Transforming Lives: Scripture Union Holidays for Young People Affected by Imprisonment

Giving young people a holiday they won’t forget!

It is a real privilege for Scripture Union Scotland to partner with Prison Fellowship Scotland. We have partnered together for around 12 years, offering young people affected by imprisonment, the opportunity to experience an SU Holiday, without stigma.

Scripture Union Scotland’s vision is to see “every child and young person in Scotland exploring the Bible and responding to the significance of Jesus”, and in recent times we have been focusing ourselves towards young people who experience life at the margins. One of the groupings of young people we have identified and are giving specific attention to are those affected by family imprisonment, yet the overlap with other groupings of young people we are also giving attention to – which includes those living in relative poverty, those with additional support needs and those care experienced, is both obvious and marked.  

Over those 12 years, we have together had the privilege of a three-way partnership with Circle, who work across central Scotland with families facing multiple disadvantages including imprisonment. Circle staff have year on year faithfully made referrals of young people affected by family imprisonment onto SU Holidays. The beauty of this arrangement is that the young person and their family can choose the event they go to and that they attend without the stigma of everyone knowing their story - only the Holiday team leader is aware.

Numbers of young people vary from year to year, but in 2023, Circle made 28 referrals. The costs are shared between Prison Fellowship Scotland and SU Scotland.

Circle was recently in touch to tell us that one of their family outreach workers had attended the funeral of a 20-year-old young man she had supported in childhood. Sadly, he struggled with his mental health and took his life. 

The worker expressed how lovely his service was with family members speaking and sharing happy memories. One of his sisters spoke of the times they shared together at SU Holidays. She spoke about them being competitive in games, him playing pranks on her, but always looking out for each other.

The Circle worker expressed that "never again will I underestimate what an SU Holiday means to the kids we work with and the memories we are helping to create.  If it gets a mention at their funeral it’s had an impact..."

It has been truly encouraging to have conversations with key staff from other organisations begin – Crossreach in Polmont and Perth Prisons, and Families Outside who work across Scotland are keen to make referrals of young people onto SU Holidays, hopefully for summer 2024, but certainly into the years ahead.   

For more information on SU Scotland, visit suscotland.org.uk, or SU Holidays at suholidays.org.uk
SU Scotland | Ministry at the Margins Lead
Tim.Raynes@suscotland.org.uk