Song sends the right message

The group, who range from 15 to 19 years old, created the song as part of their work with the innovative ENABLE Scotland project Inspire Me.

The project is based in Cumbernauld and over a period of 10 weeks, the young people have been writing and recording the song.

Inspire Me aimed to help the group express themselves positively through creative song writing. And as the project evolved over the summer young people have displayed their talents not only in hip hop but also as singers, drummers, guitarists and DJs - adding diversity to the workshops.

Over the course of the project the group worked together to write the song, Janus, which was recorded at Pauls Halls Studio in Cumbernauld on September 7.

The entire project has been based at the recording studio, giving young people the experience of a live recording facility.

The young people will now launch the song on line and through social media channels.

ENABLE Scotland also hope to use the project in their work with school pupils and link it to the charity’s national anti bullying project Open Your Mind, which is working to challenge attitudes to learning disability.

Danny Quinn, who is transitions co-ordinator with ENABLE Scotland and has been running the project, said: “We already offer employability programmes in many schools within North Lanarkshire and wanted to add to this. “Through the project we aimed to help young people expand their vocabulary, meet new people, work as part of a team and be independently creative.”

He added: “We had guest musicians, promoters, engineers and producers come along to speak with the guys in order to help them develop contacts, learn about starting out in the music industry and find out more about the independent music structure in Scotland.”

Inspire Me was launched in July 2011 and aims to support 20,000 young people who have a learning disability across the UK.

Inspire Me was set up by ENABLE Scotland and sister charity Mencap and is funded by The Co-operative Charity of the Year.

Young people who have a learning disability are twice as likely not to be engaged in education, employment or training as those without.

The project provides activities and training that will give young people who have a learning disability the chance to learn new skills and to build their confidence.

For more visit www.enable.org.uk or call ENABLE on 0300 0200 101.