Wrapping up the Ruby Boots summer programme with custom wellbeing boxes

Here is some feedback from the Ruby Boots summer sessions, plus practical tips for making wellbeing boxes with children and young people – or anyone who would benefit!

Why make a wellbeing box?

This summer, Ruby Boots offered a series of peer support sessions in both Edinburgh and Leuchars for groups with ages ranging from 8-18. This programme facilitated meaningful conversations and social-emotional learning for children and young people facing the transition to civilian life.

To end on a high note, we created wellbeing boxes, pulling together a lasting resource for self-care. The children and young people taking part, had autonomy to choose how the box would be most useful to them in the future, whether as worry box or a gratitude box.

By making the boxes together, we ensured every child and young person left with a unique and relevant toolkit to support them after the programme, reminding them to take time for themselves and put the wellbeing strategies they learnt into practice.

Although we planned this activity for 8 – 18-year-olds, wellbeing boxes could support people of all ages during uncertain or challenging times. If you feel inspired by this idea, please let us know!

What goes in a wellbeing box

While every young person left with something unique, here are the core elements we included in these boxes:

1. Mini Jenga: The group wrote words that would inspire positive emotions on Jenga blocks, encouraging play while reminding them of what makes them feel good.
2. Notebook: Each young person chose a coloured notebook to decorate and use for reflecting on their feelings, creative expression, or as a gratitude journal.
3. Programme Booklet: Heather, our project coordinator, created booklets reviewing the wellbeing strategies learnt by the group throughout the programme and included a personal acknowledgement of their strengths and achievements.
4. Personal Items: We invited the group to think about anything else they may want to add to their boxes at home, for example: their colouring book and pencils, a novel they are reading, fidget toys, tea bags, chocolate, fluffy socks, and more!
5. Zero-Waste Packaging: These items went into a cardboard box with upcycled shredded paper. The group decorated these boxes with stickers, printouts, and individual artwork.

Keys to success: This activity benefits from nurturing autonomy and creative expression, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. To prepare for the session, Heather printed out materials that would engage each group and reflect their unique interests, including favourite films, sports, hobbies, and more.

Impact of the programme

We’re pleased to share some results from the feedback we received at the end of the programme.

All participants reported gaining a better understanding of how to support their loved ones, and the majority also reflected on learning something new about themselves, including:

• ‘Not bottling up your feelings’
• ‘I am sad to leave the army’
• ‘I’m good at helping people feel better’
• ‘I am not alone’

We heard from participants about the need for support that recognises their forces identity: ‘It means to me finding and exploring about what it means to be a civvy since my dad was in the army since I was born’.

Children and young people also affirmed the importance of support for the transition to civvy street:

• ‘You never know how children feel about leaving the army’
• ‘So you understand what’s happening and being prepared’

Everyone who took part is planning to stay involved with Ruby Boots, and parents also appreciated these sessions, with one telling us: ‘This is such a relief for us!’

We look forward to offering continued wellbeing support for children and young people throughout the school year.

Learn more about The Ruby Boots Project

Volunteer with us