Moving from Understanding to Action
Building on previous mapping of services supporting the Armed Forces community in North Yorkshire, with the aim of co-producing a shared vision and identifying practical mechanisms to support its implementation. Using a community-based participatory approach, 71 stakeholders from across public, private, voluntary, and military sectors took part in a series of three workshops. These workshops focussed on:
- Reflecting on the findings from Phase 1.
- Developing a collective vision.
- Identifying barriers to change.
- Exploring practical solutions that could support implementation.
What We Learned
- Improved awareness and understanding of the Armed Forces community
- Better coordination across services and sectors
- Multi-channel communication across formal and informal networks
- A lifecycle approach to engagement, particularly during transition points
Challenges to implementation were primarily system-level, including limited awareness, fragmented provision, and short-term funding constraints. In response, participants codeveloped and prioritised a set of potential solutions. Of these, the following were ranked highest in terms of priority:
- A Front Door / One-Stop Shop to improve access to support
- A Centre of Evidence to strengthen coordination and reduce duplication
- Military Community Champions to build understanding and trusted relationships
Together, these proposed solutions represent a joined-up, system-wide approach, addressing access, coordination, and lived experience. The next phase of research will focus on progressing these solutions into delivery through pilot projects, policy integration, and wider dissemination of findings
The Shared Vision
Through this collaborative process, participants developed a shared ambition:
“Our vision is to establish North Yorkshire as a region where members of the Armed Forces Community have the information, resources and support they require to thrive in their local communities.”