Workforce development : Encouraging CPD and building confidence
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.
Convincing the workforce of the need for continued professional development (CPD)
Many reports expressed the importance of taking the time to re-affirm their abilities and reflect on areas of their practice that would benefit from CPD. This can have profound effects on a music leader’s confidence and ultimately benefit the children and young people with whom they work. One music leader reported on the benefits of a Development Needs Analysis (DNA) session with their local music education network:
"Going through the DNA process really did re-inspire me, it let me know that there is help out there and most importantly that I am not alone, that I am part of a bigger network of people going through similar challenges. This was very reassuring. I was able to explore the barriers I had been facing in expanding my work. I realised that I had found it difficult to secure feedback from employers and this had a negative effect on my own self-confidence and ability to be assertive in my own self-publicity. It was incredibly reaffirming to have my DNA adviser under-pin my core keys skills and unique selling points, this alone gave me to confidence to move forward.
"I feel that the young people I am working with are now directly benefiting from my experience of going through the DNA process. I am taking myself more seriously as a music leader and because of that I have become more confident and I am putting more time and energy into planning. I have also found that I am more aware of my student’s developments, what they are learning, what they like, what works and the dynamics between us."
An independent evaluation of one project acknowledged that it would be complacent to assume that highly skilled musicians have little need for CPD, and that this assumption can be damaging to an organisation’s ability to adapt to new opportunities and challenges. This highlights the importance of developing a culture of reflection and an open opportunity for continuing development:
"There is a suggestion that the historical connection musicians have with the organisation has allowed certain cultures to evolve; e.g. that a certain calibre of musicians have little need for CPD. The previous relationship between management and artists has meant that there has not been a cohesive system of CPD in the past… there are no available examples of opportunities offered to artists to develop their practice.
"In discussions with the new Director, this has been identified as an area of weakness in the company, and she is researching and developing a new evaluation structure and monitoring system to incorporate CPD as part of an on-going operational review.
"In all community arts practice there is a danger that practitioners rely on previously successful approaches and creative techniques which may not be appropriate in new contexts; working without planned structures, aims and objectives can dilute the energy and progress of project work as well as risking practitioners becoming stale without on-going development of their practice."
The same evaluation also recognised the need to develop new and emerging artists for the long term health of small voluntary sector organisations, despite any anxiety this may invoke in those already engaged as freelancers.
"There is a strong argument for seeking out and developing new and emerging artists and workshop leaders in the local area, and the recent recruitment of a trainee is an opportunity to develop a model for this in the future. I understand that the new Director is in dialogue with [a local music education network], and is working towards establishing a formal apprentice scheme with formally recognised accreditation.
"It is evident that this period of change can prove to be a difficult process for those who work within, and are engaged as freelancers with the organisation. Inevitably individuals feel defensive and anxious, but for the long term future of small voluntary sector organisations everyone must be open and receptive to robust action as well as respond to current and future challenges to ensure continued high standards in a challenging economic climate and better support the long term survival of such an organisation."
Building confidence
Staff confidence is a commonly reported issue from organisations working in early years settings at the beginning of a project, especially when staff have no previous experience of music making. We have found that an integrated programme of training for early years staff - with strong support from music leaders and quality resources that they can continue to use - helps to ensure that music making activities are incorporated into their day-to-day work. A report from a project delivered in libraries provides a good example:
"A main aim was for the programme to deliver training in combined story and music activities, so that these can then be incorporated into Early Years sessions beyond the end of the funding provision. Feedback indicated that developing the library staff members’ confidence – in addition to their skills – was a critical part of the training delivered. Members of the library staff varied in their levels of confidence at the start of the project: while some felt ‘reasonably confident’ from the start, for others confidence developed during the programme. The growing confidence of the library staff was also noticed by the artistic team.
"'All of the library staff we worked with grew in confidence during the project in terms of leading sessions, and several of them demonstrated really excellent workshop leading skills by the end of the project with a confidence for devising and planning sessions and choosing suitable musical material to complement the story. Ideally, the librarians could continue to plan and run sessions and to book musician(s) to come in to support as and when they were needed.'
"All of the library staff who completed a questionnaire at the end of the project indicated that they now felt confident to use combined story and music activities in their daily work. However, a number of respondents also used this opportunity to write about ways in which they were already developing combined story and music activities in their day-to-day work. This on-going work will be supported by the online resource that has been developed throughout [the project] to create a bank of session plans and ideas."