Renfrewshire Council

Team leader, Cheryl Kelly, recently nominated her colleague Dan Drennan as a great example of bringing our collaboration value to life by organising a live gig for young musicians through our Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (RHSCP) Gateway service.

Based in Spinners Gate Resource Centre in Paisley, the day care service inspires creativity by teaching young people with autism and additional support needs about art, music and media.

As a dedicated day service officer, Dan has a passion for teaching music and is committed to collaboration—which he says is the beating heart of the Gateway service. Following the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dan was keen to give his students a confidence boost, so he arranged for them to play a live gig on stage at a local music venue.

Thanks to Dan's passion, the event turned into an unforgettable night for the young musicians who helped raise over £800 for the service.

Dan is a multi-skilled musician playing a variety of instruments including guitar, bass, drums, banjo and ukelele and has been performing in bands since the age of sixteen. He said: "Music is powerful and it's a privilege to be able to use it to enrich young peoples' lives through my work.

"Our individuals are a talented bunch and they used to perform for family and friends at fundraisers in local bowling clubs and church halls. After we returned from lockdown, I wanted to take that to the next level to help rebuild their confidence. You honestly can't top that incredible feeling you get when you step on-stage and perform in front of a crowd in the atmosphere of a real live music venue. So that was the goal. I wanted our performers to feel that magic."

With support from the Gateway team, Dan worked with the people he supports for around six months, coaching and preparing them for their performance. He even drafted in some of his musician friends and got in touch with his local contacts who helped him secure the popular Paisley venue The Bungalow.

Dan is 'chuffed' to be nominated for living our values because for him 'they represent his approach to music, work and life in general'. Reflecting on the importance of collaboration at Gateway, he said:

"As a musician, I play well by myself, but I'm better in a band! That principle is woven into everything we do at Gateway. Our collective efforts as a team, working alongside partners, local businesses and organisations, and members of the community, are vital to creating inclusive opportunities".

For colleague Cheryl, the results of a collaborative approach speak volumes because it creates benefits for everyone involved:

"The success of this event has reinforced the importance of working together to make good things happen. Not only did we successfully raise funds that will go towards further inclusive opportunities, but we also helped build our performers' confidence. Audience members said it was a real eye-opener to see the abilities of individuals with autism in a new light. And on top of all that, our community bonds were strengthened, as local contacts have since been in touch to express their interest in supporting similar events in the future. 

"I'm so proud of Dan because all his work on this project and every day truly exemplifies what I believe is the essence of our values. He goes above and beyond to create an inclusive and supportive environment and his collaborative skills were the key to pulling off a spectacular event that was a fantastic success for everyone involved."

As for the young musicians themselves? They said the thrill they experienced made them feel like real-life rock stars. Job done!

Nominate a colleague for living our values

Have you noticed a colleague or team who really get what it means to be fair, helpful, collaborative and value learning? Why not let them know they're doing a great job by nominating them for living our values?

To nominate: simply complete this short form with some great examples of what they do (Survey123 website).

For more information on our values and behaviours, head over to the Living Our Values webpage (Renfrewshire.gov.uk).

Published Thursday 19 September 2024