HEART & SOUL COMMUNITY CIC
We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.
The Armed Forces Covenant
An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families
The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.
Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.
This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.
Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant
1.1 We HEART & SOUL COMMUNITY CIC will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment
2.1 HEART & SOUL COMMUNITY CIC recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
We also pledge the following:
Section 2: Demonstrating our Commitment 2.1 The Armed Forces Covenant is a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces Community. This Covenant encompasses the moral obligation between the Nation, the Government and the Armed Forces, at the local level 2.2 The Armed Forces Covenant is based upon two key principles The Armed Forces Community should not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration ,s appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved 2.3 The purpose of this Covenant is to encourage support for the Armed Forces Community working and residing in West Midlands and to recognise and remember the sacrifices made by members of this Armed Forces Community, particularly those who have given the most. This includes in-Service and ex-Service personnel their families and widow(er)s in West Midlands. 2.4 For Heart & Soul Community CIC and partner organisations, the Community Covenant presents: an opportunity to bring their knowledge, experience and expertise to bear on the provision of help and advice to members of the Armed Forces Community. It also presents an opportunity to build upon existing good work on other initiatives such as the Welfare Pathway. 2.5 For the Armed Forces community, the Covenant encourages the integration of Service life into Section 3: Objectives and General intentions 3.1 The Armed Forces Covenant defines the enduring, general principles that should govern the relationship between the Nation, the Government and the Armed Forces Community 3.2 It aims to encourage all parties within a community to offer support to the local Armed Forces community and make it easier for Service personnel, families and veterans to access the help and support available from the MOD, from statutory providers and from the Charitable and Voluntary Sector. These organisations already work together in partnership at local level. .. 3.3 The scheme is intended to be a two-way arrangement and the Armed Forces community are encouraged to do as much as they can to support their community and promote activity which integrates the Service community into civilian life. Section 4: Measures 4.1 Heart & Soul Community CIC Ltd pledge to: Run several free, high quality training events each year. Specifically focused on unemployed members of the wider Armed Forces Community, which also includesspouses and dependants of members of the Armed Forces Community. We will provide free access to a wide range of careers advisers and signpost unemployedtrainees from the Armed Forces wider community to other agencies that can help develop newly learnt skills and achievements further We will provide the opportunity to learn new skills that will help to develop confidenceand self-esteem. We will engage with prospective employers to promote Armed Forces Communitytrainees who have successfully completed our training courses. We will work with employers, local councils, trainers and organisations such as JobcentrePlus to develop clear plans that will help their local economies grow through the enablement of well supported continuous learning opportunities for local people and unemployed members of the Armed forces Community
2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.