San Francisco, June 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SAN FRANCISCO – There are approximately 18 million veterans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and they make up about 7 percent of the total U.S. population, but accessing the benefits and services they need can be confusing and mired in bureaucratic red tape. A new online library, Toolbox.vet, aims to better equip advocates and providers with the tools they need to connect with veterans of all ages and assist them.
Developed by Swords to Plowshares and funded in partnership with the Walmart Foundation, Toolbox.vet is unique in that it blends written content with podcast audio and video conversations with real veterans and advocates. Nationally recognized for its decades of experience and leadership in building comprehensive programs and resources for low-income, homeless, and at-risk veterans, Swords to Plowshares is uniquely positioned to present this content-rich yet user-friendly curriculum for social workers, counselors, educators, employers, health care professionals, government workers, advocates, providers, and community leaders.
While reading content online, one can also hear real people talk about the issue at hand and the real struggles they face – as well as the solutions they find, thanks to audio files throughout the site and a podcast on Anchor.
“The biggest thing I want providers to understand, especially for veterans, is to provide a good space for vets to be transparent about what happened during service and make it comfortable for them, listen to things that occurred in service and since service,” said one veteran and advocate. “Providing that outlet is important to developing that relationship.”
Chapters are also available in audio formats, making it convenient to learn and build your competencies in veterans advocacy and support. Content is broken up into 10 chapters, examining:
- the history of veterans advocacy
- military-veteran culture
- veteran mental and behavioral health
- veteran physical health
- accessing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits
- trauma-informed care and designing spaces and services to welcome veterans
- supporting unhoused veterans
- education benefits for veterans
- employment and training services for veterans, and
- administrative best practices when assisting veterans
In addition to the online curriculum, Swords to Plowshares will offer free monthly webinars to spotlight key elements of Toolbox.vet such as aging veterans, assisting homeless veterans, understanding VA benefits, and more.
The next webinar will be “Aging Veterans: Addressing the Crisis of Health and Housing Needs,” and held on Thursday, June 17, 2021, 12pm-2pm PT (3pm-5pm ET). Registration is available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aging-veterans-addressing-the-crisis-of-health-and-housing-needs-tickets-157300089803
Audio clip on Toolbox.vet discussing why it is important to learn about military and veteran culture (4 minutes): https://open.spotify.com/episode/6y4Rtr7Nmct70zihSo45Z6?si=VsKzqYfZRuSr-hDe9Og4aA&dl_branch=1
The largest cohort of veterans alive today (6.4 million), served in the Vietnam War era (1964-1975). The second-largest cohort of veterans served during peacetime (4 million). The Iraq and Afghanistan wars were fought by 2.77 million people, and about half of them deployed more than once.
Toolbox.vet was funded with the support of the Walmart Foundation. The Walmart Foundation has provided critical support for Swords to Plowshares services to strengthen the system of care for veterans since 2013.
About Swords to Plowshares
Founded in 1974, Swords to Plowshares is a community-based not-for-profit organization that provides counseling and case management, rapid re-housing and eviction prevention services, employment and training, supportive housing, and legal benefits assistance for low-income, homeless and at-risk veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. Swords to Plowshares promotes and protects the rights of veterans through advocacy, public education, and partnerships with local, state, and national entities. Learn more about the work of Swords to Plowshares, and ways in which you can help, by visiting https://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/