Record number of Arts Awards Discover qualifications achieved
This year through Serious’ Pass It On programme, 93 young people were awarded the Arts Award Discover qualification. All participants who took part in the programme belonged to schools based in some of the most deprived areas of the country and face challenging circumstances with a range of Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
Pass It On is a programme which aims to develop key social, emotional and musical capabilities in children and young people, through sustained and holistic music making practice. This year the programme saw children and young people inone mainstream primary school alongside one primary and one secondary Pupil Referral Units across Yorkshire work with a cohort of professional musicians to learn a variety of genres, techniques, instruments and approaches, culminating in the development of devised digital tracks. The project concluded with performances to the whole school community, by facilitating artists.
The programme has been very successful in delivering positive musical outcomes and establishing foundations for the future development of musical confidence amongst young people who face considerable challenges in engaging with this kind of work. All teachers strongly agree that music leaders are positive role models with excellent and relevant musical skills.
“Our students predominantly have a very limited cultural life. Meeting professional musicians as part of this project had a very positive cultural influence on the pupils, in several ways. Meeting the musicians exposed the children to an idea of a way to live, and earn money, that was previously outside of their experience; and also just meeting people form different backgrounds, from different places, other than Leeds, was great for the students.” “It was knock out! They loved it.” Teacher at participating establishment
Serious believes that distinctive combination of diverse musical experiences and interaction with different cultures, is important for supporting positive personal outcomes. We have observed this in Pass It On, where young people have shown increased willingness to take risks when confronted with new experiences; and paired with a level of consistency allowed them to feel safe and build relationships. Through this programme we have developed very strong relationships with all the schools and are committed to working in these settings, to provide progression for students involved and strengthening arts provision in the area.