Serve on - International Search and Rescue
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 Serve on - International Search and Rescue 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 Serve on - International Search and Rescue 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
- UK Reservists
We also pledge the following:
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We will actively recognise the skills, experience and values that members of the Armed Forces community bring to search and rescue and humanitarian work. We will promote positive awareness of the Armed Forces through our activities, partnerships and communications where appropriate.
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Employment support to members of the Armed Forces Community: As a volunteer-led organisation, we do not employ staff; however, we welcome and encourage participation from service leavers, reservists and veterans. We will seek to offer meaningful volunteering opportunities that support transition to civilian life by building confidence, teamwork and operational experience.
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Communications, engagement and outreach: We will ensure that our communications are inclusive of the Armed Forces community and will engage with relevant networks and organisations where possible. We recognise those who live with the lifelong consequences of service-related loss, and that there are unique challenges for bereaved armed forces families. We will highlight opportunities for involvement and recognise the contributions of Armed Forces members and bereaved Armed Forces families within our organisation.
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Health: We recognise the physical and mental demands associated with both military service and search and rescue work. We will promote a supportive environment, signpost to appropriate wellbeing resources where needed, and encourage a culture that prioritises safety and welfare.
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Education: We will support the development of skills through training, exercises and operational experience. We will value and recognise military-acquired skills and seek to provide opportunities for continued learning within our activities.
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Civic responsibilities: We will be supportive of reservists’ training and deployment commitments and recognise the importance of civic duty. We will remain flexible in our expectations of volunteers who have ongoing service commitments.
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Leadership: We will appoint a designated Armed Forces Volunteer Representative to coordinate engagement with the Armed Forces community and oversee delivery of our commitments under the Covenant. We will also appoint a Trustee-level Armed Forces Representative to provide strategic oversight and ensure the needs of the Armed Forces community are considered in organisational planning and governance. These designated Armed Forces points of contact will be available to support applicants throughout onboarding, training and operational integration.
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Recognition of Military Skills: We recognise the value of military-acquired skills including: leadership, discipline, resilience, operational planning, communications and teamwork. Where appropriate, we will recognise relevant military qualifications, experience and competencies within our training and operational pathways.
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Monitoring and Review: We will review our Armed Forces Covenant commitments annually to ensure they remain relevant, effective and aligned with organisational capability. We will report annually to our members on Armed Forces engagement, participation and progress against these commitments.
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.