NSI at SHAPE

Last week we had the pleasure of returning to the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Powers in Europe (SHAPE) in Belgium! We worked with talented students from the British, Canadian and Norwegian Sections. Young people worked with our brilliant practitioners Nik Perring and Emily Hopkins, creating thought provoking poetry, speeches and artwork, answering our competition question: How can we prevent future wars? Some of this work can be seen below, including a display made up of origami birds from children in each Section.

On the final day of our visit they presented their work, with a resounding request for adults to listen to young people. The Director General of SHAPE International School, Lutgart Claes, was in Attendance, along with The United Kingdom's National Military Representative (NMR), Air Commodore Steve Kilvington.

A huge thank you to the team at the British Section for their kind hospitality and well done to all pfo the students that took part!

Winner from Sweden in the news!

Check out this article about Endie, winner of the special NSI 10th Anniversary Award in the international competition:

https://vartgoteborg.se/p/goteborgselev-vinnare-i-internationell-konsttavling/

NSI at the RSA

We were delighted to hold our 10th Anniversary Art Exhibition at the Royal Society of Arts in London. There were over 30 pieces of artwork by children from around the world, many of whom were able to come and take part in the event and give a presentation about their work. Click the link below to see all of the pieces of artwork included in the exhibition.

2023/24 International Competition Winners

We are delighted to announce the winners of the international competition below! Congratulations to all who won and well done to each and every young person who participated!

2024 Month of the Military Child Winners

Month of the Military Child is now in its 3rd year in the UK and it has been getting bigger and bigger each year! This year, we received entries from across the UK and from many MOD schools abroad! In the booklet below, you will find all of the winning work.

NSI 10th Anniversary Celebration at Edinburgh Castle

On 29 February 2024 we held a special roadshow at Edinburgh Castle as part of our 10th anniversary celebrations! 

The Governor of Edinburgh Castle, Major General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich, OBE DL VR welcomed students from across Scotland who have participated in NSI programmes to present their creative pieces to dignitaries including community leaders, members of the armed forces and MSPs attending the event. The young people reflected on a wide range of topics; from the centenary of the First World War to more recent conflicts. Military children also shared what it means to be a child of a serving parent. A powerful collective of youth voices, our future leaders and peace-keepers.

The following schools from across Scotland were represented: Gordonstoun School, Larbert High School, Elgin Academy, Lossiemouth High School, Colgrain Primary School, Hermitage Primary School, St. Leonards Primary School and Bell Baxter High School. 

Dr Alice König, who spoke about the importance of including children in the peace building process, stated after the event: 

NSI’s 10th anniversary event at Edinburgh Castle on 29th Feb 2024 captured exactly what this amazing charity is all about. It provided a platform – and a very high-profile audience! – for young people from all over Scotland, to share poetry, speeches, song and art expressing their views on conflict. It was moving to hear children from service families not only finding their own voices but being inspired by NSI to empower others in their community to come together and share and speak. And we also heard such powerful words from junior and senior school students on the costs of war, the legacy of forced displacement and positive paths towards peace. It was clear from conversations at the reception afterwards that their words had hit home with so many different listeners, from military personnel to politicians. This is what NSI is all about: not just helping young people express their views but giving them opportunities to influence and inspire the adults around them, as advocates, activists and experts in their own right. I am amazed by what NSI has achieved over the last ten years, and excited about their potential to continue empowering young people and helping them to shape our future conversations on conflict. Thank you NSI!

Our thanks go to the individuals that made this event such a success. These include the Governor of Edinburgh Castle, Major General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich, OBE DL VR, our President Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence KCVO, CB, CSM, ADC, Hilary Scott and the Castle staff, Piper - Major R T McCrindle SG, our fabulous photographer Jenny Catlow and every parent and teacher that supported the stars of the show. 

We are also incredibly grateful to the Balmoral, Apex and Ritz hotels for their kind contributions.

Guests listen to an Opening speech by lady lucy french obe - Founder & chair of nsi

David and Ekua from Larbert High School presenting their poems

Service child and NSI Young Ambassador Alfie delivering his speech

NSI Workshops and Roadshow in Helmstedt, Germany

In late February we had the pleasure of visiting the town of Helmstedt in Lower Saxony, Germany. This was our third time running poetry workshops in the area, which have taken place over the last two years, led by NSI Poet in Residence Clive Sanders. Helmstedt is twinned with Clive’s home town of Chard in Somerset and has a fascinating history, especially in regards to it's proximity to the old border between East and West Germany.

Over two days we ran a series of poetry workshops at Giordano-Bruno-Gesamtschule, Gymnaisum Anna-Sophianeum and Gymansium Julianum, with young people of various ages and backgrounds. Participants were answering the question ‘how does war affect people’s lives?’ Several students had personal perspectives to share, while other looked at historical conflicts. Everyone approached the topic sensitively and showed great respect for their peers.

On Thursday 22nd February we hosted a poetry showcase event at the Juleum Novum in Helmstedt - a beautiful old university building. This was fantastic success, with students from the three school listed above sharing work, as well as Gymnasium am Bötschenberg. The words of the young people had a profound impact on the audience.

A teacher from the Giordano-Bruno-Gesamtschule commented after the event:

‘You know already how much I appreciate your workshops and how much I loved the event happening at the Juleum. Those poets we have in Helmstedt warmed everyone's hearts and made me cry. Even the parents came and were so proud of their children which was an amazing experience both for them and us.’

We would like to thank Harald and Gabi Spitzer, Bettina Friedrich, Kathrin Sohr, Erik Beyen, Dr Joachim Scherrieble and Viktória Blahó. We are also grateful to the Juleum for giving us access to their beautiful space. We hope to return to Helmstedt in the near future!

Clive and Will working with students at Giordano-Bruno-Gesamtschule (picture credit: Kathrin Sohr)

Students from Gymnasium am Bötschenberg presenting their work on stage at the juleum in helmstedt (Picture credit: Erik Beyen)

The poetry roadshow at the juleum (Picture Credit: Erik Beyen)

A Celebration of Home for Ukrainian and Unaccompanied Children Living in Ayrshire

We were delighted to be part of a fantastic event at Ayr Town Hall on 7th February, which brought together 110 students from North, East and South Ayrshire. Nine primary and eleven secondary schools were represented.

The young people who took part came from a wide variety of places, including Ukraine, Afghanistan, Chad, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Syria and Scotland. Many of them were displaced and writing in a new language. They were guided through the creative process by NSI practitioner Nik Perring, who asked some simple questions relating to food, object, language, experience and advice. Every participant did a fantastic job at translating their answers into poetry to celebrate where they are from, what they miss and what they have discovered in their new home.

Following the workshop, students ate lunch together, before presenting their work to an audience of their peers, teachers, parents, local Councillors, academics and representatives from Education Scotland.

Orsolya Dunn - ESOL / Core Skills Lecturer (East Ayrshire) commented after the event:
’It was amazing to see how invested they were in sharing their thoughts and feelings, the power of poetry will never stop amazing me. I have seen a real drive and need from the students to tell their personal story, so this is definitely something that I will need to create safe opportunities for in our classes in the future. I’ve been very careful so far in my work with them, not wanting to elicit things that could potentially cause harm to the person who shares or the person who hears the story, but yesterday’s event has proved to be somewhat of a turning point.’

Our thanks go to South Ayrshire Council for making the day possible, as well as the Thriving Communities Interpreters, Ayrshire College ESOL and photography, Barnardo’s Scotland Welcome Service and the Refugee Council.

Hillsborough Castle

On Tuesday 10th October 2023, 18 students from schools across Northern Ireland gathered at Hillsborough Castle alongside members of the NSI team and Northern Ireland Office (NIO).

The purpose of our visit was to celebrate their contributions to a poetry collection marking the 25th Anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement (BGFA). Students were encouraged to write either a 25 word or 25 line poem reflecting on this historical document and its legacy. The collection can be viewed HERE.

After going on a fascinating tour of the castle and learning more about the BGFA, students were able to a view the signed document in person! They then read a selection of their poems in the Throne Room for the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland - Lord Caine. Each poet did a fantastic job, sharing some thoughtful, honest and hopeful responses.

Our thanks go to the NIO, PRONI Head of Conservation Sarah Graham, Lord Caine and staff at Hillsborough Castle for their support.

Stormont Roadshow

On Wednesday 23rd November we had the pleasure of officially launching our brand new three year programme, Conversations on Conflict, at Stormont - Belfast.

Through direct contact with schools and communities, we are working with children and young people aged 9-18, living in non conflict affected communities and those living in areas of armed conflict. We are currently inviting these groups to respond creatively through poetry, art, speech and song to our key question for 2022-2023: what does war mean to you?

For this very special event we were joined by Mercy College Belfast who answered our 2022-23 question beautifully with the line “war means to be blind in another world.”

Hazelwood Integrated Primary School recited wonderful poetry that addressed varying forms of conflict. This line really stood out to the NSI team: ”my ears are open and my mouth is closed.”

The Beyond Borders Home Education choir then performed a wonderful song about hope and unity for all those in attendance.

Finally, we heard excellent recordings of poetry from the The Royal School Armagh!

We would like to thank Phillip Brett MLA and all the teachers, parents and guardians who made this event possible!

Phillip Brett MLA with Students from Hazelwood Integrated Primary on a tour of stormont

Conversations on Conflict Launch

Following the Centenary, we embarked on a three-year cycle, giving children and young people a voice on conflict, asking them to reflect on conflict more broadly. We were thrilled to see young people from over 120 countries participate in our international competitions. The themes were: The Impact of Conflict on Communities, Unheard Voices of Conflict and Life After Conflict. Young people shared incredibly powerful pieces of poetry, art, speech and song with us.

Over those three years our young people taught us so much! One of the most profound moments came during a Zoom celebration for winners when one young person from South America talked about a conflict in their country and another young person from the UK said, 'Oh, I didn’t know that happened in your country!' That moment inspired an idea in our team, which has become the basis for our next three year cycle, which kicks off today!

Conversations on Conflict invites young people to respond to key questions each year as part of our international competition. Keep scrolling and you'll see what this year's question is! As part of Conversations on Conflict, we'll also be working with schools around the world on collaborative projects, inviting young people to learn from their peers under the guidance of our industry professional practitioners.

Another part of the project that you will find on our website is a monthly question. At the start of each month, we'll post a new link where young people around the world can share their thoughts!

Our ultimate goal is for young people to have their voices heard by those with the power to make a difference. We are really excited to see what the next three years will bring and we hope you'll come along on the ride with us!

Voices of Armed Forces Children Choir Performs on BGT

The Voices of Armed Forces Children Choir is composed of 49 tri-service children, ages -18, from Plymouth to Lossiemouth and everywhere in between. Before performing in front of a live audience at the London Palladium for the BGT auditions, the young people had only rehearsed as a full group three weeks in advance!  Many of the children sing in their choir at school or just love to sing on their own. 

On the Saturday ahead of the audition in January, the children were rehearsing at the Guards’ Chapel in London, when, much to their surprise, Simon Cowell walked out and invited them to audition on BGT on Monday. The children were very excited and surprised, several of them having dreamt to perform on BGT. The rest of the weekend, they worked incredibly hard to be stage ready for the audition on Monday.

On the day of the audition, the young people performed Welcome Home to a live audience at the London Palladium and the four BGT judges. From the onset of the song, the audience was clapping and by the end of the performance, the young people were given a standing ovation. They were awarded four ‘YES’ responses from the judges.

They were then invited to perform a new song for the BGT live semi final at the Eventim Apollo. The children took part in a songwriting workshop. Songwriters, Bethzienna Williams, David Tobin and Jeff Meagan wove together all of the children's voices to create Stand Up. The kids performed their hearts out - making their friends, family and the NSI team extremely proud! While they didn’t move onto the finals, they accomplished so much and made memories to last a lifetime!

You can watch their performances here.

International Competition Winners

Drumroll please! We have now announced our international competition winners! We have been overwhelmed by the quality of the work this year – young people around the world shared the most thoughtful pieces on the theme, Life After Conflict. We saw work from over 90 countries, reflecting on conflicts which mattered to them. The work was deeply empathetic, reflecting on how challenging it can be to resume life after a conflict has happened, but that it also can afford new opportunities as well. The judges shared that this was the most difficult year for them to judge, with so many fantastic pieces of work sent in.

Each and every young person should be feeling extremely proud of themselves for being bold and entering their work into the competition and having their voices heard. All participants will be sent their digital Certificate of Commendation next week to the email they provided on their entry.

Teachers, we want to send a special thank you to you for providing the opportunity for your students to participate! You are empowering your students to use their voices – they are the future decision makers and world changers!

You can view the winners booklet here!

Service Children Taking Centre Stage!

Army&You Magazine recently featured an article about the service children who have been part of our Voices of Armed Forces Children project. You can read about 21 tri-force children who came to London to record Welcome Home, a song written by two service children, which was awarded First Place in our international competition. You can also read about Tyler, who won First Place in the 9-11 Poetry category. Read the article HERE.

Voices of Armed Forces Children project Competition Winner!

In January 2021, whilst the UK was in lockdown, Never Such Innocence (NSI) organised a digital poetry workshop for service children based at Wellington Barracks in London. This was part of the charity’s Voices of Armed Forces Children project, supported by the Armed Forces Covenant. The session was led by NSI Poet in Residence & veteran Clive Sanders, who talked about the impact his own deployments had made on his family. During the workshop the young people were encouraged to share their thoughts and feelings on service life, whilst developing their creative talents in a safe and respectful environment. Tyler (11) and his sister Evie (9), wrote two powerful poems titled, A Military Child and The Other Side of a Soldier. The two pieces are deeply personal, eloquent and honest. They brilliantly capture the complexities of life as a service child.

In April 2021, Tyler was awarded first place in his age group in NSI’s international competition, being recognised out of 500 other poetry entries. In May, Tyler attended his very own awards ceremony with his family in the Office of the Major-General, located in Horse Guards. Tyler and Evie both read their poems and were awarded their certficiates by Major General C J Ghika CBE. The NSI Voices of Armed Forces Children project is invaluable to the Armed Forces community, supporting not only service members, but their spouses, children and extended family. The reach of the project stretches into schools and classrooms, giving service and civilian children the opportunity to learn about one another and grow in empathy. The mental and emotional well-being of service families is imperative to an effective Armed Forces and NSI provides an additional level of support to strengthen the Armed Forces family.

After reading what the children had created, Lieutenant General Sir Tyrone Urch KBE commented: “Young people are at the heart of the British Army family and therefore what they say really matters. I am enormously moved by the amazing poems from our young people and awestruck at how beautifully they describe their thoughts on Service life and also the pride they show being an Army child. It takes a lot of courage to share what you are thinking and how you are feeling; they should all feel very enormously proud to have created such powerful, important and honest pieces.”

To read Tyler’s winning poem, please view page 9 of our 2020/2021 Winners Booklet.

Zoom Celebrations

While we weren’t able to hold an Awards Ceremony this year, we were still able to recognise and celebrate the winners on a Zoom Celebration! We had winners from Bulgaria, Crete, England, Greece, Guatemala, New Zealand, Panama, Sri Lanka, Romania, Armenia, France, India, Malaysia, Nigeria, Russia, China, Canada, Scotland, Brazil and the United States join us on the call! We had young people up at 6am! Wow!

It was an absolute delight to meet the winners and congratulate them on their pieces. The young people spoke so eloquently about their pieces and we were blown away with what they had to say. What was more exciting, was watching the winners congratulate each other! It was such a special moment!

2020/21 Competition Winners!

It is with much delight that I share our Digital Winners Booklet, for you to view the exceptional work created by the children and young people during our 2020/21 International Competition. 

This year, over 3,100 children and young people from a staggering 99 countries, territories and dependencies submitted entries into the competition. The young people spoke about a wide variety of topics and showed deep empathy and understanding of how conflict affects others. The team and judges were incredibly moved by their powerful pieces.

Teachers and parents shared lovely stories about what a positive impact participating in our competition has made on their pupils and children. One parent shared, ‘This has made my son, and teenagers like him, more aware of the conflicts taking place in our human society. This is something that no other organization or activity can provide, and it will bring a very positive effect on his growth.’ 

Most importantly, young people were thankful for the opportunity to speak about what matters to them and have their voices heard. We couldn’t be more proud of each and every one of them.

We’d also like to highlight three winners who participated in creative workshops as part of our ‘Voices of Armed Forces Children’ project. Please find their winning entries on pages 8 and 24. 

We applaud each and every winner and participant for having their voices heard!

In the Spotlight - Reading Force

We recently had the distinct privilege of having the brilliant organisation, Reading Force, share some of our Stories from the First World War book with service children - they were a huge hit! We even held a poetry workshop with some of the book recipients! We asked Reading Force’s Founder, Alison Baverstock, to share a bit about their work with service children around the UK!

‘The best thing about reading a book together is that it helped bring our family together and we all laughed and smiled.’ Jo, Forces mum

Reading Force was set up to help military families keep in touch – as an Army wife I had found it really helped our family feel connected if we shared what we were reading. We offer special reading scrapbooks which a family can share while they talk about a book. Children can include pictures and drawings and families can stick in photographs of what they read together. The scrapbook helps you keep a record of something you did together – families who have taken part tell us it makes them feel proud and is a lovely thing to keep. 

Even if you can’t be together, reading books with your family can keep you in touch. You not only share the reading experience – and being read to is relaxing – you also share time with them in between calls. You can be thinking about what each other will notice, and how they will react. 

‘You can talk about what you think will happen next and how the characters will be feeling. You can discuss how the book has changed and what your favourite parts are. It gave me something to look forward to at the end of the day.’ Jack, Forces Dad

There’s also a great feeling that comes from sharing a story you all know, and the way someone you love reads it – even if you’ve heard it lots of times before.

To register, and receive our free materials, please go to www.readingforce.org.uk 

Alison Baverstock, founder and director of Reading Force

NSI Young Ambassador Delivers Speech at German Parliament for Remembrance Day

One of our NSI young people was selected to deliver a keynote speech at the National Ceremony for German Remembrance Day on 15th of November 2020 at the Bundestag, attended by The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. Jasleen Singh, a NSI young ambassador, was invited to reflect on 75 years since the end of the Second World War, 75 years of peace and partnership in Europe, German British reconciliation and her hopes and fears for the future. Three other young people from Germany, Moldova and Israel also spoke. This was a very significant moment for Jasleen, her family and the UK as a whole. We have now established a series of bilateral seminars, initially aimed at German and UK 12-14 year olds, reflecting on past conflict and looking to a positive future. We are nurturing the next generation of thinkers, leaders and peace keepers through the arts, through cultural exchange, through dialogue and debate. Creating powerful platforms for young people to have their voices heard in the UK and more globally. 

What does Remembrance mean to you?

Ahead of Remembrance, the charity Never Such Innocence have invited children across the country to express their thoughts and feelings on Remembrance via poetry. Every year, the nation comes together to mark Remembrance. Sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen stand alongside the public, including children, to remember all the brave men and women that came before them. The MOD shared a variety of poems by NSI alumni, read more here…