Plymouth Music Zone has secured a major grant from Youth Music to further develop its pioneering partnership work using music to support young people across the city who may be facing tough challenges in their lives. It’s the biggest single grant Plymouth Music Zone (PMZ) has received to date from Youth Music. The £150,000 over the next 3 years will allow the charity to rebuild its partnership work with education, health and social care organisations to help deliver special “musical respite” activities that support the emotional wellbeing of over 400 young people and their families.
The ‘Level Out Music’ programme aims to overcome some of the negative fall out of the pandemic by seeking to stabilise, sustain & deepen the charity’s provision and support for its participants – as well as for the charity and its workforce. This will ensure Plymouth Music Zone can continue to focus on the wellbeing and creativity of children and young people having to cope with additional barriers, especially during difficult or transitional times. It will also help PMZ restore the necessary level ground to strengthen its capacity to continue to be a strong and inspiring advocate for inclusion across the city.
Youth Music’s CEO, Matt Griffiths, says:
“ Our goal at Youth Music is to equalise young people’s access to making, learning and earning in music. That’s why we’re really pleased to be investing in Plymouth Music Zone’s ‘Level Out Music’ programme, which will support young people facing barriers in their lives. The programme will also strengthen the grassroots music education infrastructure in Plymouth and support the workforce to deliver great work with and for the young people they serve. I wish PMZ all the very best.”
The ‘Level Out Music’ programme has support from a wide range of local cross sector organisations so the charity can deliver more opportunities that enrich the musical and wider development of children and young people – especially those being supported by health or social care organisations to improve their mental health.
Work will include regular weekly music sessions with children in local nurseries and Special Schools, as well as a wide range of musical activities and collaborative work with partner organisations such as the NSPCC, Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support, Plymouth City Council Youth Service, Public Health Plymouth and disability charities such as ‘Friends and Families’. It will also involve regular music activities that are open to everyone as part of Plymouth Music Zone’s so called ‘Open Zone’ available at its Community Music Centre in Devonport where the charity is based.
For the first time, PMZ’s workforce development activities will also bring together Creative Health practitioners from across the region for a series of new “Inspire and Nurture” Think Tanks. Young people will be feeding into these Think Tanks as part of strengthening the input of young voices across the organisation so they, too, can influence the wider sector with their expertise.
Plymouth Music Zone’s Chief Executive, Debbie Geraghty, says:
“We’re delighted to have such a strong vote of confidence from a key funding partner like Youth Music. They’ve supported Plymouth Music Zone to build an organisation that’s highly skilled and diverse enough to inspire and trailblaze work across different sectors. By putting music at the centre of the bigger picture we’ve been able to break down barriers so everyone can take part – no matter who they are or what they’re going through. This “Level Out Music” programme ensures that level playing field continues to happen – especially for children and young people. This news couldn’t have come at a better time. None of this work could happen without funders and donors who choose to invest in the immense power, passion and significant impact music can have in creating supportive communities that inspire joy and togetherness”.
The ‘Level Out Music’ programme is already under way and will be promoted on Plymouth Music Zone’s website and social media as well as through flyers and posters around the city. To find out more about the project and the additional workforce development opportunities available, please contact Plymouth Music Zone on 01752 213690.
You can find the Media Release here: FINAL Plymouth Music Zone Media Release Youth Music Funding 30 June 2023