OCS Group Supports Veteran Employment with The Poppy Factory

• Content
• People
• OCS Group Supports Veteran Employment with The Poppy Factory

26 October 2021

OCS Group UK, a UK facilities management company and part of the OCS Group, has announced its partnership with The Poppy Factory, the employment support charity for veterans with health conditions, helping veterans overcome barriers and move into sustainable employment.

The partnership, which started in Spring 2021, will see OCS expand its delivery of the People into Work programme. Developed and funded by the OCS Foundation, the programme supports local people into sustainable employment, working with 17 partners across the UK.

Working closely with The Poppy Factory enables OCS to reach out to those it can support into work opportunities, and the charity’s employment consultants deliver added wraparound support for people as they move through the recruitment, onboarding and employment process.

In the same way, managers are provided with additional support through both the People into Work team at OCS and through contact with The Poppy Factory, ensuring a holistic approach to employing people who would otherwise find the transition into work very challenging.

Navigating Barriers to Opportunity

Veterans supported through the partnership may experience many different barriers, such as PTSD and other mental health conditions, social isolation, homelessness and inexperience of civilian employment.

Phil enjoyed a long career in the Army and then the police. After considering retirement and his next steps, the isolation of Covid-19 left Phil feeling like he wanted to be part of a team again. Through employment support from The Poppy Factory and The OCS Foundation’s People Into Work programme, Phil is now enjoying a new part-time job that has helped him find the right work-life balance.

“When my pension matured, I left and planned to take a year’s break, but then Covid-19 hit," said Phil. "I knew Jane at The Poppy Factory through volunteering work I’d done, and I asked if she could help find a job with no hassle that I could do part-time. Through OCS I was able to start a cleaning job. The building I work in is brand new and very modern, so it’s a good environment to be in."

“By working with partners like The Poppy Factory, OCS can better support local people who face significant barriers to entering and succeeding in the workplace,” commented Bob Taylor, OCS Group Chief Executive Officer, UK, Ireland & Middle East.

"By providing growth opportunities and helping them to enter and remain in employment, we are enhancing the social, economic and environmental conditions in the communities in which we work.”

“Joining forces with OCS has already helped change the lives of veterans, who have welcomed the opportunity to show just how much expertise and experience they can contribute to civilian employers, given the right support network, said Tom Adam, The Poppy Factory’s Policy and Impact Manager. We are excited at the scale of the opportunity that this partnership represents, opening up many new opportunities for those in the ex-Forces community who most need support.”

Social Responsibility

Earlier this month, OCS Group launched its Global Sustainability Strategy which focuses on two key areas where, given its operations, it can make a real and impactful difference, reducing carbon emissions and advancing social mobility. Today’s announcement builds on the UK business’s ongoing global sustainability efforts in one of two core areas, advancing social mobility.

ThisWeekinFM is hosting a not-for-profit event on Thursday 28th October from 1pm to 5pm exclusively for those that have left the Armed Forces and seeking a new challenge.

The aim of this event is to promote the huge number of opportunities for Service Leavers within the Facilities Management, Built Environment, Property, Workplace and related sectors & why it is such a good fit for them.

Picture: Phil speaking to a member of The Poppy Factory, image credit – The Poppy Factory.

Article written by Bailey Sparkes | Published 26 October 2021

Share

Related Articles