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Beat Route – Balornock Music Group

Music Strategy

Background

The music workshops began life as part of Balornock East Outreach Project (Urban Aid Project) in 1990. Community Education continued to support the music group when Urban Aid ended in 1993.

The project was originally based in Gadburn School in 1994 then moved to Barmulloch Community Centre.

Glasgow City Council’s Cultural and Leisure Services, Youth Services/Community Action Team will continue to partner the Balornock Music Group by providing information, support and advice to enable the group to continue and advance. However, future financial support will have to be sought by the group themselves through grant funding and fundraising activities.

Over the last few years there have been a number of achievements for some of the young people who attend the workshops. “Solution”, a group who have been part of the Balornock Music Group for over 10 years have achieved, with the music workers’ guidance, a professional standard of musicianship.

They have appeared on television S2 and on Radio Scotland’s Beat Patrol, performing live music sessions.

They have also played King Tuts – voted best music venue to play in Great Britain.   “Solution” have also represented the music group at Women’s 10k events and appeared at the Scottish Half Marathons at Glasgow Green.

Other groups/soloists have formed and played in talent shows and showcased themselves by playing concerts to raise funds for workshops.

In Partnership With

Balornock Music Group has worked in partnership with Voluntary Organisations

throughout the area to provide music workshops. Groups include Balornock East Youth Centre, Springburn Carers Group, Sighthill Youth Centre, Chirnsyde Initiative, Red Road Womens’ Centre and The Brunswick Centre.

Balornock Music Group is also making closer links on a local level with Glasgow North     College, Northern Rock and   Impact Arts and on a national level with Youth Music          Scotland, Scottish Arts Council, The Musicians   Union and New Deal for Musicians (Scottish Cultural Enterprise).

Learning Outcomes

The end product of the music workshops is to achieve some of the following:

1.      To learn to play an instrument can promote self-expression.

2.      A young person can gain in confidence through performing to an audience.

3.      Groupwork skills are gained by working together to achieve a goal.

4.      A young person is in control of learning.

Programme Aims

Empower young people, through the opportunity, to manage their own project.

To increase confidence levels and self-esteem in individuals and for the group as a whole.

To create educational opportunities for development of skills in music.

To develop communication skills, leadership skills and self-belief for the individual.

To break down barriers, eg. territorial boundaries.

To improve life conditions through access to recreation and leisure time occupation, eg. facilitated workshops and classes.

To develop and devise the programme of music activities in consultation with participants.

To provide the participants with the opportunity to explore a variety of musical activites and techniques.

To enable those participating the opportunity to present their developing skills in music at local events, concerts and showcases in consultation with the group participants

Resources

The recording facility has an Apple Mac PC, Yamaha workstation, Cubase, software for Apple Mac and other technical equipment. Groups have a variety of equipment such as guitars, amplifiers, keyboards, saxophone and drums, fiddle, mandolin and DJ equipment.

The choice of equipment is negotiated with young people and can be dependent on a number of factors such as availability, cost and suitability for the group. The group also fundraise and apply for grant assistance to enhance the level of equipment provided by Glasgow City Council.

Method

The sessional staff are qualified in many different types of music and are all experienced musicians.

They offer tuition in Guitar, Mandolin, Keyboards, Saxophone, Drums & Percussion in addition to Vocal tuition and advice on songwriting and computer music recording.

Tuition can be one-to-one or in a group work session, dependant on skill level of young person and tailored to meet individual needs.

Key Target Groups

It is envisaged that the key target groups in Balornock would be identified and include:

·         Young people looked after by the council.

·         Young people who have left care.

·         Young parents/Lone parents.

·         Young people with Disabilities/Special Needs.

·         Young Carers.

·         Young people affected by homelessness.

·         Black & ethnic minority young people.

·         Young people involved in the Criminal Justice System.

·          Young people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual or Transgender.

Future Developments/Progression

The recording facility provides opportunities to encourage young people to seek out training/learning opportunities. For example, 12-15 young people participated in a computer recording course in Barmulloch CC provided by Glasgow City Council Community Learning and are now in a position to access a modular course. The music groups are setting up a recording studio and have acquired the equipment to update the studio and allow them to record their own CDs to a high standard. It is an opportunity for young people who cannot access a professional recording studio. The learning outcomes for the course will

1.     Enable young people to use audio compression    in recording techniques.

2.      S.M.P.T.E. timecoding in linking digital recording unit to computer.

3.      Digital editing techniques.

4.      CD mastering and copying.

Advanced master classes in various instruments and music as a business, can be offered in partnership with other organisations e.g. Glasgow North College, Northern Rock or Youth Music Scotland.

It is hoped that there will be a performance of young people’s musical talents at the end of each session/year, whichever is appropriate.

There will be opportunities to pursue an international element in the music strategy. In July 2003 a group from the Balornock area took part in a 5-day music festival in Alessandria, Italy. Avenues will be explored to encourage future involvement in this area.

Music workshops are providing the opportunity for young people to build a career in music or to be part of the process of learning new music/life skills.

The music strategy will follow National Standards for Youth Work (see appendix) and strive to achieve them.

APPENDIX

National Standards for Youth Work

1.1

Establish contact/maintain relationships.

1.2

Enable young people to clarify their situation and express their aspirations.

1.3

Diagnose young people’s current position and identify opportunities for their development.

1.4

Collect, store and make information available.

1.5

Enable young people to make informed choices.

1.6

Enable young people to become active citizens.

1.7

Enabling young people to influence others.

1.8

Identifying situations where advocacy is needed and represent the views of young people.

2.1

Enable young people to explore values and develop their self respect and self esteem.

2.2

Create climate for learning in groups.

2.3

Enabling young people to deal with negative feelings and anger constructively.

2.4

Assist young people to reflect and learn from their experiences.

3.1

Adapt resources to meet their needs.

4.1

Work as reflective practitioners.

4.2

Promote equal opportunities/challenge discrimination.

4.3

Enabling young people to take responsibility for their own decisions.

4.4

Work in line with organizational strategies, policies and procedures.

4.5

Maintaining effective relationships with managers, decision makers and colleagues.

4.6

Promote safe working environment for the health and wellbeing of young people.

5.1

Identify organisations that can contribute to young people learning and development.

5.2

Establish and maintain partnerships with other agencies and providers.

5.3

Identify the range of, negotiate and source resources to, support youth work opportunities.

5.4

Negotiating and securing resources to support youth work opportunities.

5.5

Manage and contribute to project planning.

5.6

Co-ordinate, monitor and control budgets.

5.7

Agree criteria and contribute to project evaluation review and completion.

6.1

Provide information to aid policy formation, and the improvement of practice/provision.

6.2

Monitor and maintain performance in your team.

6.3

Implement an organisational policy for the protection of young people.