A Holistic Approach – Adapting During Covid-19

9 December 2020

No day is ever the same at Veterans Aid’s Ops Centre, even more so in the current global pandemic when uncertainty surrounds us all. VA has remained operational throughout, supporting veterans threatened with homelessness while protecting the health of those already in the charity’s care.

I sit in with the operations team for a morning and witness the diversity of personal and social difficulties faced by four individuals: 

• The first veteran is a young man, discharged from the Army just the previous month. It felt like the world was before him until a series of unfortunate events left him homeless. On his arrival at VA, he is immediately put through health checks before the team secures him a room at New Belvedere House – VA’s 66-bed residential facility that continues to have no cases of Covid reported. There, everything is geared towards independence; that includes helping residents to find new training and employment opportunities. This young man can start looking forward to his future again.

• The second veteran was privately renting following his relationship breakdown. It was a situation that was at risk of quickly deteriorating. He was in unstable employment and could hardly afford the rent– living with the day-to-day worry of whether his next paycheck would be enough. The economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic only intensified his anxiety. This morning, the team supports him into a housing scheme. Within just four days, he will be moving into a flat that he can afford sustainably. His independence is now secure. 

• The third veteran is caught in an impermanent setup. From being a fighting-fit soldier, he now feels stuck, reliant on others. For the past few months, he has been sofa surfing which has taken its hit both physically on his back, and on his confidence. The team provides him with advice and support, directing him to his local authority to see what response he receives. If he needs further help, he will come straight back to VA.

• A fourth veteran approaches VA, destitute and feeling hopeless. Since leaving the Army, he had struggled for years with debilitating mental health and addiction issues. After an assessment, the team immediately finds him a place at a rehabilitation centre. There he can start to address his addiction – this could be a brand-new start. 

The reasons behind homelessness are complex and, while not everyone who contacts Veterans Aid is facing an accommodation problem, there may be underlying issues that make securing a stable home difficult. 

The pandemic has thrown up many new challenges and remaining operational, as other agencies have limited their services, has meant extra costs. While VA continues to provide crucial support to keep ex-servicemen and women off the street, due to increased demand, it has been necessary to focus resources on essentials, rather than invest in additional measures to promote independence. 

VA Head of Outreach additionally explains that;

‘The price of rehab and detox has gone up by a third due to services having reduced capacity because of the need for social distancing measures.’

The social impacts of the pandemic have included a worrying rise in mental health and addiction issues. With an increase in demand, the limited number of detox places available are highly coveted. 

VA’s holistic, needs-led approach has proved vital in a time of significant added pressure on services. Since June, the charity has been operating as near normally as possible from its HQ.

The situation is under constant review, with VA’s established working model allowing swift adaption to all new developments. Despite challenges, with flexibility and commitment, the operations team continues to provide vital support to veterans facing crisis across the UK.