Community Music Practice: Reaching Out to Young People drafted draft
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-09-18 | - |
| 2023-05-02 | - |
| 2023-09-26 | 2023-07-17 |
| 2024-01-16 | - |
Program Overview
Course overview
This course focuses on working with so-called “hard to reach” young people, and how music can support them in overcoming some of the challenges they face . As well as introducing you to this growing field, we’ll explore the contextual background and practical tools you’ll need to take into your own practice.
To avoid disappointment, please book your place on the course 72 hours prior to its commencement.
Music still plays a huge role in the lives of young people and this course explores how we can use music to reach young people who may experience a range of barriers to their self-fulfilment, wellbeing and achievement. An increasing number of young people experience Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties which may restrict their educational opportunities, life chances and even result in challenging behaviour and offending.
As well as looking at the contextual background and understanding we will explore a range of practical music tools including working with the styles of music young people may want to make like Grime and Hip Hop as well as using Songwriting to sensitively explore issues. You will also learn about progressive methodologies to engage, inspire and support young people to transform their lives.
Community Music is an inclusive and participatory approach to music that works towards musical, personal and social outcomes. This can work therapeutically and educationally, but Community Music has its own rich history and culture. Our portfolio of community music short courses builds on thirty years of community music training at Goldsmiths, and offers a broad range of general and more specifically focussed courses.
Community Musicians work with both young and older people who face a wide range of life challenges – using music as an effective tool to combat illness, disability, isolation, exclusion and many more issues. Taking part in meaningful group activities is increasingly evidenced as a positive and productive way to overcome such challenges. This workshop investigates how to best facilitate meaningful and effective musical experiences for so-called “hard to reach” young people. This includes those who:
Community Music Practice can take many forms – singing in a choir, making beats on a computer, improvising as a group, exploring technology as a means to self-expression, songwriting, soundscape work and more. Each different way of engaging with music can bring a range of benefits and be really effective interactions need to be led by people with a range of musical, communication and other skills, as well as an understanding of the contexts, and the people you are working with. This workshop will enable you to develop your own skillset, and give you a range of tools for helping young people in challenging circumstances to engage in creative and meaningful music activities.
This workshop is ideal for you if you are a:
No formal skill level is required, but to gain the most out of this workshop we would expect you to possess a level of either formal or informal music experience.
Why study this course