Two military charities have set up an employment service offering one-to-one employment help for adult family members who support or care for members of the armed forces community with health conditions.
Research by The Ripple Pond, which supports those looking after loved ones who have physical and or psychological injuries attributable to military service, revealed the biggest barrier to employment faced by many was a lack of roles that could fit alongside their caring responsibilities at home.
But the Families Employment Service, run in partnership with the Poppy Factory, is starting to change that. Ripple Pond Deputy Operations Manager Heather McKeown said: “We often hear from members who say that this partnership has changed their lives for the better.”
The Poppy Factory provides an intensive employment support service to veterans with health conditions that is now extended to family members through the partnership.
It helps them secure jobs they can manage alongside their caring role and liaises with employers to adjust a current role to allow more flexibility if needed. The Ripple Pond, which has backing from Lloyds Patriotic Fund and the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, offers access to a community that shares experiences and provides support online, as well as specialist talks, workshops and guidance.
Hundreds of people caring for their injured or poorly loved ones have received help.
Michelle joined The Ripple Pond in early 2020, when she was supporting her veteran husband and looking after their teenage daughter, while working part-time. She felt she had lost her identity, and her confidence was very low. With no friends or family who understood her situation, she was very lonely and isolated.
She said: “I wouldn’t be here doing what I’m doing now if it wasn’t for The Ripple Pond, I might not even be here full stop. The day I joined The Ripple Pond my life changed for the better.”
Before she married and started a family, Michelle had a career she loved and was a confident person. During her husband’s military service and afterwards the family moved around a lot, and with her caring responsibilities, it meant she had to leave the career she loved. Part-time work in retail and hospitality has paid the bills for the past 15 years.
She wanted a career change but lacked confidence and hadn’t had a job interview in years.
But after seeing a post in 2023 about partnership she contacted The Ripple Pond and was helped by The Poppy Factory to go through the application process for her dream job as a case administrator with the Probation Service. She was helped to see what transferrable skills she had and after she got the job she said: “This has made a difference to me in every single way, it’s a whole new start.”
To find out more, visit poppyfactory.org/families. To find out more about The Ripple Pond, including how to self-refer, visit theripplepond.org/get-support.