Why?
Writing lyrics and music is a great way of expressing feelings and getting your voice heard – children in care in Hull came together to write a song based on their experiences for anti-bullying week. They wanted to encourage everyone to respect each other’s differences and call out bullying behaviour, a theme that YVIC (Hull’s children in care council) identified as important after reviewing their Bright Spots findings.
What?
What did they do?
A group of around 10 children in care and care leavers worked with a local music hub to develop ideas for lyrics and learn about song structure and composition.
Children describe their song as focusing on “accepting each other and embracing our differences”.
The chorus is threaded throughout the song:
“Be yourself, be proud.
Don’t apologise for who you are.
You matter, give yourself the chance.
Your life is just beginning,
so___ Shine bright,
Shine bright.
Shine bright”
The song is one of many creative ways children in care in Hull are getting their voice heard.
What difference is it making?
The song was premiered during anti-bullying week at a packed venue full of children, carers, staff and councillors: “Tonight we filled the Albemarle Music Centre to sing with our children in care. Why? To show our children and young people that they matter!”
It was proudly sung at the annual children in care Christmas sing-along – where it was announced ‘Shine Bright’ has been chosen as Hull’s ‘song for the city 2025’ – meaning even more people will hear it and culminating in singing the song at an event in the 3,000+ seat arena. To reach even more people an instrumental version of Shine Bright is played as the ‘on-call’ music for all callers to the Hull City council customer service phone line.