In partnership with Music Co-OPERAtive Scotland, Motherwell based charity Reeltime Music will teach interactive music skills at two eight-weekly sessions between September and December 2016 to young parents aged 15 to 25 years old and their children under 5. Five McOpera musicians will be working with Early Years’ specialist Daniela Hathaway alongside Reeltime Music 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 explore 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.
Laura Scott, project co-ordinator 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 vital funding from UK Steel Enterprise and Creative Scotland YMI Access to Music, the project could not have gone ahead. The extra funding allows the project to run further and therefore have a bigger impact on the young parents facing disadvantage in our community in North Lanarkshire.”
Learn more about Reeltime Music