Shayla - a case study

A case study from Music4U projects at Tang Hall SMART

As part of Music4U's partnership with Tang Hall SMART, we offer bursary places to the most disadvantaged young people in York, enabling them to engage with musical development and experience genuine personal, social and skill-based change.

Tang Hall SMART is a social enterprise, based at Burnholme Community Hub in the Tang Hall area of York, offering a range of courses, clubs and classes to the local community and to disadvantaged groups across the wider York area. Their primary focus is to improve well-being through the vehicle of music.

In a recent update, music leaders on this project told us about Shayla - one of the members of theTeen Youth Club, who has been attending weekly sessions on a Music4U bursary place for 2 years:

"Shayla lives in one of the most disadvantaged areas of York and comes from a large family.  She is on the child protection register, and in receipt of free school meals. When she started she really lacked confidence in herself. When she first came, she was very shy and insecure about singing and playing instruments.  She watched for a couple of weeks before joining in. She has a lovely deep voice, very unusual, and an excellent range too, and over the months she has improved in confidence. She has by now, written her own songs, rehearsed in many genres, and has taken up the guitar and drums."

"Shayla's first performance was at our Christmas show 2015, and this was followed by an appearance at our Festival in July 2016.  A knock-on effect has been that Shayla has felt confident enough now to take part in school performances and has joined a theatre group too.  She volunteered at our summer rock school for teenagers who have learning disabilities. Her horizons have definitely been broadened."