Music for a Generation in Hertfordshire

Change management

In 2003, Hertfordshire Music Service informal music team devised a reminiscence-based intergenerational song-writing model in partnership with Community Psychiatric Nurses from the NHS Foundation Partnership Trust who had identified that elderly people often had untapped, rich life experience that would be of interest and benefit to young people. In a pilot-funded by the Arts Council Roots Programme, primary school children from St Andrews primary school in Hitchin wrote raps based on the reminiscences of a 1st generation immigrant from the West Indies, and performed them at the Rhythms of the World Festival. Herfordshire County Council ran the model for six primary and two secondary schools in 2008 concluding with a performance at the Castle Hall.

The learning from the model described above informed the development of the M4AG project. A key element of the M4AG project was not to have a set programme or agenda for the individual groups. The aim was to allow each group to evolve through engagement of those involved, allowing them to set the shape and the tone of the project, so that it was relevant to them. It was agreed therefore that Hertfordshire Music Service Workshop Leaders would be introduced informally at each centre and encouraged to explore meaningful ways of enjoying music together and finding practical musical activities that would be fun for all involved.

The project was not without challenges.

• Finding a suitable weekly time to host the project because many of the centres had a planned programme of events in place.
• Identifying young people to bring into the centres during the day conflicted with the school day.
• Bringing together people from different generations and with different interests and levels of need.
• Engaging individuals in the musical activities.
• HMS workshop leaders and centre managers were required to work with the open programme and be flexible, resourceful and responsive to need. This undoubtedly took time as relationships and understanding was developed.

Once the centres has been identified and selected, Workshop Leaders attended and ran short introductory sessions at each centre in December as part of the festive celebrations. This enabled a relaxed introduction and created a connection between the Workshop Leader and the club staff and members. The Workshop Leaders joined in the existing operations of the centres, helping serve lunch for example and starting informal conversations. In all centres the centre staff and volunteers willingness to involve themselves in musical activities had a significant impact on the active engagement of all.

Once the sessions began formally the Workshop Leaders led short musical activities to discover the members’ favourite songs and then used this to inform the material and activity for the groups. This naturally led to discussions about when they’d first heard the music and to reminiscence, which led to suggestions for new musical material. The repertoire of music was mostly chosen from the informal folk and commercial UK and USA music traditions. Much material was offered from the older participants, but contemporary popular songs and artists such as Adele for example were also suggested. Show songs, opera and Arabic songs as well as self-written songs by both Workshop Leaders and young people also featured.

The project ran in four day centres across Hertfordshire, including

• older people aged 60-95 from Borehamwood Seniors in Borehamwood, with two students from Hertswood Academy;
• stroke survivors from the Daylight Club in Harpenden, with ten young Care Cadets;
• people with physical disabilities, mental issues or mild learning disabilities from Douglas Drive in Stevenage, with and four students from Barclay School; and
• at Parsonage Lane in Bishop Stortford young people with physical or learning disabilities aged between 18-25, with their parent carers.

Altogether, 115 individuals took part in the project, including volunteers and staff from the day centres. The willingness of the staff of the day centres to engage in the music proved a vital component to breaking down barriers and connecting the members of the groups and the Workshop Leaders.

Hertfordshire Adult & Family Learning Service continue to fund the work in the four day centres. The funding will allow for a further 30 hours in each club, which has been very well received by the centre managers.