What is the particular significance of working within a strategic framework in musical activity with looked after children?

We highlight aspects of project planning which have particular significance in musical activity with looked after children – but which may also have relevance to music projects more generally...

Building work into a broader strategy

Ask yourself what part your proposed project e.g. music with looked after children, plays in your organisation’s overall strategy for the next 2-3 years. Questions might include:

• Do you see this specific work becoming a main plank of your organisation’s offer because of the values you hold?
• Is it an entree into working with statutory and voluntary children and young people’s services more widely?
• Is it a means of broadening the experience and skills base of your musicians?

Many music organisations feel under pressure to 'take the low-hanging fruit’ and respond to whoever wants to buy their services. This may distort their overall strategy. Building strategic relationships over the medium term should not be set aside in this understandable short-termism.

Even within your proposed musical activity with looked after children there are strategic questions:

• How do we plan in support for young people’s musical enthusiasms after the end of the project?
• What can we do to increase the chances of embedding the work in no cost/low cost ways?

Implications for practice

Section C on Partnerships and Section H.12 and H.13 on progression routes and sustainability tease out these points more fully.