We are excited to launch the Royal Caledonian Education Trust’s first-ever Manifesto ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections in May.
Our Manifesto has been shaped by the voices of Armed Forces young people from across Scotland who are asking the Scottish Parliament to consider a number of ways they can better support many unique challenges faced by young people from serving personnel and veteran families.
There are many aspects of life as an Armed Forces young person which are hugely positive and rewarding, however, the deployment of loved ones, regular relocations and subsequent disruption to educational attainment and friendships are unique challenges which are not widely understood and recognised in civilian spheres.
Scottish Parliamentary candidates can learn more about the lives of Armed Forces young people by listening to a series of audio clips embedded within our Manifesto, which serve to introduce our four themes; Participation and Engagement, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Education and Learning and Data.
Participation and engagement
Despite the unique context of Armed Forces life, the voices of Armed Forces children and young people are often overlooked in decision-making processes affecting them. We are committed to ensuring meaningful participation and engagement with Armed Forces children and young people through our Youth Participation Project. The project offers opportunities for children and young people to have their say about decisions, policies and services affecting them.
What our Armed Forces young people are asking political parties to consider:
- Ensure targeted engagement with Armed Forces children and young people to ensure their voices are heard in decision-making processes affecting them.
Mental health and wellbeing
High levels of mobility and coping with parental deployment can pose potential challenges to the mental health and wellbeing of Armed Forces children and young people not shared by their civilian peers. Frequent mobility can also give rise to challenges in accessing support. Our recently launched Your Mind Matters Project in partnership with SAMH is working directly with Armed Forces children and young people to develop a new mental health and wellbeing support service to help address these challenges.
What our Armed Forces young people are asking political parties to consider:
- Ensure no Armed Forces children or young people experience disadvantage in accessing mental health support and services due to belonging to an Armed Forces family.
Education and learning
Armed Forces children and young people can face challenges in their education and learning due to frequent school moves and coping with parental deployment. Our Education Programme works to support education professionals across all stages of education to understand and meet the needs of Armed Forces children and young people.
What our Armed Forces young people are asking political parties to consider:
- Ensure the workforce supporting children and young people’s learning are trained in supporting the needs of Armed Forces pupils.
Data
There are currently no nationally collected and published statistics on Armed Forces children and young people. The lack of data makes it difficult to identify, understand, and respond to their needs.
What our Armed Forces young people are asking political parties to consider:
- Ensure collection and publication of national data on Armed Forces children and young people in Scotland including numbers, geographical location, and educational, health and wellbeing outcomes.
Together with Armed Forces children and young people, we look forward to engaging with Scotland’s political parties to take forward the actions set out within our Manifesto.
