New funding boost for vital youth participation services

Forces Children Scotland is thrilled to announce that it has received generous funding from the Scottish Children’s Lottery and The Christina Mary Hendrie Trust.

These vital contributions of core funding will help continue our overall mission to make Scotland a place where all children and young people from armed forces and veteran families can realise their potential and thrive.

The funds will be used to deliver youth participation activities for children and young people across Scotland over the next year.

These activities bring children and young people from armed forces communities together across Scotland to talk about the pertinent topics that matter and to provide informal peer support, to participate in fun-based games and have their say in co-producing projects, services, and campaigns that aim to enhance empathy and understanding concerning the lives they lead or to call for meaningful change regarding children’s rights and wider policy matters.

These activities serve to:

• To empower this community to participate in decision-making affecting their lives through increased abilities to articulate belonging and improve self-esteem.
• To improve mental health and wellbeing through enhanced self-efficacy, peer connection, and social connectivity.
• To enhance confidence, communication, and leadership skills, to take responsibility, and work as part of a team.
• To increase levels of understanding of change-making, shaping group activities, sharing ideas, and speaking in front of others.

The Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust is a third sector grant providing body for children’s charities across all regions in Scotland. The organisation is committed to making the lives of Scotland’s children better by helping to create a fairer more equal society.

Having received a series of awards from the organisation, we are delighted to continue working together to support their mission to invest in projects that provide effective intervention for those in need.

The Christina Mary Hendrie Trust has provided support to charities across Scotland and Canada since its foundation in 1972, helping to meet the needs of the youth, the elderly, and veterans.

Forces Children Scotland is proud to establish a new funding relationship with the Christina Mary Hendrie Trust, who presently support Scottish charities, The Yard, Youth Employment Services, Teapot Trust, and The Super Power Agency.

Gary Seath, Marketing, Communications and Development Manager at Forces Children Scotland, said:

“We are sincerely grateful to both the Scottish Children’s Lottery and the Christina Mary Hendrie Trust for their generous funding.

At a time when the funding landscape proves highly competitive, we are delighted to secure vital funds to ensure we continue to deliver essential youth participation activities across Scotland for children and young people from armed forces communities.”

Forces Children Scotland extends its heartfelt thanks to the Scottish Children’s Lottery and the Christina Mary Hendrie Trust for their invaluable support.

Together, we are making a lasting difference in the lives of children and young people across Scotland.

Find out more about our Youth Participation Activities.