It's ready, steady, go for Young Singing Leaders

Sing Up's Bedfordshire Community programme, ‘Community Voices’ targets Key Stage 3 and 4 children, giving music students the skills and opportunity to lead workshops in their local primary schools.

As a pilot programme, it has already been picked up by a number of schools in the area, which is a great result!

Schools on board

The programme was piloted in Stratton Upper School and John Bunyan School, and its success has inspired St Thomas More Upper and Hastingsbury Upper Schools to give it a go as well!

Getting schools to recognise the importance of practical music leading skills is integral to the programme’s success. By embracing the special bond that local pupils have with one another, the programme has been able to provide an invaluable experience for both older and younger pupils.

Not so terrible teens

Throughout the course of the programme, Young Leaders were taught how to teach and compose songs, run a 5 stage warm-up, and lead musical games, equipping them for a co-led singing assembly and classroom workshop.

Working with teenagers, however, can be particularly challenging, as Project Leader, Aga Serugo-Lugo discovered: “convincing pupils of the importance of enthusiasm and shaking off those teenager embarrassments is no easy task.” 

Once over their embarrassment, the Young Leaders shone, and some Hastingsbury Upper pupils have now been offered an extra special opportunity to design and run a workshop for a local Special Educational Needs school.

The secrets of success

Aga came up with some helpful tips for working with young singing leaders:

1)    Work with the extended schools services, Head Teachers and Music Teachers making sure you’re all on the same page

2)    Delegate responsibility (young people are much more capable than they first appear)

3)    Have faith in your students

4)    Be clear about your intentions and vision and enthusiastic about your outcomes

5)    Make sure that every session is fun

Tips to take away

• Need some further inspiration? Have a look at what some of our other Young Singing Leaders have been up to.
• You can order our special Leading Voices resource pack to give you some great ideas and activities for working with young singing leaders
• Need help getting ‘down with the kids’? Read this article for some helpful tips for singing with older kids
• Try your hand at composing your own songs. The Young Singing Leaders did it, and so can you!