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Royal Caledonian Education Trust "Forces Life Project"

  • Submitted by: Alexander Stewart, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
  • Motion reference: S6M-00041

That the Parliament welcomes the news that young people with parents in the armed forces are to develop a board game and comic book, in order to communicate their unique experiences to their civilian peers; understands that the Royal Caledonian Education Trust, which was established in 1815, has received funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to work with children and young people from serving personnel and veteran families across Scotland to develop the board game and comic book resource to raise greater awareness in both their civilian peers and professionals about their unique experiences; further understands that the Forces Life Project will enable these young people to become a force for change, channelling their creativity to develop the board game and comic book resource in order to explore and discuss many of their unique, positive and challenging experiences with their civilian peers, classmates and education professionals; believes that the inspiration to develop the project came from a series of creative workshops delivered by Dekko Comics, which young people from the charity’s Military Youth Forum attended; understands that the workshops encouraged the young people to work in small groups to explore creative ways of expressing their unique experiences in an armed forces family; considers that many of the young people's positive experiences, such as an opportunity to travel, to absorb a range of cultures and meet a diverse range of people, compared to their civilian peers, can enhance their development as young adults, equipping them with a unique sense of determination, resilience and confidence to realise their potential and pursue positive futures; acknowledges that the deployment of, and uncertainty concerning, loved ones, the experiences of living with a family member with life-changing physical or psychological wounds, regular relocations and disrupted friendships, can present many unique challenges to young people with parents in the armed forces, impacting on their mental health, wellbeing, education and learning; further acknowledges that research carried out by the Royal Caledonian Education Trust indicated that 45% of over 600 young people from armed forces families disagreed with the statement that their teachers understood what it is like to have, or have had, a parent in the armed forces, with similar findings collated when the young people were asked about civilian peers and their awareness of additional positive and challenging experiences; notes that the board game and comic book resource will launch in February 2022 and that the Royal Caledonian Education Trust has issued a call to young people, from either a serving personnel or veteran families, to join the Forces Life Project, to contribute their experiences and creativity towards the development of this board game and comic book resource, and wishes everyone involved all the very best with their unique and pioneering endeavours.


Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Jackson Carlaw, Finlay Carson, Sharon Dowey, Murdo Fraser, Meghan Gallacher, Pam Gosal, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Rachael Hamilton, Liam Kerr, Stephen Kerr, Bill Kidd, Fulton MacGregor, Stuart McMillan, Douglas Ross, Paul Sweeney, Sue Webber, Annie Wells, Brian Whittle