YMCA Plymouth & Discovery College

Employment support to members of the Armed Forces Community: o Offer work experience and guaranteed interview schemes to Veterans seeking employment. o Offer additional leave to Cadet Force Adult Volunteers to help them carry out training. o Engage with the Career Transition Partnership. o Offer work experience opportunities to the Wounded, Injured and Sick. o Consider ways in which remote-working solutions might benefit the mobile Armed ForcesCommunity, especially partners and spouses. o Offer opportunities at Board / Trustee level to help shape YMCA & Discovery College strategicdirection - currently have a ex-service member on YMCA Board of Trustees Communications, engagement and outreach: o Promote the Armed Forces Covenant and YMCAs support for the Armed Forces Communityto our staff, customers/service users, supply chains and the wider public. o Support or promote Armed Forces events, such as Armed Forces day annually on PlymouthHoe, the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance activities. o Use the Covenant logo in YMCA communications and marketing. o Create a dedicated Armed Forces page on our website. o Appoint an Armed Forces Champion (Health & Wellbeing Ambassador) within YMCAsorganisation to act as a focal point for supporting our Armed Forces staff and Community. o YMCA and Discovery College will engage with any local Armed Forces presence, such as localArmy units, reservist units, RAF stations and naval bases (i.e. HMNB Devonport / HMS Drake). o Develop relationships and work collaboratively with other organisations supporting theCovenant and the Armed Forces Community within Plymouth (i.e. Plymouth City Council). Commercial: o YMCA will offer commercial discounts for Armed Forces Community via the Defence DiscountService, such as concessionary gym memberships. o Waive cancellation fees for armed forces members who get posted overseas, or to areasoutside YMCA service provision. o Ensure the Armed Forces Community has fair access to YMCA services and is not put at adisadvantage by their service, for example as a result of their high mobility. Health: o YMCA will offer free access to their facilities for staff members and volunteers from the armed forces who support our organisation o YMCA will offer concessionary access to our leisure and sports facilities for members of the Armed Forces Community (i.e. Gym Memberships). Education: o Discovery College will allocate Post-16 college places in advance of family arriving in Plymouth following the standard college recruitment process (interview / tour etc.) o Discovery College will continue to offer and promote their post-16 Public Service courses, highlighting career routes and opportunities within the Armed Forces see https://discoverycollege.co.uk/courses/public-services/ o Promote training and further/higher education opportunities for Service leavers, ex-Service personnel and their families. Civic responsibilities: o Both YMCA Staff and Discovery College students will pledge to promote and take part in remembrance, armed forces day (annually on Plymouth Hoe) and other armed forces ceremonial activities. o All armed forces engagements (regardless of scale) will be photographed, reported and promoted to all YMCA audiences, utilising our social media channels and newsletters, with a reach of 18,000+ users.