PRESS RELEASE: Making Music the Melody to tackling youth unemployment in Grays Thurrock
PRESS RELEASE
Making Music the Melody to tackling youth unemployment in Grays Thurrock
[i]Templesprings Music Centre in Thurrock are delighted to announce that [ii]Youth Music has awarded them a grant of £99,870 over 3 years for their Audio Ambitions Project. This project is supported by Youth Music, using public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
This grant means we can make music accessible for those who are from disadvantaged backgrounds who face social and financial barriers to music right here in Thurrock.
Our project will be delivered over approximately 27 months, and around 300 children (4-12) will access the programme exploring singing, playing instruments, songwriting, performance coaching and delivering a concert for the local community. Approximately 40 Young Volunteers (YVs) (13-18) will design and co-deliver the Summer Camp Programme, with ‘light touch’ support from experienced coaches.
Our team of experienced adult coaches will support Young people to develop their music leadership skills, set and review their personal goals, support them to find relevant skills development opportunities within the programme as well as identifying other local relevant opportunities. Young people will be supported to attain [iii]Arts Awards including Gold, Silver and Bronze level.
Matt Griffiths, CEO of Youth Music said, “We’re delighted to grant funding to Templesprings Music Centre and deliver an exciting programme of music-making opportunities for children and young people in Thurrock. These three-year grants will really help to develop and sustain music-making locally and continues to be a vital way for young people to connect during the global crisis."
Bidemi Johnson, Chair of the Board of Trustees said, “We are grateful to Youth Music for the opportunity especially in this climate of great uncertainty and high unemployment rate in young people. We are pleased to be able to support young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training to build their employability skills and identify opportunities for career progression, including further work experience or paid sessional placements at Templesprings using music and the arts as our tool of engagement”
Through this grant, in term-time, we will provide 12-week music Scholarships to 160 local children (4-17) who face social and financial barriers to music participation. They will access weekly music lessons (choosing from a range of instruments), and tailored support to gain Arts Award Discovery and Explore accreditation. We will work with local schools, faith groups and local music hub to engage around 200 children in taster sessions and deliver Music Education CPD events for teachers and community youth workers.
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For more information please contact: Chair of the Board – Bidemi Johnson bidemi@templesprings.com 01375 800 979
Notes for editors:
i About Templesprings: Templesprings is a coaching organisation and registered Charity based in Grays, Essex. Since 2008, we have been delivering a wide range of services including music lessons, creative workshops, work placements, which have now engaged thousands of families, children, and young people. An Arts Awards center, music is our powerful engagement tool for connecting with young people, and promoting their participation in creative, social, and volunteering opportunities, which build their skills, confidence, and resilience for the future. We ensure their hard work is rewarded by valuable qualifications regardless of your age or musical ability. Templesprings supports participants to attain Arts Awards Certificates (Discover, Explore, Bronze, Silver and Gold level) and Rock School Graded exams.
ii About Youth Music: Youth Music is a national charity supporting young people’s lives in music. Equality, diversity, and inclusion drive our vision and mission. We want to equalise access to music: we focus on people who miss out because of who they are, where they live, or what they are going through. We work with babies through to young adults, harnessing the power of music to support musical, personal, and social development. As a funder, we invest in more than 300 projects each year, reaching around 80,000 young people and over 4,000 people in the workforce. We also work directly with young adults, and with forward-thinking music businesses, to unlock the full potential of next generation talent, imagining new possibilities for the future of the industries.
iii About Arts Awards: Arts Award’s unique qualifications support young people to develop as artists and arts leaders. The programme develops their creativity, leadership, and communication skills. Open to anyone aged up to 25. Arts Award embraces all interests and backgrounds. Through working towards an award young people learn to work independently, helping them to prepare for further education and employment.
Arts Award is managed by Trinity College London in association with Arts Council England working with 10 regional Bridge organisations.