by Author Amber Foundation

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MIDI and Amber Foundation - Working together 2017-20

Group of participants at launch event holding up Amber and MIDI banners

Music in Devon Initiative (MIDI) is a CIC based in Exeter, working to help develop musicians and opportunities for musicians in Devon. The Amber Foundation is a charity which helps homeless, unemployed young people move on to positive, independent futures.

MIDI first started working with Amber on the Amber Music Project in 2017. Funded by Youth Music and other local and national supporters, the project ran from 2017 to  2018 and the initial funding covered equipment, recording, tuition, workshops and events. We employed a number of specialist freelance session leaders from our network of local musicians, DJs and producers. Much of the recording work was done in the nearby Sound Gallery Studios and complemented by trips to nearby working studios in Whitestone and Pinhoe.

Overview

In 2019 Amber received further YM funding and MIDI implemented a further year long programme of music instrument lessons, DJ and EDM sessions, band lab sessions, event management workshops, lyric writing and rapping sessions, day events and guest speakers.

Most of our on site work is carried out on our weekly sessions which take place in dedicated music rooms at the Amber foundation’s Chawleigh site. These consist of two music classrooms, a studio control room (under development ) kitchen and toilet. All music participants are residents on site.

Key things that MIDI has experienced around the project within the unique environment at Amber 

  • High turnover of participants
  • Large range of musical capabilities, many highly talented, some already creating music themselves. Others with little or no musical experience and low self esteem
  • Low consistency of session participation (people can disappear and reappear unexpectedly from the music programme)
  • Unexpected interruption of participants’ musical journeys due to external factors
  • Profoundly transformative outcomes for some participants in terms of mental health and wellbeing post- sessions.
  • A fluid communication structure between residents and staff
  • Policies around use of the music room, borrowing of instruments and external trips needing to be reviewed and developed.

In response to these factors and taking into account the Youth Music Quality framework , MIDI decided on a specialised approach for this project.

  • Continuous open communication via verbal, email, text and messaging apps between residents, session leaders and Amber staff to ensure information on attendance and session demand is up to date and accurate
  • Making sure session leaders know of any important safeguarding or known issues around a particular resident and how to respond / call on extra support if necessary
  • Making sure session leaders have an empathic, spontaneous and reactive approach to the direction of any session to best meet that participant’s immediate needs
  • Having short, medium and long term plans for each participant and group while maintaining flexibility within that for unexpected changes.
  • Keeping session diaries and notes
  • Regular weekly session leader debriefs and experience sharing.