Abstract: DSC is committed to illuminating the vital work of armed forces charities, this report delivers an account of those providing education and/or employment support. To address this remit, DSC devised the following research questions:
How many forces charities provide education and employment support?
How is education/employment support delivered to beneficiaries?
What standards of practice, collaboration and evaluation exist?
The UK armed forces community is estimated to include over six million individuals (The Royal British Legion, 2014), with a further 15,000 individuals leaving the armed forces within the previous year (MOD, 2017). A key aspect of successful transition from military life is securing civilian employment. For some, this can a present a significant challenge when marketing their skills to a potential employer or when trying to access education and enhance their professional prospects. The charities included within this report exist to provide Service-personnel and their families with support in accessing education and employment whilst serving, during the transition to civilian life, and throughout their civilian careers. Effectively, this report holds a mirror to forces charities making provision for education and employment, providing a comprehensive overview of the sub-sector in which they operate. It is intended as a resource for all those involved with or interested in the armed forces charities sector, such as charity workers, policy makers, the media and the public.