Overall aim: 

To establish music-making as a medium for benefiting children and young people deemed to be at risk

Key messages:

• Participating in music is good for you
• Music-making should be available to all children and young people – particularly those who will benefit most
• Participating in music-making can improve young peoples educational attainment, confidence and self esteem
• Music-making activities can be used to increase numeracy and literacy skills for those at risk

Rationale

Youth Music is targeting children and young people ‘at risk’ as this is a significant group of young people who lack the opportunity to take part in music-making.

Youth Music has recognised that social and economic barriers are contributing to a cycle.  Low achievement in schools can lead to disengagement from education, exclusion from school leading to crime. Youth Music believes that music-making is a tool that can be used to engage young people in their own development.

Youth Music is investing in this area because it believes that sustainable planned music-making activity should be a right for young people at risk.

Specific aims and activities

• To increase the number of music opportunities for those at risk
• To increase awareness of music as an effective tool for improving educational attainment, confidence and self esteem of participants
• To increase the number of music leaders working with young people at risk

What do we mean by ‘children and young people at risk’?

Children and young people with difficulty accessing activities that will help them grow and progress.  This means social, economic, cultural or geographical disadvantage or a combination of these factors.  We are especially keen to support young people who have little opportunity to engage with music activities and are both drawn to music-making and would benefit from it.  We want to reach young people who are in challenging circumstances and re-integrate them with their community through music-making.