Collaboration or Conscious Coupling?

Collaboration or Conscious Coupling?

“The Officers’ Association (OA) and RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity (RFEA) are working together to create a single charity to provide exceptional career support to all Service leavers, veterans, reservists, and their families throughout the UK, whatever their circumstances, rank, length of service, or reasons for leaving.”

So, I’ve been thinking about this since it was announced and it’s clear there are many positives to take from the “combination” of the OA and RFEA, but what might it really mean – in the long term? The OA has been going off for a few years and their collaboration with someone has been on the cards, particularly since the RBL cut their funds, and despite it looking likely they may see their influence wane if the current CTP consortium do not retain their contract, all roads still seem to lead to the RFEA. So, as someone with an interest in the area of veteran employment, I will closely watch the unfurling of the Forces Employment Charity and continue to wonder if the service charity model can work as it is.

Like many veterans of my era, I’ve been in and around service charities for years. I’ve run marathons, shaken buckets, carried stuff and made donations, I’ve watched them save my friends and look after the families of others. Before my current role I was responsible for driving the LifeWorks Veterans Employability programme at Royal British Legions Industries (RBLI) a service charity in Kent who have been working with convalescing veterans for over 100 years. Part of my job was to represent the charity at a variety of veteran working groups, clusters and round tables where the complexities of the service charity world soon became apparent, and I was struck by 3 blocks. Despite the OA and the RFEA offering quite different models and about to enter that period of jockeying as they find a way ahead, as far as I can tell, such a coming together may seek to sweep away some of these blocks - in part at least. I wish them luck.

Without doubt there are too many service charities. The purpose, intent and impact of each is impaired by the white noise emitted by the collective. Everyone around the various tables wants to do good for those who need it, and some have buckets of cash (still) to throw at various short and long-term projects. But among the number are charitable organisations with a limited ability and desire to act because, simply, they serve their own interests first. Proper, genuine, sincere and selfless collaboration, that’s in the best interests of would be beneficiaries is therefore difficult to achieve as egos and former ranks need to be left at the door.

Several of the larger charities have been around for a long time and absolutely need to modernise. Many made hay during the period of Iraq and Afghanistan with several being kept alive by the likes of LIBOR. To my mind that led to them becoming organisationally lazy and unable to plan or adapt. The landscape of 2020 was unrecognisable from 10 years prior, but the mindsets, structures, strategies and expectations remain the same. COBSEO has been charged with facilitating the collaboration so many of us have said is needed. This is no mean feat and not only because some look down their noses at more agile organisations able to do OODA and bring about the affect needed, where it’s needed - quickly. Is there such a thing as a disrupter service charity? Yes there is – and that’s a good thing. Additionally, and this is critical. Are charities the best, or in fact, the only way to crack this nut. No I don’t think so.

Without change, nothing will change. We need a dedicated Government Department for Veterans, not an underfunded, understaffed and under-supported “Office” - or nothing will change. Veterans UK does not appear fit for purpose and the number of veterans presenting with mental health issues will most certainly increase over the coming years. There is a clear chasm that many believe the service charities are best placed to fill, but I can’t help think this is a poor solution and we now have the opportunity to alter things. It was interesting to note in the recent Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan that the Government felt able to “task” the charities – is this accepted? Is this acceptable? They are independent(ish) organisations with their own agenda and driving force and while there is, has, and unless the situation changes, always will be a dead space where veterans issues fall, should they be the ones to fill this gap? Veterans are not the MOD’s responsibility, that obligation, in my view correctly, stops when we “Change Gear”. While the charity sector will play a part of course - Veterans look after Veterans

So, collaboration is good and has been called for, but it has to be meaningful and those involved prepared to take the pain – for the greater good.?