Measuring Success
An overview of qualitative and quantitative outcomes for our Fund A project 2015-2017
Measuring success
From our initial application, we were keen to ensure that our outcomes could be demonstrated through quantitative and qualitative means. In an area of geographical isolation such as Weardale, increasing the % of young people being engaged in regular high-quality musical opportunities was key, but our outcomes had to have a qualitative dimension too, in order to ensure that our activities were meaningful and directly beneficial to the needs of the young people to enrich their lives.
Our first outcome was musical: to facilitate musical progress and inclusivity, broadening regular participation in high-quality music-making in a geographical area where poor transport links and high levels of deprivation have extensively restricted the musical and cultural experiences of our young people.
Musical participation amongst Weardale’s young people increased by 38% as mentioned in a previous post. Students participated in a range of different activities including a weekly choir, world music sessions, Arts Award projects and instrumental/ vocal lessons. 100% of young people surveyed regarding the outcomes of their participation in regular musical activities said that they had maybe or definitely improved musically (with 70% in the latter category). Focusing on specific sessions, 92% of students who received piano and/ or singing lessons said they felt more knowledgeable about music. Students were given the opportunity to comment on areas of understanding they felt they had developed and a common comment was ‘I am better at understanding sheet music and listening to, and interpreting music’.
Our second outcome was personal: to provide a creative outlet for a wide range of students to help them overcome personal challenges such as depression, anxiety, behavioural difficulties and physically limiting conditions.
Prior to offering sessions, we did a great deal of research into the most appropriate ‘groups’ to target in terms of young people who were considered to be most ‘in need’. 90% of participants commented that their involvement in extra-curricular musical activities had increased their self-confidence. One young person commented: ‘it has made me more confident in being around new people and performing in front of others’ and another said ‘I have overcome my stage fright and now I believe I can perform in front of people’. Furthermore, consultations with our focus group during and after the project led to comments about how musical activities had helped their emotional wellbeing due to ‘giving them a break’ from difficult life situations and ‘helping them to feel they had accomplished something’.
Our final outcome was social: to forge links between isolated communities, building stronger relationships and challenging stereotypes by encouraging interaction between students from a variety of backgrounds.
Quantitative data was used heavily to analyse the impact of our musical activities in relation to this outcome. Difficulties facing students were tracked and monitored during the project and involvement from ‘groups’ of students was much higher than the demographic breakdown of the student body at large. 38% of participants came from deprived socio-economic backgrounds compared to the 11.4% who make up the school population. Similarly, 19% of participants were classed as having special educational needs and 3% were EAL students (0.5% across the school body). Students commented positively on working with others from all sorts of backgrounds and, moreover, they felt that they had an increased sense of pride in their local schools and communities. The % of community members attending concerts increased across the two years, culminating in 3 sell out shows and a higher % of parents/ carers attending these events.
We hope to continue to work with Youth Music to develop and extend musical provision for young people in Weardale. Our qualitative and quantitative outcomes in relation to this project were met but there is room to grow in our work with young people – reaching out to more people whom are socio-economically disadvantaged, geographically isolated, not in education, employment or training and those for whom their age and/ or health prevents musical access.