TWO powerful films and a bank of digital stories have been launched to raise awareness of what life is like for Armed Forces schoolchildren in Wales.
Pupils, parents and staff at Llantwit Major High School and Prendergast Community Primary School have made the films, with support from the MOD, Army Families Federation, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council and Storyworks UK.
The initiative has been co-ordinated by the Welsh Local Government Association’s (WLGA) Supporting Service Children in Education Cymru project (SSCE Cymru).
A snapshot of Service life
Speaking at the launch event, Cabinet Secretary for Education Kirsty Williams AM, said: “We hope these online films and digital stories will help schools and local authorities understand the circumstances that Service children sometimes find themselves.”
Cllr Brendan Toomey, WLGA spokesperson added: “These powerful films give a snapshot of what life can be like for the children of serving personnel.
“These videos and resources can be used as a training and teaching aid for educational professionals and for other Service children in Wales and beyond to hear the experiences of other young people with serving parents.”
Storyworks UK also ran workshops with pupils that would allow them to share their own stories about what it’s like to have a parent in the Armed Forces. These workshops were turned into a bank of two-minute digital stories, capturing the children’s experiences.
AFF helps improve awareness
AFF Regional Manager North, Annabel Ingram, said: “Being involved in the project right from the beginning meant that I was able to contribute on behalf of AFF, and as a parent. I used our evidence from families to help the wider audience understand the unique situation Service children can find themselves in.
“The project has been a huge success and it was fantastic to be part of it. I hope many people view and use the films and digital stories.”
Find out more
All the films will are available on the project website.