Five Lamps and Cleveland Police have been working in partnership to create a music project for young people at The Youthy.
Tracy Wilson, Five Lamps’ Youth Participation Manger and Ben Millington, PCSO consulted with young people to determine their interest in learning to play new musical instruments and forming music groups. The feedback was extremely positive and young people showed a lot of enthusiasm and excitement, primarily for drums, electric guitar and singing with a group.
Tracy put in an application with the support of Cleveland Police to TFM’s ‘A Better Tomorrow Campaign’ for funding to buy £946 worth of musical equipment. TFM and the Philanthropic Foundation liked the project so much that on the presentation evening on Thursday 15 March 2012, Five Lamps was awarded £2,000 for the project. The funding has been used to buy a drum kit, electric guitar and amp, an electric bass guitar and amp, 3 microphones and stands and a mixer.
The project will ensure that young people gain new musical skills, develop their creativity and improve their co-ordination skills, patience and concentration. Creativity allows young people to express themselves, be original and imaginative. Learning to play an instrument will also encourage self-discipline for the time needed to learn and develop the new skills. In addition the young people will gain team work and performance skills through working with other young people to create music and form their own bands. For some of young people, it will be the first time that they have ever played an instrument.
The project also aims to break down some of the barriers between Cleveland Police’s Police Community Support Officers and young people. Cleveland Police have committed a Police Community Support Officer and when available, a Neighbourhood Police Officer to each of the music sessions.
Ben Millington said
“Being a drummer myself, I will be teaching the youths to play the drums as part of my work with them – but also donating some of my spare time. A guitar teacher from the area has also offered his services to help the youngsters”
In time, the project will bring members from The Youthy’s other youth club groups together to create music, form the bands and to play at events together. This will help to promote understanding between different ethnicities, young people with and without disabilities and young people of different ages.
Alongside the music project, Jodie Durham Five Lamps’ Youth Worker has been working with Cleveland Police to organise football training sessions and matches between young people and the local Police Officers and PCSOs.
Tracy said
“Working with the police has provided an ideal opportunity for the young people to gain new skills whilst enabling a positive relationship to develop”