Working with young people

Our research into engaging under 35 year olds in music groups pointed to a need for better outreach and publicity. Young people might not be specifically looking for a group to join, or might not be aware of groups in their area. So instead of waiting for them to find you, go to where they are! But where might they be? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Go to local businesses and offices

Most offices will have a fair number of under 35s amongst their staff. Try the following:

Policies aren’t necessarily the most exciting thing to think about when you’re running a music group. But they are important and will help you run your group more efficiently and effectively. We have provided a list of the most common polices you might consider having, together with links to further resources and some template documents. But first, a quick word on why you should have polices in place.

A policy sets out your commitment to a particular area. This can:

We have developed a template Safeguarding policy for use by our member groups, consisting of the policy itself and some guidance notes to help you adapt it appropriately.

It is designed to be a starting point for you policy and can be adapted to suit your group’s circumstances. As well as the accompanying notes, we recommend you read our general Safeguarding guidance. 

Research published today by Making Music sheds new light on the obstacles amateur music groups face when attracting younger members.

Many of you are increasingly facing problems with your local authorities on child licensing. In recognition of the fact that interpretation of the law is so different between councils, the National Network for Children in Employment and Entertainment (NNCEE) has now published guidance which should hopefully lead to a little more consistency.

There are three reasons why this is important:

Criminal record checks in Scotland are managed by Disclosure Scotland and involve a different process to that in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

This overview guidance will help your music group understand its safeguarding responsibilities and how to put the right safeguards in place so that you can offer a safe environment for the children you work with and provide the right support for staff, volunteers and members.

Robert Convey of member group Bristol Choral Society explains how they have begun to create the audiences and music makers of the future with their Mini Messiah concerts.

Crowdfunding involves using online platforms to gather small donations from a large audience to fund particular events, initiatives or projects.

This template is designed to help you plan a project and successfully bid for funding, leading you through the planning stage step by step, enabling you to bridge the gap between inspiration and delivery.