More Music project reduces local crime rate
An inspirational project in Morecambe highlights how engaging young people through music can transform a local community
More Music, (Lancashire’s Youth Music Action Zone) is a community music organisation based in the West End of Morecambe and runs, amongst numerous other activities, the inspirational Friday Night Project every Friday and Saturday evening between 6pm and 9pm.
The Friday Night Project has made hugely significant gains in helping change the lives of disadvantaged young people in the area - those who are at risk of offending, drug and alcohol abuse and other challenging issues.
The project engages them in positive activities with the aim of building confidence and self esteem such as MCing, DJing, lyric writing, music production, studio recording and live performance. Not only does this provide young people with the opportunity to learn new musical skills, it also gives them a creative medium for self expression.
Back in 2006 More Music had to employ a local security firm to protect staff and participants from a gang of local young people aged between 12 and 18. This particular group used to spit at, verbally and physically abuse staff and participants alike, vandalise the building and fire air pistols and snooker balls through office windows at employees.
After several meetings with the local police, More Music decided to tackle the problem head on and took on the challenge of organising workshops that would engage this group of young people giving them a sense of ownership of the project and More Music as a whole.
Initially they worked very closely with the local Police who provided physical support in and around the sessions, Signposts who provided youth workers and a neutral building to work in as well as outreach workers to promote the project on the streets.
The first term of sessions proved to be demanding with violence used against staff, vandalism and extreme alcohol and drug related incidents.
During the second term the sessions were moved into the Hothouse, More Music’s own building, where project leaders began to build relationships and trust with the young participants offering them a safe, non-judgemental and welcoming environment.
Three years later the project is well established within the local community with the young people performing regularly at local community festivals. The Lancashire Constabulary has reported a significant drop in crime and anti-social behaviour in the West End of Morecambe durrng session hours.
The Police have also identified a sizeable reduction in inter-estate violence. Many of the young people have crossed over into More Music’s mainstream activity and the number of sessions has been increased with a satellite project in another run-down area of Morecambe recently launching.
The approach taken by More Music ensures that young people are given wide and varied opportunities to develop their musical, personal and social skills in a safe and supported environment. This approach involves combining contemporary music and youth work within a partnership framework and has given the young people a sense of stability and trust within their unstable lives and social networks. It has also seen all participants grow in confidence and connect positively to the community around them as well as significantly reducing risk taking behaviour.
The work has given the young people a hands-on approach to music making, events management and performance as well as a platform for self expression and the chance to work within different creative mediums. Through community performance the young people have been able to demonstrate how they can make a positive contribution to society.
Interested in running similar projects? Take a look at More Music's tips for success:
• Combine a youth work approach with positive creative activities
• Seek out a network of partners to provide a 360 degree approach to the work
• Patience – and more patience – don’t expect quick results
• Don’t give up – It takes a long time to gain young people’s trust when they have had a lifetime of being let down by agencies, schools and care workers
• Mutual Respect – if you want respect from young people then you have to give it back
• Look everywhere for funding – contact the Police, local and county councils, community arts organisations, arts development agencies
• Alcohol and drug abuse – this has always come hand in hand with this work. We overcame most drug and alcohol issues by raising awareness through informal education. Develop a zero tolerance policy over a gradual period of time
• Listen to the young people – If participants are given a voice through consultation and participation groups then this gives them a sense of worth and ownership
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