Sustaining musical journeys
Our Connect programme helps musicians from the earliest stage in their musical journey. The programme is specifically designed to help young people from low income families sustain their musical learning after initial state-funded whole-class lessons end, so they can keep on progressing and playing music well into their teens and beyond.
Since 2024, Young Sounds UK has been the lead delivery partner of the Department for Education’s Music Opportunities Pilot, which has supercharged the Connect programme, enabling it to support up to 1000 young people across our Hub partner network.
Connectors
We have established a network of experts across our Ambassador and Connector Hubs . We’re calling them ‘Connectors’ and their role is to connect young people and families with musical experiences in their local area. They exist to find appropriate opportunities and share valuable information on how best to support young people’s musical development.
The shape of Connect
In our Ambassador Hubs, the programme has four core elements for every student, for at least two years.
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Music Lessons
A personal bursary
3 Get Togethers per year
Individual Learning Plan
Additional opportunities
- Joining regular music groups run by the Hub.
- Taking part in programmes and projects run by national music organisations in their area.
- Access to a Young Sounds Alumni Mentor.
- Contributing to Young Sounds events, films and publications.
Hub Partners
Young Sounds Connect now comprises two programme types, operating across 22 regions in England.
Ambassador Hubs
Support the musical progression of up to 1,000 young people via a holistic programme designed to help them overcome barriers and keep learning.
- Bradford
- Central Bedfordshire
- Greater Manchester
- Manchester
- Lewisham
- Resonate (Liverpool)
- Severn Arts (Worcestershire)
- Sheffield
- Southampton and Isle of Wight
- Sunderland
- The Music Partnership (North-West Midlands)
- North Tyneside
Connector Hubs
Focus on inclusion and access for ALL young people and families in their area, and beyond.
- Berkshire
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Coventry
- Devon and Torbay
- Hertfordshire
- Lincolnshire
- Norfolk
- Waltham Forest
Amplify
Amplify is the chance for our young people to have their voices heard in the Connect programme. It’s led by our mentors and brings young people together through regional and national youth voice panels, giving them the chance to share their experiences and to provide feedback on various musical and programme related topics.
Each of our Ambassador Hubs host a regional Amplify panel three times a year and all the young people on the Connect programme in each area are invited to take part. Topics can range from musical journeys and experiences, to guest speakers sharing their own stories.
This feeds into national Amplify meetings, which happen twice a year and are led by our Amplify Lead Mentors. From each region, young people known as ‘regional champions’ are chosen to represent their area. This role involves listening to other young people and sharing their views at a national level.
In review
Described as ‘overwhelmingly successful’ by music education expert Richard Hallam, in his 2013 external evaluation of the first programme phase, Connect has received significant support from Youth Music since 2014 thanks to their funding from the National Lottery via Arts Council England. We were also a founding member of the Alliance for a Musically Inclusive England. The programme is also supported as part of our NPO grant from Arts Council England and our NYMO support from the Department for Education.
You can read more about the programme, formerly known as Furthering Talent, in our 5-year review publication. You can also watch this short film about the programme which highlights some of our key learning from the most recent phase.
Partners and funders
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Ambassador Hubs
Connector Hubs
Delivery partners
Funders
Young Sounds would like to thank Youth Music for their transformational investment in the development of the Connect programme over the last 12 years. Connect would not be where it is today without Youth Music!
News from Connect (some articles may refer to Connect by its previous name Furthering Talent)
The role of families in music
To celebrate International Day of Families we’re reflecting on the unique dynamics within families that are enriched by music. At…
Clowning around with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
A guest story from our Furthering Talent Ambassador Hub The Music Partnership! This piece first appeared in their Spring newsletter…
Become an AYM Music Hub partner!
We’re searching for 10 new Music Hub partners to join the next phase of our Furthering Talent Connect programme in…