Veterans Scotland Groups

The member organisations of Veterans Scotland are grouped according to their core activity and each group has a committee that is charged with developing co-operation and new initiatives among members of its group.  Each committee is chaired by a representative from one of the major charities within the group.  

There are currently four Groups-  HEALTH & WELLBEING, COMRADESHIP & REMEMBRANCE, HOUSING  and SUPPORT & EMPLOYMENT.

The needs of the Veterans community in Scotland fall into various categories and are accommodated within the structure as shown below, with Communication and Research under central direction from the Executive Committee.

1. Health & Wellbeing
2. Comradeship & Remembrance
3. Housing
4. Support & Employment
5. Communication
6. Research
 

The Health & Wellbeing Group

The Health & Wellbeing Groupis the lead within Veterans Scotland on all Health and Wellbeing provision related matters to ensure that the Veterans community in Scotland is well informed on how veterans can access care appropriate to individual needs. The pillar brings together those member organisations who provide care to veterans in a common forum whose agenda includes:

  • Identify and work together with MOD and the Scottish Government in the field of Health and Wellbeing provision to veterans. 
  • Review current Health and Wellbeing provision against Veterans needs identifying both shortfalls and duplication 
  • Lead on lobbying over adequate funding for Health and Wellbeing.

The Support and Employment Group

The Support Groupof Veterans Scotland seeks to provide funding and research support for all Veterans Scotland member organisations. It also covers areas of activity not falling clearly within the remits of the Housing, Health & Wellbeing and Membership Groups. The membership of the Support Group comes in the main from those charities whose primary role is to enable other service-providing organisations.

Benevolence. Many organisations provide grants to veterans and their dependants to ease financial distress. Before such a grant can be awarded it is necessary for the person in need to meet with a caseworker who will consider what assistance is required. In Scotland, the bulk of caseworking is done by SSAFA Forces Help.

Advice. Many of the Support Group charities focus on the provision of advice on a wide range of issues affecting former Servicemen and women and their dependants. For example, veterans who have been injured in the course of duty may be eligible to receive a war pension. The Royal British Legion Scotland helps many ex-Service men and women with their war pension claims and also provides free representation at appeal cases. If you need advice on war pensions then you should call 0131 557 2782 and ask for the Pensions Advisory Service.   Assistance is also provided to war widows and on compensation claims.

Support to other organisations. Many of the Support organisations provide grants to other charities delivering specific, hands-on support to Veterans in Scotland. These grants represent just some of the support grants made by a wide range of Support Group charities.

Supported Employment. In Scotland, there are currently two providers of supported employment for disabled ex-Service men and women. Recent research suggests that much more could be done to meet the need in this area and the Support Group charities are working hard to address this.

Prison In Reach. Veterans Scotland is working with the Scottish Prison Service and other bodies to develop initiatives to work with veterans in prison to ease their passage back into the mainstream.

The Housing Group

The Housing Group is the lead on all housing related matters for Veterans Scotland. In Scotland, housing and accommodation for Veterans and their dependants is provided by a number of independent charitable organisations. All of these organisations are members of Veterans Scotland and they work together to provide the best possible service to Veterans and their dependants.

 

The Comradeship & Remembrance Group

The Comradeship Groups function within VS is to:

  • provide membership organisations with an opportunity to work together to represent, promote and further the collective interests of veterans  
  • to lead on all aspects of Remembrance within Scotland and
  • to work with member organisations to promote the education of the general public at large, and in particular among the youth of Scotland, on the Sacrifices made by Veterans.
Veterans Scotland Groups

If you are looking for information, advice or guidance on any of the pillars, click on the relevant link below: