Gary Seath 5 days ago
The Ruby Boots Project is a school-based peer group mentorship initiative for children and young people from armed forces communities in Edinburgh and Fife.
Young people generated the idea behind the project to connect peers whose parents are preparing to or have recently transitioned from military to civilian life with those who have already made this change in their respective schools.
These peer support groups provide a much-needed sense of belonging, understanding, and community for these young people, and that’s where Heather comes in to make this wonderful project happen and expand its reach into wider schools.
The project is presently funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.
In this article, learn more about the person behind the role, Heather’s motivations for applying, her personal experiences as a forces child, and message to children and young people who could benefit from this project.
“I’m full of energy and embrace a challenge, you will find me hiking up a hill, at a yoga class, reading a book, at a dance class with friends, or researching the latest psychology topics. I enjoy the little things that bring us joy, with a recent love for jigsaws and crosswords… maybe highlighting my satisfaction in seeing results and problem-solving. However, I love to learn new things, so who knows what next week brings!”
“Having grown up in a service family, and now a proud member of a veterans family, I have been following the work of Forces Children Scotland for a while. My previous role as an employability advisor for underprivileged youth fine-tuned many skills that are relevant for the Ruby Boots Coordinator position, so to combine this with my first-hand experience felt like a jigsaw coming together, and we all know I love a jigsaw!
“I also bring with me an educational foundation with a first-class BA (hons) in Psychology, the COSCA Counselling Skills certificate, a post-graduate certificate in Inclusive Curriculum Design, trained in effective Suicide Intervention Support (ASIST), as well as being a qualified Yin Yoga instructor.
“Moreover, I previously co-founded a widening access society with the University of Strathclyde to support Service Family Students, demonstrating my long-standing commitment to this cause. The Ruby Boots project is something that I wish I had when I went through this exact transition myself. I am absolutely delighted to be a part of something great, and to be fulfilling this need for the next generation of forces children and young people.”
“Until the age of 12, my dad served in the Army, and we followed him post-to-post. I am really grateful for the experiences I had travelling, having a unique awareness of the world around me, and being part of a unique community… but of course, there were challenges too.
“These were especially prevalent when I joined civilian schools and began my integration into non-military community. Every forces child and young person has a different experience, even within the same family, but I understand many elements of life as a Forces Child and I am so excited to use this unique experience as an advantage to the project.”
Heather, said:
“Sometimes when you transition from service to veteran family, it can feel isolating and like no one understands. But let me tell you this, you are not alone. The Ruby Boots project can find fellow Forces children and young people to provide friendship and a unique understanding during this time.
“Our education may be mismatched, our civilian peers may struggle to understand, our family may look a little different, but a problem shared is a problem halved.”
If you are a young person or parent from a serving or veteran family, or an educator supporting this community, and would like to know more about our Ruby Boots Project, please contact Heather by clicking the button below.
Contact Heather
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