So this post it devoted to how a few of our volunteers and one other inspirational people have proved that small can be mighty when it comes to making a difference.

Here’s Toby Bakare on making a mixtape for Sundial Day Centre…

Despite the fact that I knew I would be going to a day care centre for the elderly, playing them a series of unfamiliar songs to which would hopefully entertain and inform them, my main concern before I stepped in to the Sundial Day Centre wasn’t how would they react to the music but how would I react; did I, for example, really love Noah and the Whale enough to put them on the mixtape?

I started off by playing a song called Microlite by a band called Trophy Wife and within minutes the penny dropped. The music was just the start, their reaction was actually of far more interest because wasn’t playing music for a homogenous group of people but a group of eccentric and individual characters.

There were those who were hostile and the start and took a bit of time to be one over, there were those who were perhaps a little too keen – enthusiastically hugging and kissing me at every opportunity (upon being given a bearhug by one lady I was described as “shy but willing”). Then there those who clearly had musical bones in their bodies and were loving the various drum beats. I rattled through my collection (a series of summer tunes) to a mixed and varied reaction. But everyone engaged which was nice and a little unexpected to be honest. This by consensus was their favourite and, funnily enough, mine too.

I know that since Toby has gone in the mixtape (well ok mix CD) he left behind has been played numerous times, kind of an unofficial soundtrack for the summer. Its funny as often its hard to know what difference you make because the impact can keep on going, like a seed that’s planted. A great example is the spot of time that Helen Williams did with Headway East helping them to set up their blog

Just a small amount of time from Helen has planted a seed that has continued to grow, the group regularly update the blog and feel really proud of it. I think for one think it looks awesome.

I think often the resistance to small moments is that its hard to prove their impact. In one of my earliest discussions with someone about sending talented creative people into schools to run mini sessions on design, art, music they questioned whether it ought not to be a six month scheme to deliver clear outcomes. Wouldn’t the children feel let down if they never saw the person again? Well as I said at the time, I don’t think so. As human beings we understand that not everyone we meet is our lasting friend, we can all be inspired from just one small chance meeting although it may be hard to evaluate that! But certainly when we go to a gig or to a performance we don’t expect to form a bond with the people involved even though it might be something we remember for the rest of our lives.

Anyway, it’s a hard thing to do justice to so I’m going to end with a story that really got me. A wonderful lady called Lauren Currie who runs Snook in Scotland happened to tell me how she spoke to 2nd year students in Dundee last year. She did just one lecture, talking to them about her experiences since graduating and believing in yourself. From just one lecture over 30 students blogged without any prompting about the impact Lauren had had on them – one of the best ways to see what a difference a small moment can make is to have a read of the posts here.