In March 2021, Trefoil awarded YDance (Scottish Youth Dance) a grant of £1,400. YDance is an award-winning national dance organisation for children and young people across Scotland, working to make dance inclusive and accessible to all.
The funding was used for YDance’s New Horizons project, specifically to help fund six taster sessions and two monthly sessions. The aims of the project were threefold. Firstly, to give young people with disabilities and learning difficulties an opportunity to take part in free, accessible, and inclusive dance classes. Second, to help young people with disabilities and learning difficulties become less isolated and develop social and communication skills as they learn to be with others outside of their school and home environment. Third and finally, the project aimed to help young people with disabilities and learning difficulties build their independence and the confidence they need to progress after school.
YDance initially started these classes online, with 17 young people taking part in online classes every two weeks until June 2021 and an additional five young people taking part in a week-long online summer programme.As restrictions were phased out over summer, YDance began in person classes in August 2021, leading taster sessions in 4 different schools across Aberdeen. Additionally, YDance have now led five half day sessions at CityMoves, also in Aberdeen, with seven participants.
The classes helped the young people work together, which in turn developed their social and communication skills. It also improved their confidence as they learned new skills and became more self-assured. Each week, the YDance tutors would measure improvements and could see a marked difference over the course of the sessions, with both improved fitness and co-ordination.
An additional advantage of the classes was that young people with disabilities and learning difficulties were able to spend time together as a group. This assisted them in making friends and becoming less isolated, which also improved the participants wellbeing and led to an improvement in their mental health.
Trefoil are pleased to hear of the progress of all participants involved and the work YDance are doing to facilitate such inclusion for young people with disabilities and learning difficulties.