How does Deptherapy help Veterans?
Veterans’ Foundation is proud to help fund Deptherapy with grants. Deptherapy is a charity who are committed to training Veterans to become qualified divers. Once trained, Deptherapy can take Veterans on specialist trips such as their trip to Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia. This trip was planned in order to collect important ecological data in the area that could only be collected by diving to a shipwreck.
Deptherapy uses the RAID programme to train Veterans to dive safely. The charity encourages Veterans with limb amputations to sign up no matter how unrealistic being a diver may sound. The Deptherapy team are fully qualified and have been trained further to ensure that they can teach people who have suffered severe disabilities and/or mental disorders as a result of service.
Once a Veteran is taken on by Deptherapy, it is no walk in the park. The training is rigorous and requires a total commitment by the Veteran. Before being trained to dive, new personnel have to prove their swimming capabilities by swimming 200 metres unaided before passing tests based on the RAID programme.
Many Veterans struggle once they leave the Armed Forces. Slotting back into civilian life after the unique nature of life in the Armed Forces is simply unrealistic. There are many challenges that together, seem unsurmountable to many ex ex-servicemen and women. As many charities that are devoted to supporting Veterans have found, building a community around a Veteran helps them establish a new identity and gives them a strong foundation from which to carve out a new place in the world for themselves. Deptherapy does exactly this. Both staff and Veterans are physically pushing themselves forward together, this naturally builds a camaraderie - something that often Veterans are missing from their time serving. This sense of brotherhood and community can be vital steps on the road to ensuring Veterans are not left out in the cold once they leave service. Staff are also on-hand to provide practical support and advice when needed.
Former Royal Engineer and triple amputee Josh explains his experience with Deptherapy: "The Deptherapy expedition was not easy, or a holiday, by any stretch of the imagination. Diving 3/4 times a day was physically tiring. That is by no means a moan, more of an example of a challenging programme that pushes blokes physically and mentally. Which in my opinion, blokes need and should crave - being taken out of their comfort zone."
How can you help?
Veterans’ Foundation has given generous grants totalling over £4 million to over 250 UK based military charities. We can only give these grants because of the generosity of our supporters. You can help us continue our work by donating today or by playing the National Veterans’ Lottery today.
