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National Veterans Voice

National Veterans' Voice

Providing an impartial perspective on the direction and operation of the Charity

Our National Veterans’ Voice

Our National Veterans’ Voice (NVV) acts as a co-production channel between Combat Stress and our veteran community. Every member of the NVV is a veteran who has used (or is currently using) our services. The NVV allows veterans to be involved by providing an informed yet impartial perspective on the direction and operation of the Charity. This is one of the ways that we demonstrate the value we place upon the lived experience of veterans with mental health challenges and how those views shape the charity.

There are eight veteran core members of the NVV but a wider group of veterans engage through the NVV channel on a wide range of co-production projects. Since its official formation at the end of 2020, co-production with this group has really developed, becoming more interwoven into the Charity as a whole.

The NVV has been involved in a large number of different areas including, for example, senior appointment recruitment, content creation for the online self-help resources, redesign of art therapy materials, and new treatment programmes.

Veteran Davina

Veteran Davina, Chair of our National Veterans’ Voice group

“Veterans with lived experience, working with the experts in mental health, make the Charity veteran-centric. This is a positive step forward for the future of Combat Stress, the wonderful staff within it, and the veterans and families that use the service. I am proud and honoured to be the Chair of the National Veterans’ Voice.”
NVV - Dave Aitken

Dave Aitken, Head of Engagement and Social Care

“At Combat Stress, we pride ourselves on being veteran-centric. We have many veteran members of staff, many staff have a loved one who has served, and we have several employees who accessed our treatment in their recovery process. We’re looking to ensure the veteran is embedded in the DNA of our Charity. Our National Veterans Voice gives our veteran community an equal voice in the development, evolution and delivery of our services.”

Want to get involved?

Getting involved in our National Veterans’ Voice group is open to anyone currently using our services. We’re keen to hear from veterans who want to be part of co-production projects, who want to discuss new ideas or initiatives or who want to give positive feedback. (If you have a complaint we respectfully ask that you use our complaints procedure). If you are not a veteran using our services but would like to contact our National Veterans’ Voice group for another reason, please do get in contact also.