YMCA Plymouth & Discovery College
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-10)

We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.

The Armed Forces Covenant

An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families

The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.

Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

1.1 We YMCA Plymouth & Discovery College will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment

2.1 YMCA Plymouth & Discovery College recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- UK Reservists
- Armed Forces Day
- Discounts
- UK Wounded, Injured And Sick
We also pledge the following:

Employment support to members of the Armed Forces Community: o Offer work experience and guaranteed interview schemes to Veterans seeking employment. o Offer additional leave to Cadet Force Adult Volunteers to help them carry out training. o Engage with the Career Transition Partnership. o Offer work experience opportunities to the Wounded, Injured and Sick. o Consider ways in which remote-working solutions might benefit the mobile Armed ForcesCommunity, especially partners and spouses. o Offer opportunities at Board / Trustee level to help shape YMCA & Discovery College strategicdirection - currently have a ex-service member on YMCA Board of Trustees Communications, engagement and outreach: o Promote the Armed Forces Covenant and YMCAs support for the Armed Forces Communityto our staff, customers/service users, supply chains and the wider public. o Support or promote Armed Forces events, such as Armed Forces day annually on PlymouthHoe, the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance activities. o Use the Covenant logo in YMCA communications and marketing. o Create a dedicated Armed Forces page on our website. o Appoint an Armed Forces Champion (Health & Wellbeing Ambassador) within YMCAsorganisation to act as a focal point for supporting our Armed Forces staff and Community. o YMCA and Discovery College will engage with any local Armed Forces presence, such as localArmy units, reservist units, RAF stations and naval bases (i.e. HMNB Devonport / HMS Drake). o Develop relationships and work collaboratively with other organisations supporting theCovenant and the Armed Forces Community within Plymouth (i.e. Plymouth City Council). Commercial: o YMCA will offer commercial discounts for Armed Forces Community via the Defence DiscountService, such as concessionary gym memberships. o Waive cancellation fees for armed forces members who get posted overseas, or to areasoutside YMCA service provision. o Ensure the Armed Forces Community has fair access to YMCA services and is not put at adisadvantage by their service, for example as a result of their high mobility. Health: o YMCA will offer free access to their facilities for staff members and volunteers from the armed forces who support our organisation o YMCA will offer concessionary access to our leisure and sports facilities for members of the Armed Forces Community (i.e. Gym Memberships). Education: o Discovery College will allocate Post-16 college places in advance of family arriving in Plymouth following the standard college recruitment process (interview / tour etc.) o Discovery College will continue to offer and promote their post-16 Public Service courses, highlighting career routes and opportunities within the Armed Forces see https://discoverycollege.co.uk/courses/public-services/ o Promote training and further/higher education opportunities for Service leavers, ex-Service personnel and their families. Civic responsibilities: o Both YMCA Staff and Discovery College students will pledge to promote and take part in remembrance, armed forces day (annually on Plymouth Hoe) and other armed forces ceremonial activities. o All armed forces engagements (regardless of scale) will be photographed, reported and promoted to all YMCA audiences, utilising our social media channels and newsletters, with a reach of 18,000+ users.

2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.