New services help military veterans transition back to civilian life

Veterans will be assisted in creating a plan for when they leave. Photo / File

Military veterans will now have access to wraparound services and support to make transitioning back into civilian life easier.

A new partnership between the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association and ELE Group will give people leaving the defence force the resources they need to return to normal life by providing an RSA support adviser.

The adviser will be able to identify any social needs, and ELE Group will help translate military skills into civilian ones, as well as identifying any shortfalls and aiding veterans into new work.

Veteran Sam Platt says there is a disconnect between civilians and military, in that civilians do not understand the mindset of an ex-service person.

"We come from a really high-functioning structured background, one thing I've found a bit difficult is not having that structure I guess ... There's a lot of transferable skills but it's just about getting employers to understand those."

Founder and director of ELE Group Brent Mulholland says 10 per cent of those leaving the defence force do so without having a plan – so he hopes to be able to help them develop one.

"There's a lot of transferable skills these people have so it's just about working with them."

Chief executive of the RNZRSA Marty Donoghue said that by working together the two organisations can deliver excellent outcomes for veterans of military service.

"Transitioning out of the military can be a stressful time for both the service person and their family, especially when they don't have a clear plan in place. The RSA has come together with ELE Group to make sure that every aspect of their transition can be considered."