COVENANT
See Your Business Ideas Come to Life
It works because it has been developed in consultation with members of the military community who know first-hand the challenges spouses and partners face when trying to maintain continuous employment.
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Lianne Bradbury, Programme Manager who served with the Royal Logistic Corps for twenty two years says “I understand how difficult it is to find work as a military spouse; my husband followed me around the world for twelve years. I had seven postings during this period and my husband had eight different jobs. I have seen him go through the highs and lows of searching and securing work and the impact this has had on us as a family. I wanted to ensure that the programme is built on a platform of understanding so we have tailored it to be flexible, practical and above all offer a solution to those wanting to break the cycle of an uncertain career”.
The programme has been made possible with funding from the Armed Forces Covenant LIBOR Fund which means the University of Wolverhampton in conjunction with the Black Country Chamber of Commerce can deliver it free of charge to service families. The programme began in Oct 13 and has already enabled eighteen entrepreneurial, military spouses to see their business ideas come to life.
The ten month programme consists of an Introduction to Self-Employment Session, Four Day Business Start-Up Course, Individual mentoring sessions with a Business Adviser and Group Mentoring Sessions with other Service Dependants’. The programme will run throughout the year with the last intake starting in September 2014.
For further details and to register for the Dependants’ Business Start-Up Programme contact Lianne Bradbury, the Armed Forces’ & Uniformed Services’ Co-ordinator on 01902 321677 or
mod-enquiries@wlv.ac.uk
30 Envoy Spring 2014
www.raf-ff.org.uk
upporting the Unsung Hero’ is an Armed Forces Dependants’ Business Start-Up Programme, delivered by the University of Wolverhampton. It is a unique, free course designed specifically for the families of those in the Armed Forces. The programme equips service families with the professional know how, tools and skills to turn ‘just an idea’ into a real business opportunity.
Alternatively visit the website: www.wlv.
ac.uk/supportingtheunsunghero or join on facebook
www.facebook.com/ supportingtheunsunghero
COURSE DELEGATES SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS
Jamie Robinson Golf Club making and repair
Jamie Robinson served for nine years in the RAF as a policeman. Jamie’s wife is still serving as a RAF Flight Operations Manager at RAF Shawbury where they live with their three year old son. In 2009 Jamie left the RAF to study psychology at college with the intention of going to university, but because of personal circumstances he took the decision to break from his career and look after his son, enabling his wife to continue
her work in the air force. With his wife potentially deploying in early 2014, Jamie enrolled on Cohort Two of the Armed Forces Dependants’ Business Start-Up programme to help prepare him for becoming self-employed.
Jamie said: “Running my own business is the most practical option available to me while we are a regular service family. Every time we move I need to look for part-time work which, is difficult to find and never meets our needs entirely. I need to be flexible and always there for my little boy but, I also want to have a regular income and be able to plan for our future on our own terms.”
When Jamie started the programme he had two business ideas in mind. During his resettlement period he learnt DIY skills. Jamie thought the training would allow him to
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