An ex-serviceman’s story
Having been in the military for 25 years it teaches you many qualities that would make you a fantastic foster parent. These include teamwork, self-discipline, patience, communication, leadership and people management, to name just a few…
When you leave the armed forces, finding employment can be tough. While there is a wealth of career paths open to servicemen and women, the idea of fostering vulnerable children and young people as a career is often overlooked.
Fostering may seem far removed from a life on the frontline, but military personnel often have fantastic transferable skills that they can utilise to offer a loving and secure home to vulnerable children and young people, and because fostering is increasingly seen as a profession in its own right, it can also provide you with a good income and great training opportunities.
Having already learned how to diffuse difficult situations and use practical ways to manage behaviours, as an ex-serviceman/woman, you often achieve objectives against all odds. Being in the forces means you will have had to think on your feet and work with others as a team, as well as adopting a certain sensitivity and diplomacy.
This training and serving in the forces are often an ideal foundation for a caring role, particularly helping guide older children and teenagers through life choices and preparing them for adulthood.
For every challenge you will be presented with when fostering, the reward of knowing that you have played a part in helping that child experience a safe environment where they feel supported and listened to, always triumphs. Becoming a foster parent means you can play a critical role in helping a young person recover from their bad experiences and develop a positive sense of themselves.
Being in the forces is all about supporting one another, working as a team and looking out for each other. Being a foster parent works on the same principles. For ex-service personnel, mentoring young people to develop key skills, confidence and motivation can come as second nature.
Foster carers are strong advocates for the young people they care for; always on their side, fighting for their rights and making sure their views are heard, but fostering is also about protecting young people so that they can recover from trauma and thrive and succeed in all aspects of life.
In my experience fostering has given me a second career, after the military and a new purpose in life. When one career ends, another one opens.
Fostering after military life can provide renewed purpose that plays directly into experiences of teamwork and dedication to training and personal development.
If you are ex-miltary and would like to understand how you could benefit from a career in fostering, get in touch for a no obligation discussion – Contact us
