The BIG Project is a trusted and much valued community-based youth project. We adopt a preventative approach in supporting children and young people aged 5-18 years, living in the Broomhouse area of Edinburgh (SIMD 1 &2).
The main aim of our project is to provide positive and consistent role models for children and young people, disrupting the cycle of poverty, unemployment and crime that otherwise exists in this area. We prioritise building relationships and aspirations ensuring that children and young people have opportunities to regularly participate in activities that strengthen their communication, confidence, resilience, and teamwork.
We deliver long-term sustainable support through a programme of enriching educational opportunities and experiences. This incorporates universal youth & children’s work, holiday activity programmes, targeted group-work, individual support, and a young volunteer scheme.
OUR HISTORY
Gordon MacDonald, MSP
‘‘Broomhouse has changed dramatically for the better since when I first moved to Edinburgh. It has a stronger sense of community and that must be part and due to the hard work of The BIG Project’s staff and volunteers who have supported and nurtured the young people of the area for the last two decades.’’
Established in 2002, The BIG Project has been providing educational, social and recreational opportunities for children & young people in Broomhouse, South West Edinburgh for 24 years. When The BIG Project was first established, the area of Broomhouse was commonly known as ‘Little Bosnia’ as the community had long been suffering high numbers of youth crime and it had, at the time, the highest number of youth calls to Police in the city. Vandalism, underage drinking, drug misuse, fighting and low aspirations amongst young people meant something had to be done to give children and young people a feeling of safety on the streets. It was at this point that The BIG Project was launched, beginning life as ‘The Broomhouse Intervention Group’. At the beginning, our organisation worked across the wider area utilising St David’s Church and Hall, Oaklands School, St Joseph’s Church Hall, Sighthill Community Centre and Broomhouse Primary School before officially moving into Broomhouse Primary School’s new campus a year later.
Over the years, The BIG Project has run youth clubs for different age groups including the first local Girls Football team back in 2004, ‘Grow’ projects which have helped young people gain new skills in outdoor activities, and community projects such as ‘The BIG Mural Project’ in which young people’s art was used to cover up graffiti in the area and promote positive change. We also run regular residential breaks giving young people who would not have otherwise been able to do so the opportunity to gain new experiences and spend more quality time to grow and learn with others.
Music has always been a large part of our work here at The BIG Project. Starting with ‘BIG Radio’ and ‘Fame Academy’. These initiatives quickly grew into wide reaching and highly successful projects such as ‘The BIG Tour’, ‘The BIG Choir’ and various musical productions which saw the young people write and develop their own songs, work with professional musicians and perform in from of esteemed audiences such as the Usher Hall and The London 2012 Olympic Opening ceremony.
Alongside these specialised groups, The BIG Project continues to run weekly youth clubs for children and young people aged 5-15 as well as a mentorship volunteering scheme for 15-18 year olds.
Since launching, The BIG Project has contributed hugely to improving the lives of local children and young people. We have valued relationships with local families and are now the major provider of services for local children and young people living in Broomhouse.
