swamp creative media centre
Established in 1996, SWAMP is a forward-thinking Community Development Trust and
registered charity, using accredited training, outreach, film, music, digital
technologies, gardening and the creative arts to enable and empower social
change. SWAMP enhances cultural awareness, promotes social inclusion and builds
community spirit within the locality, and has been successfully sustaining this
for over two decades. During this time we have taken a dilapidated building
within our community and redeveloped it, and are now planning another move to
new premises. We strongly believe in the model of inclusion through creation,
and work collaboratively with children, young people, older people and
communities to achieve our aims; predominantly, but not exclusively, with
vulnerable groups. We consider the arts, community involvement and accrediting
training to be positive tools for change, helping people to: Build confidence
and attain new skills Get back into work or education Source work in the
creative arts Enjoy better health or simply improve quality of life SWAMP was
one of the first organisations in Glasgow to use creative media, digital arts
and new technologies as tools for community engagement, cross-referencing them
to skills and learning, and later adopting the Curriculum for Excellence
approach into our programmes. Through our accredited training programmes we
provide young people with the skills and attributes they need to successfully
make the life transition from school to employment or further education,
supporting them to better understand their local environment, and encouraging
them to engage in the process of lifelong learning and active citizenship. Our
bespoke programmes and projects are designed and planned with the learner very
much at the heart of the process and our objectives continue to focus on
developing the skills of young people to become successful learners in life and
work. SWAMP places innovation, enterprise and creativity alongside outstanding
delivery, sound management and a strong ethos of partnership to tackle society’s
big issues. Our mission and values fit well with the strategic objectives of the
Scottish Government and local government priorities, and have developed strong
working relationships with key partners operating within the area of youth
employment, education and development.