Aberdeen Foyer

Where?
What?
Who?
Why?

Where?

In 2007, Aberdeen Foyer received an award from the Youth Music Initiative (YMI) informal sector fund to run a music-making programme based in Ellon, 16 miles north of Aberdeen.

Aberdeenshire is a large rural area surrounding the city of Aberdeen and, as might be expected, most provision is Aberdeen-focussed. 

Infrequent and expensive public transport leaves young people in towns like Ellon geographically and financially excluded, and therefore the need to provide opportunities to young people in rural Aberdeenshire was central to Aberdeen Foyer's project. 

What?

The Ythan Centre in Ellon runs the One Way Youth Cafe, a youth service offering activities of all kinds to local young people.  However, music activities at the One Way Youth Cafe were limited until Aberdeen Foyer joined with the Ythan Centre in order to encourage young musicians and fledgling bands.

Taster sessions in guitar, bass and drums attracted both complete beginners and those already possessing some musical knowledge, so participants in the project are varied in experience and proficiency. 

Alongside the music tuition, participants have free access to a mobile recording studio. An important complementary part of the project involves workshops on songwriting, recording, sound engineering, performance skills and other aspects of the professional musician's life.

Who?

Many of the young people who attend the Ythan Centre are from low-income backgrounds, and this project offers them a way to make learning an instrument financially within their scope.  This fits with one of the YMI's key aims, to provide music-making opportunities to young people who would not otherwise participate.

One member of the group lives partly in foster care and has difficulties at school, but has become an asset to the project.  Another attends every week and is making a huge effort to improve musically, despite living in a shelter outside Ellon.  A third has Asperger's Syndrome, but over the months of the project has developed a natural ability to play guitar and also to repair instruments and use equipment - and to teach others to do the same.

Kerry Canning, the Music Leader for the project, says "I find it very humbling to work with young people who just don't give up and I know that the music group is very important [to them]".

Why?

The main aim of the project was to increase opportunities for young musicians and catalyse the local music scene - this second aim looks set to happen as the group plan to perform both covers and original material in the near future. 

In addition to these musical benefits there have been many others - confidence building, group work skills, access to a strong support network and a non-judgemental environment.  The project has also allowed the young people to work regularly with adults who they can talk to in confidence and who will listen to them.

As part of the YMI's ongoing commitment to training and CPD, all informal sector large grants must employ music trainees in order to increase skill levels in the youth music sector.  This has been a big success for Steve, Aberdeen Foyer's trainee, who has built an excellent relationship with the participants. 

All these benefits and outcomes are great, but it is Kerry who really answers the question 'why' when she says:

"Many thanks for giving me the opportunity to work on this project which helps young people become all that they can be, regardless of the barriers they face."

For more information about Aberdeen Foyer, please contact Cathy Simpson.  For more information about the Youth Music Initiative informal sector fund, visit the YMI funding pages for organisations.