Charity battles to help soldiers back into work

Based in York and London, Soldier On! taps into the wealth of expertise from ex-servicemen who have a high level of training in different fields and aims to connect them with potential employers and help them through the employment process.

The charity’s director, Nicholas Harrison, said helping the injured veterans to find work was the next step in their rehabilitation.

He said: “These are not men and women who are prepared to be thrown on to the scrap heap just yet and for many a new battle has only just begun. It is through the charity’s provision of careers and life-long employment support, that wounded veterans are able to live their lives independently, self-sufficiently and with dignity. Finding gainful employment is definitely the next step in the rehabilitation process.”

Soldier On! is being backed by the most severely injured soldier to have ever survived, Doncaster-based serviceman Ben Parkinson, who has started a volunteer role as the charity’s social media administrator.

Lance Bombardier Parkinson, who lost both legs and suffered devastating brain and back injuries in a Taliban bomb attack in 2006, said: “I am a soldier and my life has changed. I have to make a new life that means something. Being a volunteer with Soldier On! is the first step for me.”

Mr Harrison, who lives in York, said Lance Bombardier Parkinson’s role summed up the charity’s aim.

He said: “Ben is somebody who has a desire to prove himself both physically and mentally. For a man who was told he was never going to get out of bed or speak again, he has achieved the most amazing things. But it is also very important for him to prove his mental capacity is very strong as well. His role is a great way for him to keep his brain ticking over and not just his body.

“This is very much an example of what we are trying to achieve with the charity.”

By teaming up with a host of industry and recruitment companies, the charity has already helped a host of service-leavers and veterans and is supported by some of the UK’s leading employers including, Network Rail, Thames Water and National Grid.

Rob Dyche, a severely wounded soldier from Sheffield, has recently been offered a new role as an engineer with National Grid.

The member of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, who was injured in a grenade explosion in Afghanistan, said: “Soldier On! offered me one to one support and advice on the skills I had and the areas of employment I would be best suited to.

“I was very apprehensive about finding work. I had previously written to a number of companies and applied for several jobs and did not receive a response back in most cases, which is very disheartening. Soldier On! liaised with many companies on my behalf using their contacts.”

The charity is looking to raise around £9,000 a month to cover costs and pay for the full-time role of a disabled serviceman who lost his leg in an explosion in Afghanistan. It is also keen to hear from potential employers.

To donate visit www.soldieron.org.uk