Funding is music to their ears
Motherwell-based charity Reeltime Music hit the right note with UK Steel Enterprise (UKSE) thanks to a funding boost.
The Tata Steel subsidiary, set up to assist economic regeneration in traditional steel-producing areas, handed over £2000.
The money will go to an outreach project that targets young parents and their children aged under five, who currently receive support from North Lanarkshire Council’s Community Learning and Development service.
In partnership with Music CO-OPERATIVE Scotland (Mcopera), Reeltime will teach interactive music skills. The aim is to provide informal music experience to young parents to boost their confidence and aid child development, while encouraging bonding with their child.
Families will be given musical challenges to complete and try out popular instruments such as guitar, drums and keyboards as well as exploring more unusual instruments including cajóns, ukuleles and mandolins.
Mcopera will then lead families though music and play sessions designed to encourage bonding and communication while creating music and having fun together. Parents and children will sing and rhyme, play with props and puppets and enjoy percussion activities which will be linked to everyday life. The rhythms will also provide a calming and soothing effect for children, and parents will be given resources to recreate the fun at home.
Medium to longer-term impacts of the project will include better relationships and more secure attachments with their babies as well as increased mental development for the child.
Laura Scott, project coordinator at Reeltime Music, said: “We identified that young parents lacked the confidence and self-esteem to attend community groups which could benefit them and their child.
“Our project will act as a stepping stone to encourage attendance in mainstream groups and promote understanding of the benefits of artistic time with their child.
“Without this funding from UKSE the project could not have gone ahead. The extra funding allows the project to run longer and therefore have a bigger impact on the young parents facing disadvantage in our community in North Lanarkshire.”