A spotlight on third culture kids

Around 220 million people identify as Third Culture Kids – individuals who have spent a large part of their life living away from the place their parents are from and consider home. Inspired by her own experiences, Cara dived into exploring this community in her Final Major Project (FMP) at Solent University.

“Growing up between multiple cultures presents both enriching opportunities and unique challenges,” Cara says. “While not everyone is directly affected, the increasing number of individuals moving across countries highlights the importance of addressing this topic.”

Third Culture Kids often lack a sense of belonging and can experience a crisis of identity. Wanting to create conversation and offer support to others who have experiences of growing up in unfamiliar places, Cara used her FMP to create a beautiful box featuring a book, passport, stickers and information cards which explore and celebrate Third Culture Kids.

The idea is that these resources – thoughtfully designed by Cara, who poured all of the skills and knowledge gained during her studies into the making of this project – would be a kind of companion to individuals away from home and contribute to a change in the way people view their situation.

Originally from Germany, Cara spent her final year as an undergraduate studying at Solent. On how this experience has supported her, she says, “It was incredibly rewarding – I met many interesting people and learned more about different cultures through interactions with other international students.

“I had the opportunity to gain practical experience in the design field through Solent Creatives, and as a student ambassador, which was an amazing experience.”

Now that Cara has graduated, she says, “I want to combine my diverse skillset to become the best version of myself.”

Find out more about graphic design at Solent here.