Royal Caledonian Education Trust

The Royal Caledonian Education Trust is delighted to announce it has received £1000.00 from Persimmon Homes’ Building Futures Fund to support children and young people, from serving personnel, reservist and veteran families across Scotland overcome unique challenges to education and learning.

The Building Futures Fund will deliver more than £1million to good causes across England, Scotland, and Wales, which aims to support community groups working with under-18s across three categories – education & arts, health and sport. Three initiatives will go on to win £100,000 through a national online public vote and the winners will be named at a gala dinner for finalists in November. 

Having entered the Education and Arts category, The Royal Caledonian Education Trust has received £1000.00 from Persimmon Homes’ East of Scotland Division who have been selected as one of one hundred and twenty-eight bonus grant awards which will be shared with applicants across the business’ thirty-two regional divisions across the UK, prior to the national online public vote.

Laura Still, Sales Director of Persimmon Homes East Scotland, said: 

“We are delighted to be supporting The Royal Caledonian Education Trust and its outstanding work with children and young people from serving personnel, reservist and veteran families within the local community and beyond. It is clear there are a number of unique challenges these children face and we’re delighted to support the charity continue its work to support their education and learning.”

The funds will support the charity to expand the reach of its education programme to further schools across Scotland to co-produce an enhanced provision of learning resources to assist education professionals working with armed forces young people to better understand unique challenges faced and respond effectively to meeting their specific needs when its comes to education and learning.

Gary Seath from the Royal Caledonian Education Trust said: 

“We offer our sincere gratitude to Persimmon’s Building Futures Fund, whose generosity will support us to continue in our work to amplify a range of unique challenges our young people face when it comes to education and learning, as well as transform attitudes in those whom support or make important decisions about their future through a range of innovate projects.

“We are only charity within Scotland dedicated to working directly with children and young people, from serving personnel, reservist and veteran families, to co-produce projects and services to better understand and respond effectively to unique challenges experienced with regard to mental health and wellbeing, education and learning, youth participation and the pursuit of positive futures. 

“There are many positive experiences to being in an Armed Forces family who, compared to civilian peers, can grasp a greater opportunities to travel, absorb a range of cultures and meet a greater diversity of people. These experiences equip our young people with a unique sense of determination, resilience and confidence to realise their potential and thrive.

“However, deployment and uncertainty concerning loved ones, living with a family member with life-changing physical or psychological wounds, regular relocations and disrupted friendships can present many unique challenges to Armed Forces young people, which can significantly impact mental health and wellbeing, education and learning as well as so much more.

“Armed Forces young people will, on average, move at least five times  during their studies which presents a series of unique challenges to education and learning; such adapting to new school environments, teaching staff and classmates. In addition regular deployments of loved ones can lead to significant stress and anxiety which can reduce the ability to focus on studies.”