12.1 Overview

The Veterans' Vocational Rehabilitation Scheme (VVRS) was a voluntary rehabilitation program administered under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) that assisted eligible veterans to find or retain employment. This assistance included vocational support such as vocational assessments and interview skills training. The Scheme also offered medical management and psychosocial services to address barriers in other parts of a veteran’s life which were preventing their retention of, or return to, employment.

The Scheme was intended to assist the transition from military to civilian employment for members of the Australian Defence Force and members of peacekeeping forces, who may have had difficulty in obtaining and/or holding civilian employment. This included those who have been out of the military for some time and who required income support and benefit protection while participating in a vocational rehabilitation scheme.