Observing young people's development over time

Having recently started a new role at B Sharp, one of the things I am finding most rewarding about working in a community-based music organisation is that it is possible to observe young people's development over an extended time period - over years. This is an incredible priviledge, and a real opportunity for longitudinal evaluation on how involvement in music making can provide opportunities for young people to develop their personal, social and emotional skills. It also provides an opportunity for real learning on the musical and pastoral support structures and methodologies within whcih young people can have the space to grow.

The video shows Issy, one of B Sharp's Young Music Leaders, talking a couple of years ago about her ambition to become a Young Leader. It then continues with her talking recently about how proud she is to be a Young Music Leader, and how she feels it has developed her confidence, and her ability to do what she wants.  

Because B Sharp is so embedded across a relatively small community area, we now have children joining our sessions whose first musical education experience was led by B Sharp when they were in pre-school, and Music Leaders who joined as participants when they were 11.  This presents an opporunity for high quality longitudinal evaluation around young people's involvement in music making across a whole community.