NEWS – Supporting Veterans – Our 2023/24 Annual Review
Groundwork have been supporting Armed Forces Veterans in Greater Manchester since 2017 when we launched the Operation Re-Org programme to help veterans secure and sustain civilian employment.
Eight years later the programme continues to expand and adapt to where support is needed the most. In this blog, we will review how the programme team have been supporting veterans with employment, wellbeing and more.
Common barriers faced by veterans
Although many veterans transition to civilian life somewhat effortlessly, many others face barriers related to poor mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness, possession of a criminal record or breakdown of family relationships. Over the years we have expanded our employment support so we can support veterans with these issues, directly or through our supportive partners.
More recently we have seen an increase in need for managing debt and other financial issues. As such, we have developed our in-house money management course specifically for veterans and continue to work with partners such as MyBank and Barclays Bank Life Skills to provide further help and guidance.

Supporting veterans in prison
Thanks to relationships developed by our prison-based employment initiatives, we have been working closely with HMP Forest Bank and HMP Buckley Hall in 2023/24 supporting Armed Forces Veterans who are due to be released soon. This approach reduces the risk of reoffending and exposes veterans to the wide range of support available to them sooner rather than later.
A number of veterans serving sentences with HMP Forest Bank expressed an interest in developing their skills and learning a trade. As such, our team referred them to our Bootcamp Construction Course, which taught them valuable skills for work and set up an interview with a reputable employer in the construction industry upon release.
One veteran commented,
I and all of the veterans that took part in the course in June this year would like to thank the Groundwork Greater Manchester Team for providing a course that was well aligned to the needs of those veterans that will be looking for employment opportunities in the construction and associated trades, in the future. The course was well structured, relevant to the training needs of all the participants and included examples of real construction industry methods and practices.
Another veteran was keen to re-start working as a sole trader after release but had no tools or funds to purchase them. Veterans from our network pooled together excess and old tools so that he could get back on his feet after release.
Veteran’s network
In order to best serve veterans in the area, we continue to work in partnership with other Armed Forces support groups and partners across Greater Manchester. This people first approach provides the veteran with the best support they can get, with each partner having different strengths.
We remain visible to partners and veterans by attending breakfast clubs and other attending veteran events. This network is essential as it helps us stay connected with veteran volunteers who can call in on veterans living in isolation to make sure their needs are met.

Earlier this year we were working with an older veteran who was sadly diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was placed on end-of-life treatment but wanted to stay at home for as long as possible. Unfortunately, he didn’t have friends or family in the area so installing the required emergency equipment in house seemed impossible. Thanks to the veteran’s network we were able to source volunteers to help remove his old furniture and tidy and clean his flat so the equipment could be installed. Those who helped also agreed to visit him through the week to help with any jobs and keep him company. Unfortunately, he died a few weeks later but we were proud to help him live his last few days at home and arrange for him to be buried by his regimental association.
Corporate partnerships
Building corporate partnerships and explaining the benefits of hiring veterans is an essential part of our work. In 2023/24 our portfolio of employers has increased giving the Veterans we support more access to training and sustained employment opportunities.
Additional support
Throughout the whole Covid-19 Pandemic, several of the veterans we were supporting sadly passed away and due to the restrictions, we were unable to give them the send-off they deserved. This year we decided to raise money to purchase a memorial bench and we raised which was placed at the cenotaph in the memorial gardens of Rochdale.

2023/24 in numbers

Mathew’s Story
Mathew spent 12 years in the Royal Corp of Signals and served in Afghanistan. When he came home, he struggled to find permanent work and again this was having an effect on his family life. In January 2020, he broke up with his partner and he struggled to pay and maintain the flat he was living in with them and not long after he moved back in with his parents. This was having a real negative effect on his mental health and self-esteem.
Due to his military experience and qualifications, he wanted to work within the telecommunications industry. He applied for several jobs but never got an interview.
Groundwork helped sign post Matthew to a local mental health support group, recognising there were a lot of things happening in his life that he could do with some support on.
Recognising how important work was for Matthew we helped him to update his CV so it highlighted his experience, qualifications and transferable skills from his time in the military. From there, he applied for two jobs.
Within one week of applying for these jobs, he received an interview with the Data Company and he was offered a job with an immediate start!
Matthew is now working full time and has moved out of his parents and into a new flat. His mental health has improved and he has been able to make contact with his daughter, seeing her every weekend.
Armed Forces Covenant
At Groundwork Greater Manchester, we are committed to supporting the Armed Forces, Reserves, Veterans, and their families through all aspects of their employment. We are proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant – a pledge to ensure that those who serve or have served and their families are treated fairly, and to support the Covenant and Cobseo the Confederation of Service Charities through services, policy and projects.
The aim of Operation Re-Org is to provide support for a variety of needs for members of the Armed Forces Community and then to progress into sustained employment and gain long-lasting positive changes in their personal circumstances as a result of having a regular salary and routine, the opportunity to learn new skills, increased social interaction and improvements in confidence and feelings of self-worth.
Groundwork Greater Manchester has been recognised by the Armed Forces Covenant and Cobesco – The Confederation of device charities for our valuable work with veterans.
