RAF COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Stephen Hamilton Community Support Team

HQ Air Command

Scope

What do we do

How do we work

What are the issues we are uncovering and work with.

The RAF Community ‘Ecomap’

The Complex The Complex RAFRAF

Community = Community = Community

Needs Analysis

(CNA)

Local JobLocal JobMarketMarket

Local JobLocal JobMarketMarket

Local Economy/Transport System

Hospitals

Police ChildcareChildcare

Station Station Welfare Welfare

FacilitiesFacilitiese.g. Crèche, e.g. Crèche,

Clubs, NAAFI, Clubs, NAAFI, SSAFA-FHSSAFA-FH

Station Station Welfare Welfare

FacilitiesFacilitiese.g. Crèche, e.g. Crèche,

Clubs, NAAFI, Clubs, NAAFI, SSAFA-FHSSAFA-FH

Further Further Education Education FacilitiesFacilities

Further Further Education Education FacilitiesFacilities

Local Shops/Local Shops/SupermarketsSupermarkets

Local Shops/Local Shops/SupermarketsSupermarkets

Local Local SchoolsSchools

Local Local SchoolsSchools

Local AmenitiesLocal Amenities

HousingHousingHousingHousing

Medical & Medical & Dental Dental

FacilitiesFacilities

Medical & Medical & Dental Dental

FacilitiesFacilities

Service Service AccomAccom

Service Service AccomAccom

VeteransAssociations

HQ AIR Team

8 Uniformed staff

Command Community Development Advisor

Head SSAFA Social Work Service

RAF HIVE Manager

Command Welfare Interface POC for MOD, external bodies & charities, Service Personnel & Veteran’s Agency etc)

Unit Welfare Interface (e.g. policy advice & assistance)

•Specialist Welfare Support•Communication & Information•Accommodation & Families

The HQ Role

Develop & Implement RAF Welfare Strategy

Address FAMCAS ‘top 6’ issues:Lifestyle & relationshipsInformation & CommunicationSpouse’s EmploymentHealthcare SupportAccommodationChildren’s Education

The HQ Role

The Critical Connection

RAF Community

Op Effectiveness

Resilience

A strong sense of community and a feeling of personal and family well-being translates into military readiness,

effectiveness and retention

Who Can Help You?

SUPPORT TO MILITARY CHILDREN

Airplay Youth Support Programme– Major initiative by the RAFBF providing Youth Work staff through a contract with 4Children,Multi Use Games Areas and Play parks

Airplay Childcare – RAFBF funding for the development of Childcare Centres

Storybook Wings

Funded by the RAF Association (RAFA)

Initiative by the prison service

30+ Recorders Issued

700+ recordings so far

Support to Children

Seeking funding for material aimed at 8+ Mp3 players Deployment Diary Victoria Wall Charts

Developing online Deployment Video for families & improved Deployment ‘Toolkit’

Improved support to casualties & bereaved families (including Casualty Notifying Officer and Visiting Officer training)

RAF COMMUNITY WEBSITEwww.raf.mod.uk/community

Information for wider RAF Community on: Deployment Accommodation Wellbeing Education Up-to-date news Financial

www.raf.mod.uk/community www.raf.mod.uk/community or Google ‘RAF Community’

http://www.raf.mod.uk/community/

WEBSITE FORUM FACILITY Secure two-way communication and

information sharing facility for our personnel and their families.

Accessible through Airspace and linked to an instant chat facility.

Service person registers prior to approving up to 3 guest users.

More secure than certain Social Network sites… Consider how you interact With your community

Christmas Videos

500 Recorded in 2010

Service Community Support Officers (SCSO)

Focus on Housing Support & Community issues

Contact with families of deployed personnel

Sits within PMS - close links with CDO, Chf Clk, Padre, SSAFA, HIVE etc

SLA, SSSA, SFA & SSFA 28 SCSOs

Community Development Officers (CDO) Professionally Qualified

Community Action Plan Schools Admissions Appeals Childcare Facilities Youth Work & Holiday Activities Multi-Use Games Areas (MUGAs) Represent RAF communities in

Crime Reduction Partnerships, Parish Councils etc

‘Outside wire’ remit Report to CCDA through RCDA

SSAFA Forces Help

Independent professional & volunteer social work support

Offers confidential welfare service Family/Relationship/Personal difficulties Stress/Anxiety/Depression Debt/Financial problems/Benefit advice Illness/Disability/Special Needs Housing/Resettlement/Medical Discharges Bereavement/Loss/Grief Equal Opportunities Separation/Childcare issues

HIVE

The RAF Families Federation is here to represent RAF family members, be they serving, spouses, partners, parents, children or siblings.

The Federation is independent of the Chain of Command and offers a confidential, professional service.

Evidence provided to RAF policy staffs,Armed Forces Pay Review Body, Air Member for Personnel, Ministers, etc.

www.raf-ff.org.uk or 01780 781650

RAFBF now pay for 6 sessions with a trained RAFBF now pay for 6 sessions with a trained counsellor at. counsellor at.

In 2010 RELATE carried out 1601 confidential In 2010 RELATE carried out 1601 confidential session at a cost £91k.session at a cost £91k.

Also an on-line facilityAlso an on-line facility

EXTERNAL AGENCIES

No charge for service however stations can No charge for service however stations can make annual donations and RAFBF also make annual donations and RAFBF also pay CAB to provide financial advice services pay CAB to provide financial advice services to the RAF!to the RAF!

RAF Benevolent Fund/RBL Joint Provision.

The following Citizens Advice Bureaux (CABs) are participating in the Benefits

and Money Advice Service, run in partnership by The Royal British Legion

and the RAF Benevolent Fund.

Previously the FSA

STRATEGIC MATTERS OF THE MOMENT

AFC/Community Covenant

Defence Recovery Pathway

Armed Forces Covenant (AFC)

Armed Forces Community

Nation Government

The Armed Forces

Covenant

• Eradicate disadvantages of Service Life• Ensure ‘special treatment’ (e.g. injured)

Armed Forces Covenant (AFC)

Rebuilding the AFC

Annual AFC Report to Parliament Healthcare, Housing & Education Recognised in Statute

Coalition Government Commitments Doubled Op Allowance, Rest and and

Recuperation reductions, Pupil Premium, bereaved Service Children’s scholarships etc

DEFENCE RECOVERY CAPABILITY

Trials with NHS multi disciplinary teams on transition from the RAF

Tri service approach – 30% of our personnel do not serve on RAF stations!

Liaise with the third sector imperative:

Most recent decision spending £210 million over the next 10 years:

• £90 million MoD

• £70 million H4H

• £50 million The Royal British Legion

REACTIVE MATTERS OF THE MOMENT

With the recent announcement that IVF would be

offered for service personnel suffering genital injury,

would sperm freezing be available prior to

deployment on operations as a matter of course?

Fertility Preservation is already available for those injured SP requiring it on return from operations.  This process will continue to be funded by the MOD.  The MOD does not provide a funded, elective fertility preservation service for service personnel prior to operational deployment.