Who Is Like Me in the Old Testament? is a learning resource designed to help young people with Additional Support Needs (ASN) see themselves within the biblical narrative and understand that they are wonderfully and purposefully made.

Through seven lessons featuring Old Testament characters, the resource promotes accessible Bible exploration, social inclusion, and self‑expression. Each session introduces a character with relatable experiences, encouraging learners to reflect on how they are similar or different, and how this makes them feel. The project supports young people develop informed opinions, communicate their thoughts about Christian beliefs, and engage meaningfully with Scripture.
 
Who is Scripture Union (SU) Scotland?

SU Scotland’s vision is to see every child and young person in Scotland exploring the Bible and responding to the significance of Jesus. Our ministry is shaped by two core values. First, dependence on God: we commit all our work to prayer, remain rooted in the Bible, and seek the leading of the Holy Spirit in bringing transformation. Second, deepening relationships: we believe every young person should feel valued, welcomed and able to participate, regardless of background, beliefs or ability, and we treat all volunteers, supporters and staff with love and respect.

At the heart of SU Scotland is a strong volunteer community that provides holiday events, weekend breaks, educational experiences and curriculum‑aligned Religious Observance (RO) opportunities. We also equip volunteers running school clubs across the country. Through our Ministry at the Margins initiative, we prioritise young people who face barriers to inclusion or are often overlooked, partnering with other organisations to offer tailored, inclusive support that enables every child and young person to explore, discover, respond and flourish.

Who is the project for?

This project is designed for children and young people with Additional Support Needs (ASN) who are often inadequately provided for in Religious and Moral Education. There are currently no tailor-made lessons on Christian beliefs for young people with ASN in Scottish secondary schools, creating a significant gap in provision. Across Scotland, there are 107 dedicated ASN schools. 43% of all children and young people are identified as having a recognised ASN. This project provides accessible, engaging and inclusive resources that teachers can use to help these learners explore Christian beliefs, understand biblical narratives and express their own thoughts with confidence and support.
 
What will we do?

We are creating high-quality lessons on Christian beliefs that will be available for free and instant download on our website. The grant from Westhill Endowment is making it possible for us to produce our second seven-lesson series called ‘Who is like me in the Old Testament?’.

The basis of this series is to enable young people to find themselves in the biblical narrative, thus encouraging their consideration of the belief that they too are wonderfully made and that God has created them for a purpose. This project fosters social inclusion, making learning about the Bible accessible. It encourages self-expression and helps young people with ASN to explore faith. It also empowers them to develop informed opinions and effectively communicate their thoughts about Christian beliefs.  The project is off to an excellent start, with a clear focus and defined learning outcomes for each lesson.

The seven-lesson unit introduces learners to Old Testament characters whose experiences help them explore identity, emotion and faith. It begins with an overview of the Bible as the source of these stories. Learners then meet Moses, who felt nervous and struggled with speech; Ruth, who experienced the emotions of moving to a new country; and Mephibosheth, who lived with physical disability and was shown unexpected kindness by King David. Esther’s story encourages reflection on bravery, despite being alone, and the Christian practice of prayer. Job’s experiences introduce suffering, restoration and links to wider Christian learning.

The unit concludes with Jonah, who ran away when overwhelmed yet was still cared for by God. Each lesson helps learners connect personally with the characters and reflect on their own feelings and experiences. They also give learners the opportunity to reflect on how they are like the characters as well as how they are different. Learners are also given the opportunity to consider how the story makes them feel as a way of enabling them to develop and express their opinion of Christian belief.

We have already developed one unit entitled “Who is Jesus?”, which has been successfully piloted in an ASN secondary school. We anticipate that our first unit, ‘Who is Jesus?’ will be available for download on our website in March 2026, and 'Who is like me in the Old Testament?’ in the autumn.