Veterans Housing Scotland (VHS) have received a large grant from the Office of Veterans Affairs.
The charity will team up with the Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS) and SSAFA the Armed Forces Charity to provide extended support to their clients until 2026 with the help of the grant funding of £290,882.
The partnership will involve VHS, the DMWS, SSAFA’s Glasgow Helping Heroes (GHH) to provide the support which addresses homelessness, tenancy sustainment and medical welfare needs.
Kevin Gray MM, Chief Executive of Veterans Housing Scotland, said: “We are very grateful for this wonderful support from the Office of Veterans Affairs (OVA). Our initiative will provide adaptable, comprehensive, and coordinated support services for vulnerable Veterans across a range of support needs. The support will enable Veterans to remain in safe housing by addressing issues affecting their tenancies, including medical welfare needs and non-clinical issues. Our collaborative approach will reduce homelessness through increased housing stability, and improved wellbeing for Veterans in Scotland, allowing them to transition to lower-level support.
“The focus of our programme will be to provide comprehensive support to disabled Veterans in Scotland to sustain their tenancies, reduce the risk of homelessness, and ultimately improve their quality of life.
“Dedicated VHS Visiting Officers and DMWS Welfare Officers will work together to identify and support Veterans who are on challenging and potentially chaotic housing journeys.”
DMWS Chief Executive Abby Dryden said: “No veteran should be left unsupported and without a home. DMWS welcomes this fantastic opportunity to bring focused welfare support to veterans who can be struggling with many aspects alongside their housing concerns. Working in collaboration allows us to bring together expertise and greater support that can bring huge improvements in mental and physical wellbeing as well as improved living conditions for veterans in Scotland.”
Sy Harty, Interim Operations Manager SSAFA Glasgow’s Helping Heroes, said: “The Reducing Homelessness for Scottish Veterans project is about more than providing shelter, it’s about tackling the root causes of homelessness among veterans and delivering holistic, joined up support that restores stability, dignity, and hope for our veterans across Scotland. Made possible through the generous support of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, this project brings together Veterans Housing Scotland, SSAFA’s Glasgow’s Helping Heroes, and Defence Medical Welfare Service in a powerful collaboration to make lasting change.”
VHS, established in 2015, is one of the providers of homes for disabled veterans in Scotland providing affordable rented homes with a wraparound service. At the time it was set up it was believed that service men and women belong in a community of like minded people with similar experiences. The charity is based in Edinburgh with 635 homes in Scotland supporting around 1,000 veterans and their families.
Veterans Housing Scotland Perth and Kinross conference
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
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