A housing provider has been recognised for the way it supports veterans and their families.
County Durham-based believe housing signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant in 2020, pledging to treat military personnel and their families with fairness and respect.
It holds a silver award from the Covenant’s Employer Recognition Scheme, for demonstrating active support of Defence, and a key aspect of this work has now been cited as best practice by the Ministry of Defence.
believe housing helps to fund the Armed Forces Outreach Service (AFOS), a Local Authority partnership led by Gateshead Council which includes Durham County Council, Your Homes Newcastle and Newcastle City Council.
Working closely with Armed Forces Outreach Worker, Steve Winter, believe housing helps to identify and support a customer’s needs beyond their housing application.
This can include help with benefits, employment, mental and physical health, family needs and sourcing furniture or other household items.
The partnership was recently recognised for best practice in the MOD’s Statutory Guidance on the new Covenant Duty.
The guidance will help organisations to understand the issues service people can face and help them comply with their legal obligations. It also illustrates good practice in healthcare, education and housing.
Due to unfamiliarity with civilian life and mental health issues they can face, veterans and service families can lack knowledge about the social housing services in their area and how to access them.
Recognising the AFOS partnership, the guidance states: “In 2020/21, as part of a larger regional Armed Forces Outreach Service including Newcastle, Durham and Northumberland local authorities and believe housing, the regional service offered support to 424 members of the Community, raised £61,979 to pay rent arrears, assigned correct social housing priority to 93 members, and assisted 76 members to move into social housing.”
Joanne Rouse, Lettings Manager at believe housing, works closely with the AFOS.
She said: “We understand the issues customers and colleagues may face if they’ve served in the Forces.
“Working closely with the Armed Forces Outreach Service is just one of the ways we support those people and their families.
“We’re proud the partnership has been recognised and hope it continues to help many people to access the services they need.”
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