Evaluation Title

Evaluation report: Music in Detention's work in the community and in Immigration Removal Centres

Type of evaluation

Data type Qualitative

Evaluation Focus Impact of programme, Public perception of offenders

Key indicator Attitudinal change

Project output Performances

Methodologies Interviews, Questionnaires, SWOT analysis

Research limitations Longer term impact

Summary of evaluation

This report aims to assess the impact of MID’s Community Exchange programme, and the quality of the participatory music making involved in the case studies presented, as well as case studies and information presented in previous reports evaluating projects which took place between 1st April 2007 – 31st March 2010. 

It looks at whether the Community Exchange programme’s main aims are being achieved, and identifies strengths and weaknesses of the work, as well as threats and opportunities.

Project description

The Community Exchange programme involves creating musical and creative links between detainees held in IRCs, and people from the communities just outside the IRC walls. The programme sets out to create a meeting place and exchange of information and creativity between musicians, detainees and members of the community.

As the groups are usually unable to physically meet, due to security constraints within the IRCs, this exchange is done through recordings, sharing of artwork, lyrics, and through the musicians who facilitate the projects.

Between September 2007 and June 2011, MID has delivered 25 Community Exchange projects as part of the programme. Community partners have often been schools, but have also included day centres for people with disabilities and older people, youth provision of various kinds, a community choir, a university and a mental health support organisation.

Key Quote

There are many indications that the Community Exchange projects increase a sense of human connection between detainees and community participants. An increased human connection between participants has been shown to impact on how people relate to detainees but also to migrants and minorities more broadly.

Feedback from pupils and teachers overwhelmingly confirms this with the majority of the children (98%) feeling that at the end of the project that they understood more about the people in the centres.


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