Playtime for youth music

Youth Music is a UK charity using music to transform the lives of children and young people. We believe that music has the power to build confidence, broaden horizons and raise aspirations, and develop child-centred music provision to that end. Recently Youth Music implemented Power Play, a bespoke programme that allows our Regional Executive Officers (REOs) to work with communities developing activity designed to tackle specific challenges. Power Play uses the passion of REOs – who are employed by Youth Music – to enable positive change, ensuring our Lottery funding reaches those who need it most. As part of the REOs’ process in mapping and data gathering, it has become evident that there are cold spots in each region of the UK, areas that despite disadvantage make few or no bids for conventional funding.
 

Mostly, Power Play projects use music as a focus for bringing generations together, a reason for young people to engage with their local community and a route for others to make a positive contribution. For example, the local street wardens get involved in recruitment, older siblings volunteer to help out with putting on a show, a parent admits to having been in a band and learns how to lead music sessions. Projects seem to have a snowball effect as they are often placed where many arts and sports organisations want to work, but haven’t been able to make effective links before. The success of each Power Play programme depends on forming those partnerships to include a diverse mix of cultural and social groups. They are forged between REOs and a ‘community champion’ whose enthusiasm can rally the troops and respond to the needs of young people in their area. Whilst youth workers invariably realise the importance of music in young people’s lives they may have little experience in setting up quality music provision. The REO’s role therefore is to open doors for wider partnerships, and to provide sustainable cultural engagement for young people with links to formal and non-formal education.
Youth Music commissioned Prova Research and Consultancy to undertake a formative evaluation of the programme to provide evidence to inform its current practice and development. The report recognised the REOs’ role lies in forging strong partnerships, empowering and coaching the champions through the development and bidding process. Youth Music will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of Power Play to highlight the learning from each project and to ensure all future projects reflect the needs of the communities in which they are placed.