This month we’re focusing on the impact of AFF and why the evidence you give us is so important.
It might seem like we are always asking you questions through surveys, feedback forms after enquiries and social media posts, but there is a good reason for it.
AFF works for you as an independent charity supporting Army serving personnel and families, and every piece of information we receive from you is put to good use.
AFF is an evidence-based organisation. This means we use the information from our surveys and feedback to provide compelling and rational evidence to the people who need to hear it.
Truthful, unbiased and balanced
Everything AFF does is based on the information we receive from you. We use clear methodology and research techniques to provide evidence that is truthful, unbiased and balanced at all times.
We never rely on anecdotal evidence, so we can be sure that what we are telling people are the real stories from our serving personnel and families.
Head of Policy Rachel Smith said: “If we are asking you for your experience of a specific aspect of Army life, it has been brought to our attention that there is an evidence gap, and we need to find out if this really is an issue that affects our families.”
What do we do with our evidence?
As an independent charity, AFF is not part of the chain of command. It has a unique position – a place where organisations such as the Army, MOD, other charities and funders regularly ask for our data.
We speak to DIO and housing contractors such as Pinnacle, and other Government organisations like the Department for Work and Pensions, the Home Office, the Department for Education, the NHS and local authorities. As a result, we are in a really strong position to convey the experiences of Army personnel and their families.
If your enquiry is something that AFF can advocate for on your behalf, we have those links into organisations that can bring families a resolution.
What does providing evidence achieve?
AFF is instrumental in helping achieve policy change to enable Army families to live better.
Rachel explained: “Using the information and evidence you have provided, we have been able to highlight to the Army/MOD where a policy is unclear or has inadvertently disadvantaged family life in many areas.
“We can only continue to do this if you talk to us and tell us about the issues that are affecting you.”
We understand you might be concerned about giving us your evidence, but we treat your personal data with the utmost respect, always strictly following the requirements of our own privacy policy and UK GDPR. All our data is anonymised in a way that means you can never be personally identified.
Should you decide you want to share your story with AFF and give permission for us to use it, we will always check it represents you in the way you would like.
So next time you see “yet another feedback survey”, if it’s from AFF then we really do need your help, not only to improve lives for Army Service personnel and families now, but to improve AFF as an organisation so we are ready to meet that need, whatever it might be.
POSTED ON 2 APRIL 2025
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