Get On Track
Get on Track: Beats, Bars & Business is for young people (12-19 years) who are living in challenging circumstances to be given the opportunity to develop their appreciation as writers, performers and producers in creating original urban music-making. Workshops and masterclasses will focus on learning, sharing new skills and creative leadership qualities to provide groups with musical event management training to co-create events. This is an accredited community-based project engaging young people in Sandwell. The project will also deliver music making sessions to help build musical skills, confidence and self esteem in a safe, creative learning environment in order to make a critical difference to their well-being, achievement, and success to support their creative music future.
Overview
Get On Track is our youth music programme that focuses on providing alternative education and music provisions for children, young people and adults within Sandwell, the Black Country and surrounding areas.
Get On Track’s aim is to provide 'real' opportunities for its beneficiaries and allow them to access specialist workshops, mentoring and training to gain recognised qualifications (ie. credited arts award). The programme is designed to help young people in challenging circumstances to gain a more fulfilling and enriching learning experience by encouraging positive self expression and by providing the client a platform to speak about relevant community/personal issues in the form of song and poetry.
Opening session
Our opening session is a chance for all students to meet their mentor’s, engineer's, staff and get an outline of what to expect over the next 24 weeks.
We need each individual to understand the commitment and effort needed take part in the Get On Track project. The session would give young people an insight to the different ways music can be recorded, what equipment you need, what different software's are used by the industry etc. and find out who has recorded before and get them to take part in a demonstration for the group. We also will set them up with digital materials to evidence their work.
Delivery
We are currently delivering sessions to several various different schools/PRU & community organisations. Creative Academies’ ethos is to provide alternative provisions to all so program delivery can be catered depending on the abilities of the group or individuals.
Each young person who takes part in our program will learn the basics in positive writing, recording, performing & DJ mixing. Other young people who are more advanced musically will be supported. We have one group who all play instruments, another group that specializes in coping with anger via poetry. This is a an example of the different needs and program structures within Get On Track. We offer an accredited bronze Arts Award that is equivalent to a D-G GSCE grade. Higher grade students can gain the silver award that is equivalent to a A-C gcse grade.
This week we are delivering our first performance masterclass. We will be giving 17 young artist a platform to showcase their talent in front of local DJs, promoters & radio hosts. The artist that has the best stage performance will will an all expenses trip to perform at a music festival. Our future masterclasses will have well known artists guests speakers/practitioners delivering intense workshops involving pathways to positive writing, beat production and the business aspect of music. This will all be supported by a fortnightly local open mic events that will gives all participants a chance to share their work with other students from different youth groups.
Staff
We have a multi talented range of staff that have their own following in the music world. examples: Richard “MalikMD7” who is a rap/spoken word international performer & Alex aka ‘Pressure’ whos from well known grime collective in Birmingham (StayFresh). Using local popular artist who are also practitioners helps a lot with the enthusiasm and credibility to the workshop.
We have made strides within the Sandwell area when it comes to engaging young people who never considered the arts as a way to express themselves in a safe environment or a means to build their confidence.