Evolve: Training Creative Music Leaders

Learner to leader, detailing the journey of trainee tutors at Pedestrian, Leicester

This is my second experience of leading a group of young people through a course to enable them to lead music workshops with young people. This time around we had five trainees all with varied backgrounds and experiences of working with young people in group settings. They all had a solid involvement in music too (which helps!) which ranged from music production, to being in local bands, lyric writing, performance, reading music, playing a variety of instruments...between them they had all bases covered it would seem! The group of trainees had a three week mission in front of them. Attend two weeks of taught workshops and lead a week of music activity for a group of local young people. The taught workshops enabled them to complete work that would eventually lead to a Level 3 Award in Education and Training. The units I covered with them were based around working with groups and also the ways in which assessment can be used when working with individuals. I was struck by the amount of prior knowledge they all had and as the sessions progressed I think that they realised that they actually knew more about teaching practice than they had first thought. What seemed to come out of the discussions and activity was that a lot of what we do when delivering in workshop settings comes naturally. Also that it helps to step back and see the variety of methods and approaches outside of the workshops in order to assess our own approach and make sure that we are delivering in the most effective way we can.

Effective delivery techniques and reflection were certainly put to the test when working with the group of young people during the 'Music Week'. The trainees worked on music and composition with a group that had profound and varied learning needs, it was a bit of a baptism of fire to be honest. They seemed to relish the challenge and during the week de-briefed after each session and collaboratively worked on ways they could engage with the group more effectively as the week moved on. The trainees also ensured that activities were logged and feedback was completed so that the participants could each complete Bronze Arts Awards which they all did, even if there was some resistance to "boring writing" early on in the week.

The group of trainees are now currently busy working on their portfolios to submit to achieve their own awards. Making use of plenty of 1 to 1 tutorials with myself and a colleague they all look set to pass and will hopefully begin to get involved with more Freelance delivery, not just for Pedestrian but hopefully with other delivery partners around the region. It's once again been a pleasure to help and guide another group of enthusiastic and talented individuals and allow them a platform to use their skills in a positive and encouraging environment.