Workforce development : building local connections, encouraging commitment and managing staff changes

This blog is part of a resource called Overcoming the Challenges of Delivering Music-Making Projects (part two). Part two explores workforce development, accreditation and sustainability . The information comes from evaluation reports provided from projects funded by Youth Music for the charity's 2011-2012 Impact Report.

Building and strengthening the local ‘pool’ of music leaders

A number of organisations identified that quality music leaders within their region were in short supply, which meant a large proportion of their budget was used up on transporting music leaders from outside the region. One organisation was able to work in partnership with a local music education network to develop a programme of training for new and emerging music leaders that would help build up a larger and stronger ‘pool’ of music leaders in the area.

"The organisation was often forced to employ music leaders who lived outside of the region (often in London where the largest concentration of arts education work is situated) and as such a large proportion of their budgets were being spent on travel. Due to the current economic environment, the organisation had to cut back on spending without compromising the artistic excellence of the projects.

"The local music education network] suggested that the organisation’s employment needs could be resolved by creating a fast track training programme for music leaders based in the north of England. The programme allowed for up to 25 potential employees to gain the experiences that were required to be employed as a project worker at the same time. Working with the music leaders on a monthly basis over a period of six months allowed for the organisation to monitor development and to get to know the strengths of the participants.    

"Having engaged with [the local music education network], the organisation identified that the benefits of the programme were as follows:

• Freelancers were able to grow and develop their practice as music facilitators through the training provided
• Freelancers were provided with opportunity to share best practice and learn from other highly established and regarded music facilitators
• Freelancers were able to accumulate a bank of tools and techniques to use within their practice, increasing their skills base and employability
• The organisation was able to ‘fast track’ music leaders living within the region and retain music leaders within the north of England
• The organisation was able to employ participants from the programme on projects scheduled to take place in 2012."

Encouraging commitment from support staff

Some projects found that a lack of commitment from support staff can be a source of frustration for music leaders and hinder a project’s progress. One project reflected that facilitated communication and clear parameters would have built stronger relationships between music leaders and youth workers.

The project was largely ‘overseen’ by a range of temporary/different sessional youth workers.  Despite work by the music leaders to involve and engage them with the activity, they seemed largely indifferent to both the young people and the project. 'Staff here didn’t seem to understand their role within the youth centre and they didn’t really support what we were doing in the right manner'. The Centre Manager, who was new to the post when this project started, finally managed to appoint her new team and team leader and it is evident that this made a big difference. 'Things are looking up already, there is a new team in the centre who seem very keen to push the session forwards and support it properly. It makes such a change to the session and the atmosphere in the centre itself'.

It was assumed because of their regular contact that the Centre’s teams and music leaders would develop rooted relationships where they could liaise, share information and address issues as they arose. This doesn’t always seem to have been the case. In retrospect facilitating a short session where the music leaders and youth workers met before the start of each period of activity might have helped.  This would have provided an opportunity for all parties to identify specific issues, clarify the parameters of the music leaders’ and youth workers’ responsibilities in relation to the young people and engendered a sense of shared responsibility for the on-going development of elements of the project including, for example, monitoring systems.

Staff changes

One organisation delivering a project managed to overcome any difficulties that arose out of its Director leaving partway through by ensuring a short handover period and utilising the skills of other staff to help ensure a smooth transition. They also took advantage of the new opportunities that this presented:

"The previous Director left the organisation after ten years with the company, returning briefly for a short handover period with her replacement. In the early stages of this personnel change, the main music leader took on the responsibilities of managing the project ensuring that delivery continued to run smoothly and efficiently; with all parties receiving regular updates and communication via emails, telephone calls and meetings. This vital bridge has ensured a consistency throughout this stage of the project.

"Some aspects of the timetabling have changed reflecting the difficulties of new management taking on someone else’s ideas midway through project delivery. There is inevitably a period of transition occurring within the organisation, as the work that it delivers is viewed with fresh eyes. It is also an ideal opportunity for the Trustees and Company Director to review all aspects of the organisation, both from a strategic and business perspective as well as regarding an operational review."

Restrictions on employment of new staff by a County Council have been a challenge for one project, forcing them into employing freelance workers. However, this ended up becoming a real asset to the project:

"The County Council is still undergoing efficiency savings thus making it almost impossible to employ new personnel. Current staffing levels have been stretched to full capacity and have meant the recruitment of some freelance workers to support the delivery of sessions. This intervention has come with its own merits and as a result we’ve been able to include the professional expertise of some industry based artists, which has added another dimension to the project and increased the profile of work being achieved."