EPIC East Ayrshire’s Pipe Band Academy's project manager believes that additional funding is vital for the group to be able to offer kids "hope and a positive future”.
EPIC recently received a £10,000 boost from The National Lottery Awards for All scheme supported by Creative Scotland to increase life changing opportunities for young people in the area, through music.
Every week, over 200 young people will be able to take part in after school music sessions and performance opportunities, certification and further education or career options that participants may not have otherwise had access to.
EPIC's Paul Warren said: “We believe that one of the greatest things we can provide our young people is hope and a positive future.
“Change is a process – that process must start somewhere, and our music-based projects provide the catalyst for this change to start.
"Before we can teach young people new skills, we must first help meet their support needs so they they’re able to fully participate and learn.”
A parent whose children have been taken under the group's wing, has said that what EPIC offer is invaluable.
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The parent said: “EPIC has changed two of my children’s lives – they now have a passion that motivates them to work hard and keeps them focussed, that they enjoy doing, and their confidence is through the roof because every time they’re performing, everyone is always saying how amazing they are.
"They and I now have a real support network with all the kids and parents in the band which has been amazing. Without EPIC – none of this would have been available to my girls.”
To bring kids on and be able to enhance them, EPIC developed the Triple S project – support, skills and success.
The support phase involves ‘just talk’ sessions for the young people which give a sense of what they need to move on to the skills phase which gives them the tools to address these issues.
Paul added: “Now we have a school where so many of our young people are studying a subject they would never have thought possible.
"We have young people now considering becoming music teachers which would never have been considered previously.
"We have young people who wish to go onto further music education and pursue music career opportunities.
"The benefits to all of our young people are noticeably life changing, not just for those who really buy into the music side of things but for those who transfer the skills and mindset from our project and transfer them into their own specific life goals.”
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