The output of this research is a toolkit: which aims to provide practical tools for practitioners to explore and/or enhance Youth Voice engagement within their practice. This was very powerful as we had a musical space where our ideas were listened to.” Emmerson Sutton, age 15 – The Music Lab participant

The most important thing about this toolkit is that even though adults ran the course, the children were given the chance to experiment and try new things. The worst thing that an adult can do is to be ignorant to the fact that children have ideas and opinions about Music. “Everyone is a teacher in their own right and, as important as it is for a child to learn from an adult, it is just as important for adults to learn from children. The days were full of energy, insights, and great music! Many thanks to everyone who was involved. The workshops closed with each of the groups returning to the question of where Youth Voice could or does exist within young people’s musical practices, and everyone reflected on what has or hasn’t worked as part of this process. Led by musical facilitator, Isabella Mayne, together with a youth worker, Jacob Sakil, the workshops saw groups of young people and their teachers set up musical projects and activities that address the points that were identified within young people’s musical practice as being supportive of Youth Voice.

The music lab