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Joining Forces Conferece

Tom Halpin

Veterans mentoring service:

An early perspective on what we are learning

> Sacro’s mission – Is to be a community based organisation that will create safe and cohesive

communities by reducing conflict and offending

> Sacro’s key principles – That conflict is most effectively resolved through informal, facilitated

resolution which assist those involved to identify their own lasting solutions

– That offending and its consequences are most effectively dealt with through an emphasis on community disposal and sentencing

Who are we?

Sources of Referral

• Self • Sacro • Social Work • Scottish Prison

Service • Police Scotland • Military Matters • Combat Stress • 2nd Bn RHF

• PoppyScotland • Glasgow’s Helping

Heroes • SSAFA • Veterans Advisory

and Pensions Committee

• Veterans 1st Point

Types of offences • Assault with Injury • Assault without Injury • Burglary/ Housebreaking • Breach of the Peace • Domestic Violence • Drug Possession • Drug Trafficking • Driving Offences • Fraud/ Forgery/ Extortion

• Registered Sex Offences (RSO)

• RSO – Schedule 1 (offence committed against minor under age of 16)

• Threatening or Abusive Behaviour

• Harassment • Murder • Possession of Offensive

Weapon • Vandalism/ Criminal Damage • Theft of a Motor Vehicle

• Within throughcare arena, we are fortunate to have considerable experience and skills

• Development of PSPs has increased capacity and coverage

• But there are also opportunities to improve things further

Working in partnership in criminal justice

• Am I a support worker? • Am I a befriender? • Is a volunteer a mentor? • Is mentoring all of the above?

Queries on Mentoring

• Caring • Support • Help reach potential • Empower

Essential Ingredients of Mentoring

“a one to one relationship where practical support and monitoring is provided by

mentors on a wide range of issues relating to offending behaviour”

What is Mentoring?

• Number of referrals to date: 52 (10 prison based, 42 community based)

• 1 x Female, 51 x Male • Service Users engaging: 17 • Cases closed: 16 (1 custody,1 unplanned,7

planned, 7 non-engagement) • 7 identified currently awaiting engagement • 8 waiting list • 1 not engaging, 3 awaiting response,

How are we doing?

• How learning is shared across partners • How learning drives redesign and improvements • Are communities ready to receive prisoners who

are veterans • How do we build capacity across Scotland

What lessons are there for the future?

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THE SUPPORTS OUT THERE! Joining Forces Preventing, Protecting and Prospering 4 March 2015 Gary Gray Head of Welfare Services Poppyscotland

RESETTLEMENT - A REMINDER

"I never had any help when I left. I just left. I walked out of the front gate with my kit bag with all my civvy stuff, my campaign medal, my book, my red Army discharge book that is and that was it. I walked out of the gate, called a taxi to the station and caught a train back home. That was it. Done."

HOUSING

EMPLOYMENT

Employment Support Grants Employ-Able LifeWorks Criminal Conviction Disclosure Service

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Regimental Associations

ADVICE

ASAP - A SATISFIED CUSTOMER

Hello Sir, Just got a letter in from housing benefit and council tax…… JUST AMAZING MAN!!!!!! seriously!!!!! You have accomplished in one day what [another agency] hasn’t been able to deal with in four months!!!!!! The relief that someone has actually listened to us and more importantly has listened to you is a credit to you. We are absolutely in awe at what you have achieved. One word……… WOW!!!!! God bless you Sir, you have a friend here for life.

COMRADESHIP

HEALTH

THE SUPPORTS OUT THERE! Joining Forces Preventing, Protecting and Prospering 4 March 2015 Gary Gray Head of Welfare Services Poppyscotland

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Aidan Stephen ‘Trained for a Purpose’

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Lt colonel Dave Grossman The psychological cost of learning to kill in War “War is an environment that will psychologically debilitate 98 percent of all who participate in it for any length of time. And that 2 percent well they appear to have already been insane –aggressive psychopaths – before they reached the battlefield.”

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“According to Hoge and colleagues (2007), the key to reducing stigma is to present MENTAL HEALTH care as a routine aspect of health care, similar to getting a check up or an X-ray. Soldiers need to understand that stress reactions-difficulty sleeping, reliving incidents in your mind, and emotional detachment-are common and expected after combat... The soldier should be told that wherever they go, they should remember that what they're feeling is "normal and it's nothing to be ashamed of.” ― Joan Beder, Advances in Social Work Practice with the Military

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Joining Forces Conferece

Panel

Eric Fraser Ian McGregor

DCC Rose Fitzpatrick Tom Halpin

Ian Davidson

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Joining Forces Conferece Thank you for joining us today!