Glasgow Centre for Population Health evaluation of Sistema Scotland
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Glasgow Centre for Population Health evaluation of Sistema Scotland's Big Noise programmes
IRAS ID
146766
Contact name
Christopher Harkins
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Glasgow Centre for Population Health
Research summary
Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise programmes in Raploch, Stirling and Govanhill, Glasgow are high profile social interventions. Sistema Scotland is a charity set up in the belief that children from disadvantaged backgrounds can gain significant social benefits by playing in a symphony orchestra. Sistema use music making to foster confidence, discipline, teamwork and aspiration.
The Glasgow Centre for Population Health (GCPH) is leading a longitudinal, mixed methods evaluation of the Big Noise programmes in Govanhill and Raploch. There are two overarching aims for the evaluation. The first relates to assessing the outcomes and impacts of the programme for: the children who participate; their families; and their wider communities. The second concerns the process and related learning from the implementation of the programmes in Raploch and Govanhill. The first set of findings of the evaluation will be published in March 2015.
The evaluation will investigate quantitative impacts on participants, including their health, educational performance and attainment, as well as contact and use of social services, health services, welfare system and the justice system. The evaluation is designed to add to international evidence in this field. It will involve accessing routine data held by Local Authorities and the NHS, as well as the Justice System and the Department of Work and Pensions. Qualitative methods (ethical approval for which is being sought from the University of Glasgow) will include observation, creative methods and interviews with child participants, their families and programme staff.
All children of school age (including pre-school) within the two programme sites are eligible for inclusion in the quantitative aspects of this evaluation; this method will involve no direct contact with the children themselves. The evaluation is prospective and is being planned to run over the life course of the participants, requiring access to the data outlined for several decades.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
14/WS/1023
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion