Music project supported by Big Lottery Fund

The Neighbourhood Investment team's work involves taking an active part in the development of community initiatives and activities. Over the last three years they have been involved in setting up resident associations, played an active part in the Horn Park Community Forum, helped to organise community events, consultations and meetings with young people, and run a motorbike project for young people in the Horn Park area.

The music project aims to support a group of young residents through the use of live drumming, vocals, electronic music making, rapping, recording and mixing. L&Q had previously run the project as a pilot, funded through Greenwich Council's Youth Opportunity Funding. The pilot proved to be a great success not only with the young people that took part but also with the wider community on the estate. Due to this success L&Q applied to the Big Lottery Fund to ensure the long term continuation of the project.

Mary Rouse, L&Q's Neighbourhood Investment Co-ordinator, explains the project's success: "It provides young people from the area with the opportunity to engage in a positive indoor activity on a weekly basis where currently there is no centre-based youth work provision.

"A large proportion of the young people are not in education, employment or training. This project provides them with an opportunity to develop skills such as project management, communication and interpersonal skills whilst doing something they enjoy." 

Up to 30 young people take part in weekly music sessions where they practice percussion, mixing, vocals and recording. They have the opportunity to create CDs of their music and perform at the end of each term to the local community. Through the project a recording studio has been built within the community centre which participants have access to throughout the week outside of the weekly session.

Five young people involved in the project will set up a management group to take responsibility for it. This will involve developing policies and the project programme and identifying and applying for further funding to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project.

The future for Horn Park The Neighbourhood Investment team is currently looking at how L&Q can assist and support some of the particularly talented young people in gaining arts awards. L&Q continues to work closely with residents, TARU (Transforming Arts Regenerating Understanding) who operate the project, Greenwich Council's Integrated Youth Support Service, the community association that runs the community centre, The Horn Park Forum, and the local police in order to identify opportunities for new projects and to support existing ones.

Mary adds, "This project sets an example to the local community of what young people are able to do when they can positively channel their energy. Through this project we are able to improve community cohesion and encourage improved behaviour and participation from young people on the estate. The results so far have been extremely positive and we look forward to continuing our work on the Horn Park Estate."

This article is taken from the latest issue of Creating Places, L&Q's magazine with news and views on housing issues.