Employment and volunteering opportunities and advice

Job Centre Plus

West Yorkshire job centres have appointed a dedicated Armed Forces Champion. Armed Forces Champions deliver employment support and benefits advice to former servicemen and women, and raise awareness of particular issues faced by veterans and their families.

If you’ve been assessed by an Ministry of Defence medical panel to be in their highest disability category, you’ll be assessed to see if you meet the limited capability for work-related activity criteria based on the MOD medical report (F Med 23) and without the need for a face-to-face assessment. This applies to the initial Work Capability Assessment for ESA and UC claim made at the time of discharge. In these cases, you’ll be placed in either:

  • the limited capability for work group
  • the limited capability for work and work-related activity group.

Jobcentre Plus and the Work and Health Programme

You have access to the full range of Jobcentre Plus services. As well as this, early voluntary entry to the Work and Health Programme is available if you would benefit from intensive, tailored employment support to find work.

This early voluntary entry is available to:

  • veterans
  • reservists
  • partners of veterans (where appropriate)
  • partners of serving members (where appropriate)

Jobcentre Plus (JCP) work coaches discuss the programme with you and if they think you’re eligible and suitable, they’ll refer you to the programme at the most appropriate time in your claim.

Ask your work coach to refer you to the Armed Forces Champion or email northcentral.armedforceschampions@dwp.gov.uk.

RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity

RFEA provide life-long employment support to ex-Service individuals. They work with employers who value ex-Military recruitment and can offer tailored caseworker support to those who may need it.

The RFEA run a number of programmes such as the RFEA Families Programme, offering advice and guidance to serving and ex-serving spouses and partners and the CTP Future Horizons programme for Early Service Leavers who have left the Forces in the first four years.

If you have left the Armed Forces within the last two years, you can still get employment support from the Careers Transition Partnership.

Forces Families Jobs

If you have a partner Serving in the Forces (or who has left within the last 12 months) you can search for employment opportunities at Forces Families Jobs. The site hosts job opportunities from Forces Friendly employers and offers signposting to careers advice and employment support.

Employment opportunities at Bradford Council

To find out about current vacancies at Bradford Council please visit our vacancies page.

The Poppy Factory

The Poppy Factory provides employment support to wounded, sick and injured ex-Service individuals.

Support is available to any individual who has served for one day or more in the Armed Forces or Reserves and consider themselves to have any kind of physical or mental health condition.

The Poppy Factory’s employment consultants are based regionally throughout England and Wales, offering regular one-to-one remote contact with ex-Service individuals.

Website: www.poppyfactory.org

Telephone: 020 8939 1837

Email: support@poppyfactory.org

Remploy

Remploy provides specialist employment and skills support for disabled people and those with health conditions. They aim to transform the lives of disabled people and those experiencing complex barriers to work.

Remploy offer a range of programmes across England, Wales and Scotland.

Website: www.remploy.co.uk

Telephone:  0300 456 8110.

Voluntary organisations and volunteering in the Bradford District

DIVA Bradford

DIVA Bradford brings together information on voluntary and community sector groups from across Bradford District in a single searchable directory.

The site also lists current job vacancies in local voluntary and community groups.

Website: divabradford.org.uk

People Can

People Can offers individuals opportunities to get involved and make a difference in their community, neighbourhood, ward, area or across the district. The website provides information about and access to events, resources and ideas. 

Website: bradfordforeveryone.co.uk/people-can-make-a-difference/