Help for Heroes partnership
The highly successful partnership with Help
for Heroes has been up and running since September 2010. A grant of
£186,000 has enabled wounded, injured and sick (WIS) tri-service
personnel to participate in fully funded and bespoke secondments
with The Prince’s Trust Team
programme.
Now in its second year and with a new Partnership Manager in
place, plans are afoot to expand the opportunities beyond the
flagship Team programme to other
Prince’s Trust programmes and extend the offer to those serving WIS
not yet transferred into the recovery capability process
and Veterans already medically discharged from the
services.
In the first year, 29 WIS service personnel took part
in the Team programme either
as an Employed Participant for 20+ days or as an Assistant Team
Leader for the duration of the 12 week programme. Each was a
resounding success.
Volunteer days
WIS personnel who are at the beginning of their recovery
pathway may feel they would like to volunteer with a
Delivery Partner on an adhoc basis. Depending on your
personal circumstances will depend on how much time you feel you
can volunteer for. You could find yourself mentoring young adults
engaged on Team, assisting the Team Leader with the daily routine;
anything that you feel you are ready to do that assists your
recovery, we will support you alongside your GroW
programme.
The EP (Employed Participant) role
This offers the chance to develop personal skills in a way
that fits in with any existing medical or health issues such as
Graduated Return to Work plans (GRoW), Individual Recovery Plans
(IRP) and appointments. Volunteers need to give up 20 working days
to join the Team programme during
the three months it runs. This ‘attachment’ can be
tailored to the needs of the individual and may be completed as
a four week block, a set number of days per week for the
duration of the 12 week programme or a combination of
both.
The ATL (Assistant Team Leader) role
This offers an opportunity for those still serving but with
an extended recovery plan and those who havebeen medically
discharged to enhance their personal development by providing an
excellent insight into youth and charity work. The leadership
position emphasizes the need for organizational ability, planning
and mentoring skills, but under the supervision and support of the
Team Leader. This will suit those still serving who have time on
their hands and those who are thinking about ‘transition’. For
those medically discharged from the services, this presents an
ideal opportunity to ‘transition’ to the civilian environment and
the time and space to think through future options whilst drawing a
salary of up to £5000 (funded by Help for Heroes) for
approximately three months work.
There is also the opportunity to be employed striaght in at Team
Leader (TL) role, or progression from ATL, both require attendance
on a five day TL training package.
Both roles are demanding but well within the competencies of
most service personnel. It will require a different mindset
and ability to deal with people and their issues in a supportive
manner. You will develop a range of strategies to address
confidence, motivation, attitude and behaviour issues with the
group.
Mutual Benefits
The young people will look to you as a role-model and as someone
who has had to Adapt to life challenges. You will undoubtedly
Inspire them with the strength to overcome significant setbacks and
provide them with the courage to face the world with a positive
outlook.
For you, this is seen as an opportunity to develop yourself in a
non-military but very supportive environment. You will
interface with young people who may have had similar backgrounds to
yourself before you joined the services, so you can relate to their
situations. The role will give you an enormous sense of
purpose and will draw heavily on your leadership skills and
values. It’s all about helping others to help yourself.
For those dedicated to professional development, there is an
opportunity to use the Team programme as a platform to complete
evidence towards either the
Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) Level 2 Award in
“Team Leading” or Level 3 Award in “First Line Management”.
Other Prince's Trust programme opportunities
The Prince’s Trust runs eight
programmes in total for youths in the age group of 13-30
years.
- The Enterprise Programme: a
two year business start-up programme with funding and
mentoring
- Get Into: short courses
(typically two - six weeks) to get into a specific industry
(construction, retail, logistics etc)
- Development Awards: cash award
to undertake education, training or enhance chances of a job
Anyone interested in these opportunities should
contact Lee
Potter, Help for Heroes Partnership Manager, by phone on
020 7543 1298 (office),
07940 725500 (mobile) or by email
at lee.potter@princes-trust.org.uk
Latest news

Fri, Dec, 16 2011
Brighton & Hove City College Team members supported Help for Heroes as part of their Team challenge.

Mon, Jan, 17 2011
LCpl Scott Galey completed Team Lincoln Fire & Rescue Service as part of his rehabilitation after an injury in Afghanistan. The final presentation was watched by Mark Elliot, Head of External Operations for Help for Heroes.