Request for information on signposting and referral of veterans to charitable and community support organisations
SPENCER JONES made this Official Information request to New Zealand Defence Force
Currently waiting for a response from New Zealand Defence Force, they must respond promptly and normally no later than (details and exceptions).
From: SPENCER JONES
Dear New Zealand Defence Force, Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand (Veterans’ Affairs, NZDF)
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request the following information held by Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand (VANZ):
Signposting and referral policies
Please provide copies of any current policies, guidance, standard operating procedures, manuals, or internal documents that relate to:
signposting or referring veterans and/or their families to charitable, community, or non-government organisations for support; and
the circumstances in which VANZ staff are expected, encouraged, or permitted to provide such referrals.
Directories or lists of charities
Please advise whether VANZ:
maintains, uses, or has access to any list, directory, register, or database of charities or community organisations that provide support to military veterans and/or their families; and
if so, please provide a copy of the most current version of that list or directory.
Staff guidance and training
Please provide any guidance, training materials, or internal communications provided to VANZ staff since 1 January 2020 that address:
how to identify external charitable or community support for veterans; and
when and how veterans should be directed to such support.
Absence of signposting mechanisms
If VANZ does not hold any of the information described in items 1–3 above, please confirm:
that VANZ does not maintain a formal signposting or referral framework to veteran-focused charities or community organisations; and
whether consideration has been given to developing such a framework.
Scope and clarification
This request relates to military veterans and their families, and to external charitable or community organisations (including registered charities).
I am not seeking any personal information about individual veterans or VANZ staff.
Section 13 assistance
If any part of this request is considered likely to engage section 18(f) (substantial collation or research), I request assistance under section 13 of the Act so the scope can be refined to enable release.
Public interest
There is a strong public interest in understanding:
how veterans are guided to non-statutory sources of support;
whether veterans are expected to self-navigate charitable assistance; and
whether current arrangements adequately support veterans who are injured, unwell, or otherwise vulnerable.
Format
Where possible, I request the information in electronic form.
Thank you for your assistance.
Kind regards
Spencer Jones
From: Ministerial Services
New Zealand Defence Force
Link: [1]File-List
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Why this information has been requested
Military veterans often engage with Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand (VANZ) at times of significant vulnerability — for example, when dealing with injury, illness, transition out of service, or complex interactions with other agencies such as ACC.
While VANZ administers statutory entitlements under the Veterans’ Support Act 2014, many veterans also rely on **charitable and community organisations** for additional support, including wellbeing, peer support, advocacy, hardship assistance, housing, or family support.
This request seeks to understand **how (or whether) VANZ guides veterans to those non-statutory sources of support**.
What this request is asking
The request asks whether VANZ:
* maintains any **policies, guidance, or standard procedures** for signposting or referring veterans to charitable or community organisations;
* uses or maintains any **directory or list** of veteran-focused charities or support organisations;
* provides **training or guidance** to staff on identifying and referring veterans to external support; or
* has considered developing such mechanisms if they do not currently exist.
The request also explicitly allows for confirmation where such information is **not held**, as that information is itself relevant to understanding how veterans are expected to access help.
Why this matters
For veterans, knowing **where to go for help** can be as important as the help itself. If signposting is informal, inconsistent, or absent, veterans may be left to self-navigate a fragmented landscape of support at precisely the time they are least able to do so.
Understanding whether VANZ has a structured approach to signposting helps inform:
* whether veterans are being supported holistically;
* how statutory and non-statutory support interact in practice; and
* whether there are gaps in visibility or accessibility that could be addressed through improved governance or policy design.
Public interest
There is a clear public interest in transparency around:
* how veterans are supported beyond statutory entitlements;
* whether veterans are expected to locate charitable assistance on their own;
* and how government agencies interface with the charitable sector when supporting a vulnerable population.
This information will be shared with veteran representative organisations and used to support constructive discussion about improving access, navigation, and outcomes for veterans and their families.
*This annotation provides context for readers and does not prejudge the outcome of the request.*
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