Emerging Music Leader

Dean Skinner is an Assistant Music Leader with B Sharp as part of our regular grassroots programme and emerging music leader training scheme. Dean has progressed through our open access Youth Music funded programme from a young person finding his way to becoming a confident and aspiring music leader. A part of this work included facilitating targeted sessions in a youth centre at a critical time just before it closed due to local authority cuts and before our community music festival, the Big Mix. 

Dean's approach to music leading was so inspiring and focussed on young people that he was immediately welcomed and great things began to happen, as you can see from the pictures! This was brilliant for Dean as a young leader,  for the young participants, partners, and for our community. Through this work Dean and many of these young have gone on to feel able to fully participate and contribute to other areas of our work and beyond. 

Thanks again to Youth Music for making this possible.  

What did you do?

I spent 6 weeks at Lyme Regis youth club, introducing young people to beatboxing and teaching them various techniques, sounds and rhythms. This involved group and one to one mentoring.  

How did it go?

Each session bought about new challenges, from a lack of knowledge and understanding to challenging behaviour. However, I found that confidence and knowledge grew within individuals and that once one young person had shared their learning or existing knowledge of beatboxing it meant that those who posed challenging behaviour either joined in, or removed themselves from the session. I enjoyed sharing and teaching the young people and realised very quickly that making it fun was what kept the young people engaged.  

What stood out for you as being the outcomes?

I felt a massive sense of achievement when three individuals turned up each week to the sessions having practised their beatboxing and were able to share their learning and ask for feedback. These sessions also taught me that talent can come from the most unexpected places.  

What were the challenges for the young people and how did you help overcome these, for example a lack of confidence?

Confidence was a big hurdle for some young people to overcome and in all cases it seemed that one to one engagement was what the individuals needed to step outside of their comfort zone. I achieved this by asking about their interests and incorporating them into a beatbox.  

What did you learn?

The main thing that I took from these sessions was that holding boundaries is essential when working with a group to ensure that those who are willing to engage feel safe to share and participate without distractions.    

What next?

These sessions inspired me to further my training in group facilitation and leading beatboxing workshops with young people.  

 

"Talent can come from the most unexpected places"  Deano

 

Photo credits Maisie Hill - www.maisiehill.co.uk