From working with Orchestras for All’s Youth Board to supporting its inspiring team of Ambassadors, Elen tells all on her time as Youth Leadership Coordinator…
At Orchestras for All (OFA), we believe that young people are best placed to tell us what they need and want – and we want all young people to feel empowered enough to do so, which is why it is essential their voices and opinions are heard, valued and actioned.
However, cultivating youth leadership isn’t just about giving young people a voice; it’s about empowering them to take active roles in decision-making, fostering a sense of ownership and enabling them to lead the change that the sector so desperately needs.
At OFA, we have implemented all kinds of key initiatives to cultivate youth leadership within our organisation and as the charity’s first Youth Leadership Coordinator, my role over the past year focused on creating and facilitating these opportunities, many of which I share in this blog.
“Orchestras for All gives young people lifelong skills, potentially opening up career paths they never thought they’d have.”
Pictured: OFA’s Youth Board, Trustees, core team members and guests meet for an inspiring away day.
One of OFA’s flagship youth leadership programmes is its Youth Board. This brilliant programme has been specially designed to give the young people we work with the opportunity to influence the direction of the organisation and bring new ideas to the table.
The Youth Board is actively involved in all major decision making and strategic planning as well as providing feedback and valuable insights to help shape and improve OFA’s vital work.
I was delighted to be tasked with the responsibility of designing and implementing a new set of subcommittees for Youth Board members, trustees and core staff, enabling us to collaborate on different areas of our work in a focused setting, which has boosted youth involvement.
Read more: Why becoming an OFA Trustee is the volunteer role you never knew you needed >
“Hearing from our Youth Board about the difference that Orchestras for All has made to their lives is key – and celebrating the successes of the young people OFA works with in a range of fields proves it is making an impact.”
Pictured: OFA Ambassador, Grace, expertly leading the NOFA summer concert at CBSO Centre in August.
Since joining OFA as a member of staff, I have also been working closely with OFA’s dedicated team of 10 Ambassadors. Employed as part of our freelance team, this group are recent alums of National Orchestra for All – one of OFA’s life-changing music-making programmes for young people in the UK, which I have personal experience of.
For many of the young people we work with, this opportunity acts as a valuable first step into the workplace, providing them with meaningful ways of applying their skills in a real-world context, while also supporting the smooth running of our live events.
Ambassadors take on diverse roles within the organisation, from working with production and shadowing communications to designing new software, all the while gaining insight into our charity and developing skills they can take forward into their future careers. Some Ambassadors have even gone on to join OFA’s orchestral and wellbeing teams!
“Being an Ambassador has been a very rewarding and valuable experience for me. ”
Pictured: NOFA members enjoy a break from rehearsals at CBSO Centre in summer 2024.
Meanwhile, OFA’s Young Leaders programme is designed for 16-18-year-olds who are still members of National Orchestra for All. It focuses on equipping these young musicians with the leadership skills they need to take on more significant roles within the orchestra and beyond.
Through supported, hands-on experience, this group of young leaders are encouraged to grow in confidence, develop personally and build their communication skills.
Read more: 7 wonderful ways that youth leadership will empower your youth orchestra >
I was able to reinstate our Bronze Arts Award programme, which is a practical qualification that develops young people’s artistic abilities, alongside their research and communication skills.
The Young Leaders were involved in a whole host of activities for the award, including a visit to Birmingham Symphony Hall to see National Youth Orchestra live in concert as well as an old NOFA tradition – an entertaining instrument swap!
We have found that by empowering young people to lead, we can ensure OFA’s work and the organisation itself remains dynamic, innovative and responsive.
Pictured: Elen (middle) and the Superar team enjoying a visit to a renowned Viennese ice cream parlour.
Beyond supporting our own youth leadership programmes, I’ve spent much of the past year raising awareness of the importance of youth leadership across the wider music sector.
As Music Mark’s Advisory Council representative for its 15-strong group of National Youth Music Organisations, I have had the privilege of advocating for the interests and needs of young people on a national level. This role involves collaborating with other organisations within the sector to drive positive change.
As part of this, I’ve had the opportunity to speak at major conferences, including those held by Music Mark and Association of British Orchestras. These platforms allowed me to share OFA’s vision and the success of our youth leadership programmes with a broader audience, inspiring other organisations to adopt similar approaches.
Another key highlight of my year was a visit to Vienna, where I was fortunate enough to spend a week with a leading organisation in youth music education, Superar, which works with professional musicians to offer children and young people free access to cultural education.
Here I was able to learn more from others in Europe, exchange ideas and explore potential collaborations that could enhance OFA’s programmes. Watch this space!
“You have to be open-minded – nothing new has ever been implemented from staying closed-minded. You just don’t know unless you try. ”
Pictured: OFA’s newly-appointed Co-Chairs, Joelle (left) and Susanna (right).
Another great example of how youth leadership has developed at OFA lately is the appointment of Trustee and NOFA and Modulo alum, Joelle Sogunro, who will be stepping into her new role as Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees. Joelle will be building on the success of our previous Co-Chair, Beth White (also a NOFA alum!) and we can’t wait to see where this will take our charity.
After a rewarding year as Youth Leadership Coordinator, I have now handed over my baton to NOFA and Modulo alum, Laura Fullwood, who recently joined the team. I have moved into the role of Fundraising and Communications Coordinator, meaning there are currently two alums in our core team – how exciting!
Laura is already doing incredible things, such as sharing our work with music leaders and teachers at Music Mark’s South Yorkshire conference, and we are all excited to see how she further develops the role and our youth leadership programmes.
Above all, our work to promote youth leadership at Orchestras for All is driven by a belief in the transformative power of music and the potential of young people to shape the future. I encourage all organisations – musical or not – to invest in youth leadership.
By providing young people with opportunities to lead, we not only empower them but also enrich our organisations through their creativity, enthusiasm and diverse perspectives, enabling us to create the positive change we all want to see in the world.
Keen to support this life-changing work? Please consider donating what you can:
