Children and young people from Big Noise Raploch performed at Forth Valley College's Stirling Campus in a celebration of shared new horizons, on Wednesday 26 June.
Better performance in school, improved self-esteem, greater resilience and healthier behaviours – that’s just four of the fantastic benefits for children who take part in Big Noise Raploch. The findings have been published in the latest report by the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, People change lives: Consolidating five years of evaluation learning at Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise Centres in Stirling, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
Over 130 children and young people performed across Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 June to celebrate 11 years of Big Noise Raploch. This year, for the first time, the final Big Noise birthday concert of the academic year took place in Forth Valley College’s Stirling Campus. The first generation of Big Noise Raploch participants are now young adults, making critical decisions about life after school. Sistema Scotland is committed to supporting its Big Noise participants to think about, and achieve, positive destinations after school. As part of this vital work, Sistema Scotland and Forth Valley College entered into official partnership at the start of 2019.
Forth Valley College wasn’t just the venue for the event – it played its own vital role in the performance. Forth Valley College students managed the event set-up, A/V, catering and hospitality. Some of the oldest Big Noise Raploch participants now study at Forth Valley College and more plan to begin their studies there later this year.
Vicky Williams, Team Leader at Big Noise Raploch said: “Our children and young people have been practising very hard to prepare for these concerts. Over the past year, Big Noise Raploch participants have performed at the Royal Highland Show, taken part in BBC’s Proms in the Park and opened TEDx Glasgow. Our birthday concerts are a wonderful way for the children and young people to share and celebrate their hard work and musical skills with those closest to them – their family, friends and community.
“We are extremely grateful to all our wonderful partners and funders of Big Noise Raploch. It is only with their support that we are able to continue working with almost 500 children every week. I’d also like to thank the schools we work with here in Raploch, including the high schools in Stirling and Forth Valley College’s Stirling Campus – it would not be possible to deliver Big Noise without their support and their commitment to what we do.”
Dr Ken Thomson OBE, Principal of Forth Valley College, said: “Forth Valley College was absolutely delighted to formalise our relationship with Sistema Scotland in January and we are extremely pleased to host their birthday concert on June 26.
“This partnership also builds on the longstanding relationship between our two organisations. I am delighted that a number of Big Noise Raploch graduates have chosen to continue their musical and educational journeys by undertaking qualifications in related subjects here at our Stirling Campus, using our state-of-the-art recording studios to pursue learning in fields such as sound production. A number of Forth Valley College students have also supported the work of Big Noise Raploch, assisting them with recording and performance activities.”
A wide range of partners and funders support Big Noise Raploch, including Stirling Council, players of People’s Postcode Lottery and the Scottish Government.
Councillor Danny Gibson, Depute Leader of Stirling Council, said: “I’d like to congratulate Big Noise Raploch on 11 years of great work here in Stirling. Stirling Council is proud to be the major financial stakeholder in a programme that is transforming not only the lives of the children taking part, but also the entire community. I would also like to extend a very sincere thank you to all the schools, teachers, musicians, parents, carers and everyone in Raploch who has been working with Big Noise.”
The Big Noise programme is particularly focused on early years’ intervention and long-term delivery; each new Big Noise centre begins by working with children at nursery (weekly) and in Primary 1 and 2 (twice weekly), gradually building on core skills such as listening, concentration, rhythm, rhyme and teamwork whilst learning to play an instrument in a group. As children reach Primary 3 and beyond, Big Noise evolves into an intensive and immersive programme of after-school and holiday club music teaching, performance and social interaction whereby a Big Noise child receives up to four after-school sessions of intervention and support a week during term time; and up to four days each week during spring, summer and autumn holidays until they leave school.
Sistema Scotland, the charity which runs the Big Noise programmes, was launched in Raploch, Stirling in 2008 with thirty-five children. Now more than 2,500 children take part in the programme every week at its centres in Raploch, Stirling; Govanhill, Glasgow; Torry, Aberdeen; and Douglas, Dundee.
The main photo shows from L-R: Ken Thomson, Principle of Forth Valley College, Jossy Kwokoye of Big Noise Raploch, Councillor Danny Gibson, Depute Leader of Stirling Council, Sally Magnusson, Board Member of Sistema Scotland, Lyla Campbell of Big Noise Raploch, and Peter Nicholson, Director of Music at Sistema Scotland
For more information, please visit www.makeabignoise.org.uk