Attend Upcoming Training to Become a Veteran Peer Sponsor?

VA is seeking anyone interested in becoming a Veteran peer sponsor and will conduct a
peer sponsor training session on November 8 where they can learn more.

Research shows (see https://rly.pt/QUERI) rates among Veterans are highest during the military-to-civilian life transition (see https://rly.pt/QUERI) . To combat this, VA’s National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships (HAP) at https://rly.pt/VAHAP leads the Veteran Sponsor Partnership Network (VSPN) initiative (https://rly.pt/VSPN) in collaboration with VA’s Veteran Sponsorship Initiative (VSI).

Composed of several non-monetary VA partnerships with community organizations, VSPN partners help Veterans and their families with housing, education and employment. VSPN partners also pair Veterans with sponsors who can assist with the military-to-civilian transition.

Although sponsoring a transitioning service member can seem daunting, the VA VSI training helps prepare peer sponsors to support service members, their families and the community. This includes helping Veterans engage with VA in the community they’ve moved to, in addition to local community resources that support their health, careers and more.

“VSI facilitates educational programming and training centered around suicide prevention,” said Dr. Natesha Smith-Isabell, who provides oversight of VA’s peer sponsorship training. “Onward Ops, in partnership with VSI, enrolls current active duty service members, and then matches them with VA certified peer sponsors to build a supportive foundation before they transition out of the military.”

Onward Ops is one of more than a dozen VSPN partners. This nationwide program helps all service members regardless of branch of service by creating a personalized transition plan for enrollees with peer sponsorship as a cornerstone of the system.

Dr. Smith-Isabell and the VSI team, in conjunction with Onward Ops and the University
of Texas at Austin’s Institute for Military and Veteran Family Wellness, will conduct a peer sponsor training session in November for anyone interested in becoming a Veteran peer sponsor. The training will be held Nov. 8, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT both online and in-person (John. W. Hargis Hall, 1823 Red River St, Austin, TX 78712).

Service members, Veterans and military family members can also be effective peer sponsors for those going through the military-to-civilian transition, but no military experience is required to be a sponsor. Anyone committed to helping Veterans integrate smoothly into civilian communities is encouraged to volunteer with a VSPN partner and become a sponsor.

To register for the training, sign up at https://rly.pt/OnwardOps. Get more information about the VSPN initiative at https://rly.pt/VSPN