Examples of ways your pennies help
Luke was 14 years old when he first encountered Youth Music. He was attending a Pupil Referral Unit and he was constantly in and out of court and in danger of being given a custodial sentence.
The Youth Music project he joined involved creating a music show from scratch as part of a group with very little music-making experience – with only two weeks to a public performance. Luke enjoyed it thoroughly and worked with enthusiasm and motivation, encouraging his peers and developing good relationships with all the others involved.
He returned Youth Music for another project, and always showed an aptitude for music making and incredible patience for editing and mastering. Luke attendance and punctuality were outstanding despite living miles away and having to get up a 6am to make the journey.
Luke also became a peer mentor and kept involved despite some great difficulties in his personal life. Showing signs of music leadership meant that Luke was asked by the YOT (Youth Offending Team) to help deliver a couple of simple music-making workshops. This was a turning point for Luke, and he realised that he could do music as a career as well as a hobby. Rapidly developing into a full member of the teaching staff and the respect of young people attending has helped to increase Luke’s confidence as a leader and provided a foundation for him to build his future upon.
Luke has since gone on to secure further work as a music leader elsewhere, he has been involved in setting up a studio and a project for young people involved in Youth Offending in Northern Devon.
He is now 18 years old, employed regularly by a range of organisations, has come off of unemployment benefit and has been supported to move onto working families tax credit.
“It’s wicked I’m making money doing music and supporting my son and girlfriend – I’m doing alright” says Luke.
The money Pennies raises for Youth Music will go towards activities similar to those that helped turn around Luke’s life.
