The Music Works
The Music Works (TMW) is a music charity based in Gloucestershire, that transforms young people’s lives through music and helps pursue their dreams and aspirations.
For many young people music can be the key to unlocking their potential, yet many face barriers to making music. TMW work with young people to break down these barriers and empower them through music.
The Music Works
The Music Works
Target Beneficiaries
The Music Works specialise in working with young people facing barriers in music, in learning and in life. They want to ensure that every child and young adult in Gloucestershire has the right facilities and opportunities to pursue their passion in music, regardless of background, economic barriers, life condition or circumstance, or behavioural difficulty.
Their mission is to change lives through music. They work with young people to engage them through music, build confidence, self-belief and motivation, and so empower them to improve their life chances. They develop young people’s musical and technical abilities and provide progression routes and opportunities for those who wish to pursue them.
Delivery
Activities are delivered through primary, secondary and special schools, Alternative Schools Provision and Hospital Education.
Outside of education they work with young people of all ages and abilities through their own studios and in schools, through music technology and band sessions, workshops, courses and events.
The core activities are:
- direct delivery of music work
- training, capacity-building and leadership development
- influence and advocacy
These core programmes fall into the following strands:
- small group or one-to-one music mentoring
- whole class music technology 10-week programmes for primary and secondary schools
- special schools bespoke 10-20 week programmes
- after school and weekend music groups and sessions – in or out of schools
- strategic music development – in partnership with schools (joint visions and action plans for music) and as part of the county’s music education hub (inclusion strategy, primary schools music consultancy)
- one-off workshops such as spoken word
- courses and events (e.g. festivals, music industry seminars, short courses)
- TMW also provide accreditation e.g. through Arts Award and BTEC programmes
- TMW also pilot new approaches to transforming lives through music, such as our current ‘self-harm’ songwriting and singing project in secondary schools
Impact
TMW work leads to improvements in:
- Creativity, self-belief, self-esteem and confidence
Which can be evidenced through wellbeing and educational outcomes:
- Wellbeing – improved mental wellbeing, resilience and relationships, reduced negative behaviours
- Education – increased self-efficacy (belief in ability to cope and succeed), motivation to learn, aspirations, school attendance
And this in itself leads to long-term social change:
- improvements in employability, citizenship, and in some cases a reduced cost to society
In 2018-19 TMW worked with 2,947 young people, at least half of whom were in challenging circumstances as a result of economic difficulties, life conditions, life circumstances or behavioral issues.
From their Voice Collectives Schools Programme, the following increases were shown:
Testimonials
“What I witnessed was amazing. Kelly rapping about her difficulties, taking back control. The project is building on Mia’s self-confidence and self-esteem and the young people are asking for more sessions. The work that they’re coming out with is so powerful.”
Acknowledgements
Make Music Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire County Council, ACE, Garfield Weston Foundation, NHS Gloucestershire CCG, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Postcode Community Trust, Open Fund PRS Foundation, Social Investment Business, Youth Music – and many others