the Armed Forces. Evidence suggests that well over a thousand ex-service personnel each year require urgent support to find accommodation.
On the back of this research we developed a Call to Action to help tackle this important issue.
Read moreEx-Service personnel in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) have distinct patterns of offending and mental health problems compared to offenders from a non-Service background, according to a Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) funded report.
Researchers at King’s College London looked at ex-Service personnel identified through the CJS as having social or mental health needs. They found ex-Service personnel were more likely to have Anxiety disorders (37% of veterans versus 13% non-veterans), which included PTSD, and Adjustment Disorder (8%vs6%*), as well as higher levels of co-occurring mental health problems than people with a non-Service background.
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Afghanistan support
In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here
