News

One Spirit – Update June 2024

Since the easing of Pandemic restrictions (2022) One Spirit has developed and extended its delivery to weekly provision in 5 establishments, both custodial and alternative provision education, and intensified its community offering, including curating Release on Temporary Licence provision for young people referred from HMYOI Feltham and Cookham Wood, as well as working with young people referred from custody and/or Children and Families agencies (YOT, Social Care etc) in local authorities across London and South East.

 

A new relationship with the Beckmead Trust and TeachRock (US) has enabled the OS team to deliver weekly sessions in Roundwood School PRU in Harlesden, and additional funding from the Mayor of London’s Propel fund has enabled work to expand in HMYOI Cookham Wood, other custodial settings and in the community, as well as plan for upcoming delivery of the project in New Rush Hall SEMH school in Hainault.

 

The need for the One Spirit project in custody has intensified. The project has always enjoyed very high retention and the queue of young people on referral lists waiting to get on to the project remains consistently full. There are various reasons for this, which speak to the core of One Spirit’s success:

 

– Consistency of staffing: OS tutor/mentors have been working on the project for 10+ years

– OS staff develop long-term relationships with the management and staff in the settings in which they deliver (10+ years, without pause, in HMYOIs Feltham and Cookham Wood)

– OS tutors/mentors develop successful, long-term relationships with participants, causing participants to voluntarily spread awareness of the project amongst their friends (and case workers where relevant) both in custody and community

– The project delivers a consistent level of quality and impact: in the last year HMYOIs Cookham Wood, Feltham and Oakhill STC, as well as Roundwood School PRU have all had Ofsted (and YCS) inspections in which One Spirit was mentioned as a successful and crucial intervention project by inspectors

 

Additionally, delivery is flexible. This means that during times when staffing has been particularly problematic in custody and movements of young people to activities and education has not been possible, OS tutor/mentors have been able to continue delivery in alternative spaces, including on residential wings, prison libraries and meeting rooms, ensuring that participants can still engage in the project even if education is not running.

 

Another reason for One Spirit’s uninterrupted success is the switch to working 1to1 and with smaller groups. In the 15+ years of working in this environment it has never been so difficult to get groups of young people together – not so much because of low staffing but because of the ‘keep apart’ issues and risk assessments. Working 1to1 and with smaller groups (1to2 or 3), and allowing young people to choose other young people to work with, reduces the risk elements and enables safer movements.

 

And then there is the project content and the way it is delivered, which year on year has frequently been quoted by young people as the most enjoyable activity they have engaged in whilst in custody, as well as the plaudits from management and inspectors:

 

“I was very impressed by the way N——- was able to articulate what she was doing in the HMDT Music project, and express some very complex emotions through metaphor, as well as sounding nice. From what I understand from Oakhill’s education management, she has come a great distance since arriving here and the HMDT Music project has clearly played a very important part in supporting her on that journey” – Ofsted Inspector 2023 Oakhill STC

 

Participant feedback from Oakhill STC:

“This is definitely the best thing I’ve done since being here. Unfortunately, I’m going to be in Blackpool when I am released, so I guess I won’t be able to keep working with you, but I’ll stay in touch. Also, I’ve told my ‘boy’ [ie: friend] he needs to get on this project. He’s got a few more years left to go and mostly at the moment he just refuses education and stays in his room. He needs to do this” – MA, Oakhill STC (MA’s friend has since started attending sessions and engaged successfully).

 

Delivery of the project at HMYOI Cookham Wood has expanded to include weekly delivery to Rule 49 young people (Phoenix wing) – young people segregated from the general population because of risk of harm (to themselves and others) or significantly complex mental health (or other) needs. This cohort can experience a lack of access to general education and activities because of the complexities around their situation, making it all the more important that they receive quality provision of some sort. HMDT Music has successfully fulfilled this demand, and in spite of various challenges in setting up the delivery, has now been consistently engaging young people in this cohort since the start of the year, with great results:

 

“I’m so glad we’ve managed to get you on to Phoenix now. It’s so important that these boys get meaningful engagement and the feedback from boys and staff on Phoenix has been excellent!” – DT, Governor HMYOI Cookham Wood.

 

Delivery in HMPYOI Aylesbury has been a mainstay of the prison’s outside agency provision since the start of 2023 and has now developed to working with NHS Pathways in the jail, engaging young adults with complex mental health issues.  Similarly, NHS staff working in Oakhill STC and HMYOI Feltham have shown interest in working more closely with the project, with one Clinical Practitioner at HMYOI Feltham stating:

 

“HMDT Music offer a vital service to young people at HMYOI Feltham. The project […….] allows them to express and process their emotions connected to their experiences in a meaningful way. HMDT Music are one of the only (if not the only) agency currently able to offer ‘through the gate’ support to their participants [……..] the value of this cannot be underestimated at what is a potentially highly vulnerable time for a young person, enabling continuity with established relationships” – KH, Child and Family Psychodynamic Psychotherapist HMYOI Feltham A.

 

As part of One Spirit’s expansion into more community / non-custody-based delivery, the project has been delivering weekly sessions at Roundwood School PRU in Harlesden, NW London. Young people attending PRU have either been temporarily or permanently excluded from mainstream education, or for other reasons simply do not have a school place yet. PRU has long been identified as a ‘brief stop’ on the downward journey of the most marginalised young people from mainstream education into detachment from education and services and into eventual incarceration; not surprisingly, the need for meaningful engagement with young people in this setting is very high. It also completes the circle in terms of One Spirit’s 3600 delivery in this environment – from community, to mainstream and alternative provision, to custody and back to community. Further project activity is planned for the summer term in New Rush Hall SEMH School in Hainault, as well as other AP sites in Croydon.

 

Since the Pandemic, the project has engaged more and more young people through intervention activities in the community – young people who have come to the attention of services (Police, YOT, Children and Families) but have not received custodial sentences – whilst continuing to support young people in the community recently released from custody. At One Spirit’s premises on Brixton Road, Kennington, South London, mentors are engaging participants in music-based mentoring, supporting and helping to divert young people, as young as 13 years old, away from criminality and towards more positive pathways, with the help of HDMT Music’s community partner referral network, which includes a range of organisations that offer training and wider opportunities in sports, leisure, creative industries, hospitality and construction, amongst other sectors. The familiar story is that there is huge demand for meaningful engagement in this area, and a lack of effective services, making One Spirit stand out and receive referrals from all over London as well as outside the capital (Northampton, Essex). It is testament to how effective the project is that some young people travel for over an hour to get to their session with their mentor. One young person recently fed back “Everyone’s on my case to ‘pattern up’ [start behaving], but no one has really put it to me like you just did. I appreciate that; you really made me think about this differently”.

 

The project is constantly evaluated; participants self-assess at the start of their engagement and revisit their assessment throughout. The nature of the activities encourages regular reflection, but the project has also developed an element of peer evaluation, where young people will develop their own ways of rating their experience. Staff/managers in custody also have provided regular observations and feedback, as have family members, case workers, YOT and other agency staff in charge of caring for participants.

 

Data gathered from and submitted by participants and staff in custody reveal that:

  • 100% of participants said they enjoyed the session
  • 100% declared they had learned something new
  • 91% declared increased self-confidence
  • Of those questioned (approx. 60%) 100% remarked how the project had helped their well-being/mental health
  • 70+% of those who had mentioned issues with anger/frustration at the project start declared the project had helped
  • 82% said they felt better about the future

 

In the community:

  • 100% of participants said they enjoyed the activities (even if at first they said they “weren’t sure if this was for me”
  • 100% said they learned something new
  • 25% are in employment
  • 69% are in education/college/FE
  • 91% have NOT reoffended in 6+ months

 

in News / One Spirit

HMDT Music’s Gavin Stewart completes his PhD

Gavin Stewart playing the flute

 

We’re extremely proud to announce that our Senior Manager, Gavin Stewart, has completed his PhD, and is now officially Dr. Gavin Stewart! Here’s what he has to say on his research:

 

“I’ve always enjoyed pushing myself to explore what my instrument and I can do, and this research was a natural convergence point of my practice and academic interests. This project allowed me to work with an incredible team of collaborators creating a new body of repertoire for the amazing Kingma System flute whilst developing a visual model of collaboration between performer and composer that draws together two approaches already well-explored in literature and practice. I’m really excited to start bringing these pieces to life in my performances – should you fancy a listen you can explore them here!”

 

Congratulations Dr. Stewart; all your hard work has paid off!

in News / Saturday Programme

The Big Give 2024 Update!

The Big Give has officially ENDED! We are blown away by your support and would like to express our gratitude for your generous donations which have enabled us to over-reach our target and raise £10,459 for Music Treehouse which will help us ensure that we can sustain this transformative programme for children and young people with SEN/D.

 

We would like to share a clip from our older Music Treehouse participants’ performance from Saturday, where they were able to perform the music that they’ve been working on throughout the Spring Term for family and friends.

 

in News / Saturday Programme

Tony Clark (1946-2024)

Tony Clark, 1946-2024

 

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Tony Clark, HMDT Music Trustee since 2003.

 

Tony was a recording engineer and producer who started his career at Abbey Road Studios and worked with The Beatles, Yehudi Menuhin, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie and with Sir Paul McCartney on Wings, amongst others. He was also a founding member of The Brit School.

 

Tony was a key part of our working lives at HMDT for over 20 years and contributed hugely to all our productions and projects. He was also a friend with whom we shared many laughs and ideas, enjoyed many opportunities to see the impact our work was having on all the children who participated, and vented our frustration together at the short-sightedness of elements of society that didn’t understand its value.

 

Tony recorded and produced our large-scale theatre productions: On London Fields, Hear Our Voice, Confucius Says, Shadowball and The Brown Bomber enabling us to offer all the performers an incredibly high-quality memory of their experience and for HMDT to be able to showcase our work in style. We had such fun together recording our storybook An Invite from the Queen which allowed us to really see Tony in his element in the recording studio, but he also gave his time and skills to setting up equipment to record in schools, rehearsal rooms and wherever else we needed them. Nothing was ever too much for him and his belief in what we were doing and his boundless enthusiasm helped us ride the tide of all difficulties.

 

Tony was a man full of love; for his family and friends but also for music and his commitment and beliefs in the impact it could have on wellbeing, creativity, skills and the better good for us all as human beings.

 

We will miss Tony greatly and are immensely grateful for all the many generous gifts he gave us through his work, warmth and friendship.

 

Photo: Tony in rehearsal for On London Fields in 2004

in Blog / News

The Big Give 2024

From 19-26 March, HMDT Music will be taking part in The Big Give ‘Arts for Impact Appeal’, a funding initiative for charities. Through the Big Give, we are able to raise up to £5,000 and have the total funds raised doubled through match funding!

 

We will be raising money for Music Treehouse; our weekly creative music making project for SEN/D children with a wide range of mild to severe, profound and complex needs. Since 2015, Music Treehouse has offered a much-needed means of social interaction and skills development in a fun and secure environment, supported by a team of skilled specialist practitioners, including a music therapist.

 

To ensure Music Treehouse continues to be accessible for everyone, we rely on the support of funding and donations and would greatly appreciate any contributions. Please help us in supporting this campaign by sharing our posts on social media with your friends and family!

 

Click here to visit our campaign page and find out more information.

 

 

in News

Meet us at the Music & Drama Expo 2024

Next week on 22nd and 23rd February, HMDT Music will be exhibiting at The Music and Drama Expo at the Business Design Centre in Islington! Come and meet us at stand A62 to find out more about our schools’ workshops, Saturday Programme and community project, One Spirit.

 

On 23rd February in the Seminar Theatre from 11:00 – 11:45, our CEO and Creative Director, Tertia Sefton-Green and Composer and Music Educator Vahan Salorian, will give an introduction and practical demonstration of the E Project; our inclusive education initiative using the arts to embed diversity across the primary school curriculum.

 

Follow the link below to register for the Music and Drama Expo 2024. We look forward to seeing you there! #MDEE24

 

https://mdee-london-2024.reg.buzz

in News

Shakespeare Days of Performance 2023

Last month saw the 9th year of our annual Shakespeare Days of Performance, which we devise for Creative Education Trust, which brings together 11 schools across the Midlands and Great Yarmouth who each produce a half hour Shakespeare production. These schools then come together to perform their productions over two days at Abbeyfield School in Northampton.

Each school is given a day of vocal delivery and textual interpretation with actor, Ryan Early, and design workshops with Mark Friend in order to develop, create and make props for their performances which are produced with school staff.

This year’s highlights included a Carnival inspired Merchant of Venice, a Steampunk Victorian factory setting of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a Taming of the Shrew reflecting history’s oppression of women and a futuristic Macbeth, in a world torn apart by nuclear war.

in Blog / News / Shakespeare

HMDT Music’s E Project

 

HMDT Music’s E Project sets out to empower, enrich, equalise, expand, embed, engage, and evaluate through the creation of an arts-embedded curriculum focusing on themes and issues of inclusion, diversity, racial inequality and anti-racism. Over three years primary schools in Stoke on Trent, Lytham St Anne’s, Luton and Hackney are receiving drama, art and music workshops delivered by guest artists who link curriculum topics and HMDT projects such as Trench Brothers, Shadowball, Hear Our Voice, STEM Sisters and An Invite from the Queen, in order to build a bank of resources for long term use.

 

In recent workshops, our workshop leaders have explored themes of racism, Antisemitism and discrimination with the participating E Project schools. Through the lens of Hear Our Voice, students have explored the experiences of Jewish children during the Holocaust, what it would have felt like to leave their home behind and move to the ghetto, and the resilience they showed when faced with moving to the concentration camps. During this workshop, students created portraits relating to identity and the appalling treatment of people stripped of their sense of self during the Holocaust in addition to techniques such as automatic drawing, drawing continuously to poetry and music.

 

 

One of our workshop leaders, Sophie Gresswell, expressed that:

“The artworks pupils made during a poem reading of To Belzec, written by a child during the Holocaust, were very moving. In the world we live in it can be rare for us to take a calm moment like this to reflect, the artworks the classes made show the importance of art in processing our emotions and experiences. One teacher commented that she would use the technique again in her lessons, and I heard a pupil say they would draw more after the session”.

In another recent workshop, students explored Floella Benjamin’s early life in Trinidad, giving thought to her home, cultural celebrations, and schooling. As a class, they then created a soundscape to accompany her journey to England, focusing on her hopes and fears and exploring the differences between her expectations of England and the reality of the life and the racism she faced here.

 

More here > The E Project

 

in E Project / News / Schools

JJJA Students Accepted to Prestigious Purcell Music School

This academic year, Otto Jacovides & Jacob Deegan began studying at the Purcell School of Music, one of the country’s finest musical education institutions which boasts alumni such as Jacob Collier and Yiruma. Both students are long-term members of the Saturday Programme, starting their journeys in CYMH classes – Otto in Green and Jacob in Jazz Blues -before advancing through to the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy.

 

Both students are incredibly talented instrumentalists; Otto excels in saxophone and clarinet; and Jacob is a self-taught drummer who reached grade 8 in only two years, alongside playing trumpet and piano. Jacob and Otto both highlight the importance of attending JJJA on their success, with Jacob stating that “JJJA has shown me the career that I want; the faculty have not only pushed and inspired me but supported and taught me to recognise the downside of being a musician, where it is not always an upward trajectory”. Otto also expressed that JJJA is his ‘musical family” and stated, “the teachers at JJJA are amazingly supportive and helped to develop my confidence by teaching me to play in different groups, as well as encouraging me to play in front of people when I didn’t want to, which I now don’t have a problem with!”.

 

JJJA tutor, Alex Thomas-French, who has supported both Otto and Jacob throughout their jazz journey, stated:

“At JJJA we work hard to cultivate an inclusive community of jazz-minded people where students of all ages and abilities collaborate and grow together. Here, students get to know and play alongside many other highly talented and inspiring young musicians, and it continues to humble us to see that bright young people like Jacob and Otto reach greater heights because of this environment. We are immensely proud of both of them for all their various achievements and the challenges they have both had to overcome to get to this point. We also applaud the hard work we know their parents have put into supporting Jacob and Otto’s musical passions. Well done all!”

 

All of us here at HMDT Music and JJJA wish Otto and Jacob the best in their new venture and we look forward to watching them flourish as musicians in the coming years!

in News / Saturday Programme

HMDT Music introduces: The E Project

 

 

 

We’re excited to launch the E Project which sees us working with primary schools in Luton, Stoke-on-Trent, Fylde and Hackney for 3 years to develop an arts-embedded curriculum focused on anti-racism, diversity, inclusion and equity. Big thanks to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation for making this exciting journey of workshops, CPD training and curriculum development possible.

in News