BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT
In 2019 the UK’s leading veterans’ mental health charity Combat Stress marked its centenary. In doing so it partnered with the UK’s leading reminiscence arts charity, Age Exchange to create a veteran led programme of activities aiming to further raise the profile of mental health and to de-stigmatise mental illness. The centenary programme included: a film made by veterans about their military service and experience of PTSD and other mental health conditions, a podcast series, a centenary publication, and a series of schools projects. The last of these outputs - the school’s projects - enabled pupils to work with veterans and hear about their personal experiences of military service, combat, trauma and treatment. Pupils also heard from the families of veterans living with PTSD and how their condition impacted upon partners and children. Inspired by their experience of the veterans’ and their family’s reminiscence the pupils worked with Age Exchange to create this on-line resource for UK secondary school pupils to use, in order to learn about mental well-being through experiencing the life experience of veterans.

Background to Combat Stress
For over a century Combat Stress has been helping former servicemen and women deal with issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. Today it provides specialist treatment and support for veterans from every service and conflict, focusing on those with complex mental health issues related to their military service. In the 100 years since the charity was founded, treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has changed enormously. But the mental health problems that former servicemen and women can face are as relevant as ever.

In 1918, the human cost of the First World War was all too obvious. Millions had given their lives during the conflict and thousands returned from the trenches with horrific injuries. But not all of the wounds veterans faced were physical – many who returned struggled to leave the battlefield behind mentally. On the frontline, the constant sound of heavy artillery, lack of sleep and exposure to injury and death had led many soldiers to develop shell shock, what we now call PTSD. The thousands of servicemen who returned home traumatised received little or no sympathy from the public. Many were locked away indefinitely in war hospitals and asylums, while others suffered in silence at home. But the founders of Combat Stress believed that veterans could be helped to overcome their trauma through rehabilitation. Striking out against the contempt and misunderstanding of the era around mental health, Combat Stress began fundraising to introduce residential homes where veterans could live and work, helping them to start rebuilding their lives. By 1920, the charity’s first recuperation home was opened on Putney Hill in South West London.

Over time Combat Stress developed its services, evolving to meet the changing needs of veterans. While a lot has changed over the last century, one thing remains the same: how vital Combat Stress’ support is to the veteran community. Today, a significant number of men and women leave the Armed Forces and develop trauma-related mental health problems. Without the right help, their lives can become desperate. Anxiety, anger, depression, isolation and, in some cases, suicide – all can tear families apart, destroy relationships and devastate lives. Many veterans hit rock bottom before seeking the help of Combat Stress – they often tell the charity, ”Combat Stress saved my life”. Combat Stress’ unique specialist treatment can transform lives, helping veterans with complex mental health problems to tackle the past and take on the future.

As one of Combat Stress’ occupational therapists said recently, "Combat Stress speaks veteran. That is why veterans describe meeting us as finally ‘coming home’".

• Unwanted memories of past events popping into your head
• Upsetting dreams about difficult situations that have happened
• Staying away from things that remind you of past events
• Feeling on edge and as if you can't relax
• Difficulties with emotions such as anger

• how to talk about their emotions accurately and sensitively, using appropriate vocabulary

• that happiness is linked to being connected to others

• how to recognise the early signs of mental wellbeing concerns

• common types of mental ill health (e.g. anxiety and depression)

• how to critically evaluate when something they do or are involved in has a positive or negative effect on their own or others’ mental health

• the benefits and importance of physical exercise, time outdoors, community participation and voluntary and service-based activities on mental wellbeing and happiness