The Big House

The Big House is a place where people who may have given up on themselves gain the skills and confidence to turn their lives around.  The Big House works with care leavers who are at a high risk of social exclusion. They provide a platform for them to participate in the making of theatre and to have their voices heard. The Big House was set up in 2013 by Maggie Norris who has worked with ex-offenders and young people at risk of crime for over 5 years. Her work revealed that there was minimal support in the services provided for young people who are leaving the care system with the focus on material support at the expense of fundamental needs. An intense period of research and development followed, which showed that care leavers are over-represented in unemployment, homelessness, teenage parenthood and in the prison population. She found they frequently lack formal qualifications and are prone to mental health problems. The Big House Project was set up to enable young care leavers to take responsibility for themselves within a supportive and creative environment structured to support their development in the complex transition from looked-after child to independent member of the community. From 2008 to 2012 Maggie was Artistic Director of Only Connect, a creative arts company working in prisons, schools and their performance space in Kings Cross.