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Welcome

Ian McGregor

Chief Executive Poppyscotland

4 March 2015

Scottish Veterans – Looking to the Future

Presentation to Criminal Justice Seminar

4 March 2015

Outline of Presentation

• Scottish Veterans Commissioner - background

• Strategy and Workplan

• Looking to the Future

• Veterans and the Criminal Justice system

SVC Roles

• Review the support provided to veterans in Scotland, determine success (or not), find solutions and make recommendations to Ministers, Local Authorities and others

• Challenge negative perceptions of veterans, promoting their skills and experience

• Enhance veteran’s ability to access support services through improved information flow

• Contribute to any Scottish Government review of policy towards veterans.

SVC 2015 Workplan

• Formal reports on: – Lord Ashcroft’s Transition Review

– Housing

– Employability

• Ongoing assessment of: – Information provision to veterans

– The role of veterans ‘champions’

• Contribution to: – Next version of ‘Our Commitments’ and other

policy documents

• Housing

• Employment

• Mental Health

• Communications

• Early Service Leavers

• Scottish dimension to the Ashcroft Study

Looking to the Future

• How are attitudes likely to change towards veterans in Scotland?

• What is the role and contribution of ex-service personnel going to be in the future?

• How can we make best use of veterans’ skills, attributes and experience?

Veterans in the Criminal Justice System

• Why do ex-service personnel get caught up in the Criminal Justice System?

• What can be done to prevent this? Are they aware of the consequences – for themselves and family?

• Is there enough done to prevent them re-offending on release? What else can be done?

• How do veterans react to prison? Can we offer them more while incarcerated?

• How serious are we about rehabilitation and reintegrating them back into society?

• How do we rate the quality of support we provide to families of convicted veterans

• What do they do after prison?

Follow Us

@scotveterancomm

Join Us

www.facebook.com/scottishveteranscommissioner

Find Us

www.gov.scot/veteranscommissioner

VICTORIA QUAY, 2J SOUTH,

EDINBURGH, EH6 6QQ

T : 0131 244 7136

E : scottishveteranscommissioner@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

• Housing

• Employment

• Mental Health

• Communications

• Early Service Leavers

• Scottish dimension to the Ashcroft Study

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CIVVY STREET →MILITARY→CIVVY STREET

Joining Forces

Preventing, Protecting and Prospering

4 March 2015

Gary Gray

Head of Welfare Services

Poppyscotland

UNIQUENESS OF SERVICE LIFE

WHO IS A VETERAN?

WHO IS A VETERAN?

“A veteran is anyone who has served in the Armed Forces for at least one day. This service

can be in the Regular Armed Forces or the Reserve. The term also applies to Merchant Seafarers or fishermen if they worked

alongside the Armed Forces in conflict situations." Preventing, Protecting and Prospering

WHO IS A VETERAN?

TRANSITION

CASE STUDY

Jim’s Story

SCHOOL/UPBRINGING

EARLY DAYS IN UNIFORM

OPERATIONS

BACK HOME

RESETTLEMENT

"I never had any help when I left. I just left. I walked out of the front gate with my kit bag with all my civvy stuff, my campaign medal, my book, my red Army discharge book that is and that was it. I walked out of the gate, called a taxi to the station and caught a train back home. That was it. Done."

ADJUSTING TO CIVVY STREET

Life Skills Education Employment

Money Housing Health

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Maggie Wood Senior Social Worker and Trainer

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‘Joining Forces’ In Action Chief Inspector Craig Smith – Police Scotland

Claire Williams – Armed Services Advice Project

‘Joining Forces’ In Action

‘Joining Forces’ In Action Chief Inspector Craig Smith – Police Scotland

Claire Williams – Armed Services Advice Project

What does the CAB service mean to you?

ASAP Service Aim

To deliver advice, support and information to members of the Armed Forces Community

Delivered through Citizens Advice Bureaux in Scotland.

National helpline 0845 231 0300

ASAP Regions

• Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

• Argyll and Bute

• Edinburgh and Lothians

• Falkirk

• Fife

• Inverness, Moray and Nairn

• Lanarkshire

• Renfrewshire

• Stirling, Clackmannanshire

• Tayside

How do we work with our clients?

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