Army veteran and senior psychologist Dr Rose Jones joins Forward Assist

Decorated career, Army roots: Forward Assist welcomes Dr Rose Jones.

A huge thank you to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund for their support.

Forward Assist, the North East charity that helps veterans build purposeful, connected lives after service, has appointed Dr Rose Jones as its new Clinical Supervisor and RISE Programme Lead. A huge thank you to the

Rose brings together two things rarely found in one person: she's a veteran herself, and she's a highly experienced clinical psychologist. She joined the Women's Royal Army Corps in 1984, left with an Exemplary conduct record, and went on to a psychology career spanning more than 20 years.

After qualifying with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Newcastle University in 2006, Rose worked across NHS forensic, secure, acute and community services in the North East, mostly at St Nicholas Hospital in Gosforth and in inpatient services in Sunderland. She has supervised psychologists and frontline teams for many years, co facilitated Military Mental Health Awareness training for NHS staff, and led a clinical team at national homelessness charity Home Group. Most recently she worked as an Expert Witness to the Family Court.

Rose will play a key role in RISE, a 12 month project funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust through its CF Rise Pilot programme. The Trust awards grants that support the Armed Forces community, and our grant is helping Forward Assist strengthen its foundations. Through RISE, we are reviewing our governance, developing a three to five year strategic plan, building an impact measurement framework and diversifying our income. Rose will bring her clinical and research expertise to this work. She will help us measure the difference we make and make sure our support for veterans is safe, effective and built to last.

Rose will also provide clinical supervision and reflective practice to the charity's staff and volunteers, making sure the support veterans receive is safe, expert and grounded in best practice.

Steve Doggett, CEO of Forward Assist, said:

"We're delighted to welcome Rose to the team. She has decades of clinical expertise, and she also knows from her own experience what it means to leave the Forces and start again. That combination is rare, and it's exactly what veterans deserve. Rose will help us grow our services while keeping quality and care at the heart of everything we do."

"We're very grateful to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. Their investment in RISE is helping us build a stronger charity, so we can reach more veterans for years to come."Dr Rose Jones said:

"I know what it is to hand back the uniform and work out who you are next. Joining Forward Assist feels like coming full circle. I'm looking forward to working alongside veterans, helping them build on their strengths and find their purpose again."

Rose's appointment is part of Forward Assist's continued growth, alongside new community activities including the Egg Banjo Club breakfast, the Stand Easy weekly group and outdoor projects run from the charity's North East Veterans Hub.

Find out more: If you would like to find out more about our charity or organisations interested in partnering with Forward Assist, can contact enquiries@forward-assist.com or visit www.forward-assist.com.