Following the announcement in today’s Budget of funding for the digital transformation of the Armed Forces Charity sector, General Sir John McColl, Chairman of Cobseo, The Confederation of Service Charities, said:
“We wholeheartedly welcome the news that the Government has committed to support the digital transformation of the Armed Forces Charity sector. This scoping project has the potential to secure a more efficient future for all organisations providing life-saving support for Veterans. The funding paves the way for a game-changing step towards developing an integrated digital-first system that will provide Veterans with the vital support that they need.
“Independent research has repeatedly shown that whilst the Armed Forces Charity sector successfully provides a range of services that support thousands of Veterans and their families every year, the inability to join services together and deliver a seamless journey because of individual charity regulations and restrictions often hinders the very people that the services are intended to help. The Armed Forces Community is changing and developing all the time, and we need to make sure that the ways in which we provide help as a sector is meeting all their needs. Providing comprehensive welfare support for Veterans and their families can be complex and often complicated, but we know that being able to access timely and appropriate support when required is the key to secure a successful future. Proving this support as quickly and seamlessly as possible is fundamental to ensure Veterans in need continue to access support. This digital transformation development is essential to streamline current systems and bring the sector together to provide efficient and resilient support for Veterans and their families from the most suitable organisation to meet their needs.
“This is a very important move towards ensuring that the Service Charity sector is as effective as possible to enable our Members to continue providing the best possible services for all Veterans. This is an exciting opportunity for the development of the sector to move forward to ensure it is fit for purpose and fully prepared to continue to support the developing Armed Forces Community. We look forward to working with the Ministry of Defence and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs to ensure that this project delivers an efficient and future-facing digital journey for Veterans, and ensure that all Veterans can access the help and assistance they need, when they need it.”
