by Author Steve J Jinski

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Sage Gateshead CoMusica Assembly ... Identifying training needs (Fund A/B grant holders).

As a Youth Music AMIE Fund C organisation we are working hard to create a network for the north east region's Youth Music Fund A and B grant holders. On Wednesday September 25th we met for the third time and good progress is being made. There is a lot of information to be shared, discussed and analysed. Two and a half hours is not long enough.

Training has been a key topic of discussion, looking at what is required and who might deliver it. There is a lot of expertise in the room and grant holders are keen to offer their services. The accompanying main image is from the 'sticky wall' that was part of an exercise looking at the six main areas of training that were identified through a recent survey of all regional grant holders.

17 organisations completed the survey;

73% deliver music education and activities for young people that face challenging circumstances. 63% work in SEN/D settings and 50% in NEET settings

Organisations reported equal demand for training focused on young people who experience SEMH (Social, emotional, mental health) challenges. Narrative responses also expressed demand for specific training around awareness and understanding of some of the common mental health issues experienced by young people.

Areas identified were:

  • Evaluating and evidencing impact
  • Group dynamics
  • Understanding children and young people's musical learning
  • Planning and evaluating musical learning
  • Music education within SEN/D settings
  • Working with children and young people with social, emotional and mental health challenge

Organisations showed a preference for the training to be delivered in a workshop or masterclass format with relatively high demand also shown for observation/shadowing

We then went into small groups and asked ourselves two questions about each identified area

1. What would a useful workshop look like? 

2. Who would you recommend as speakers / contributors?

The information gathered from this exercise will help us shape our future training offer.