Organisation: Vale of Glamorgan Youth Service
Title of project: Digital Music Project
Contact: Jack Fletcher
The digital music project gives young people an understanding of different types of music and instruments. The project supports learners to develop their musical skill set and their ability to build creatively. The project has included group work and 1-1 sessions online and face to face. The project has improved self-confidence and musical skills and reduced isolation during the pandemic. Young people have also worked towards achieving the Music Appreciation Agored Cymru Unit.
The young people participated in a successful music recording and performance project based at the YMCA hub in Barry. They performed a Christmas showcase to their peers and the Vale Youth Service team members. Unfortunately we had to stop these sessions due to Covid public health crisis. However the the young people involved wanted to continue to develop their skills.
The tutor from the previous project and myself thought it might be possible to facilitate a music project online via Microsoft Teams. We consulted the young people to find out how much interest there is in the project and to get feedback on any experience the young people have had working with music online.
The young people engaged fully and contributed on the collaboration on the design of the project. We decided to set up a shared Google doc and they would work together on the lyrics for the song that they produced. They also worked together when choosing the different backing track sections to arrange in the GarageBand application when the tutor was sharing his screen.
There was in issue recording the singing online due to a delay. To solve this the young people recorded their parts at home on their phones and emailed them to me to add to the song. As lead for the project I emailed and called all of the local schools and released regular social media posts to raise awareness of the project. At the end of the project we had CDs professionally duplicated using the artwork that the young people had designed throughout the term. I then sent this to the Schools, local music tutors, local radio, and music shops along with posters with the aim of increasing attendance for continuation and development of the project. Due to changes in Covid regulations we have developed the provision to be facilitated outside using our mobile youth club.
The project has given young people an opportunity to explore new ways to express themselves during these difficult times during lockdown. It was a way they could learn new skills and knowledge in the areas of song writing, music production and relating music to film. The young people were ultimately empowered to writing exactly what they feel about the pandemic in the form of a song which gave them a platform to relate to others in the community by featuring on YouTube, social media and from being interviewed in a local paper and on local radio.
The Vale of Glamorgan Council released a press release on the project which resulted in the interest from the local press and radio. This is positive publicity. As the project has continued with the mobile provision it has been seen in the community and has been met with a positive response from the public and also other local services such as the Police.
The young people have expressed their opinions on their own feelings and experiences and the impact of the pandemic across the world within their song lyrics and CD artwork. They explore issues such as climate change, Black Lives Matter and American politics.
The project initially continued as part of the Summer of Fun School holidays offer that the youth service were offering in St Athan and Barry but due to the popularity of the programme the project is continuing weekly in the areas of St Athan and Rhoose.
‘2020 Wrapped Up’ finished video: https://youtu.be/18aJo_wt0Oo
Bro Radio interview: https://youtu.be/ov-2wS0iwPM