“The Heroes Inside” Building Communities in Community Choirs Evan Dawson

1. Culture, Health & Wellbeing International Conference, Bristol 2013 “The Heroes Inside” Building Communities in Community Choirs Evan Dawson Head of Development, Making Music

2. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs OVERVIEW 1. INTRODUCTIONS Making Music, Sound Sense and the TSRC 2. Background Community choirs 3. Vocality What was it? What did we measure, and how? What did we find? 4. What next?...

3. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Making Music www.makingmusic.org.uk Making Music is the UK’s number one organisation for voluntary music. Our 3,000 members include choirs, orchestras, music promoters, jazz and wind bands, community festivals, samba groups and more. INTRODUCTIONS The Partners

4. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Making Music www.makingmusic.org.uk Sound sense www.soundsense.org The UK professional association promoting community music and supporting community musicians. INTRODUCTIONS The Partners

5. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Making Music www.makingmusic.org.uk Sound sense www.soundsense.org INTRODUCTIONS The Partners Third sector research centre www.tsrc.ac.uk The Third Sector Research Centre aims to enhance our knowledge of the sector through independent and critical research.

6. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs INTRODUCTIONS The Funders

7. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs BACKGROUND Community Choirs in the UK

8. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs 1935 – choral societies Making Music formed to support amateur choirs BACKGROUND Community Choirs in the UK

9. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs 1935– choral societies • 1970s – community choirs • People sing “without worrying about having a ‘good’ voice or ‘getting it right.’ Singing has been a part of life, a way of binding communities.” • (Natural Voice Network) BACKGROUND Community Choirs in the UK

10. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs 1935– choral societies • 1970s – community choirs • 1990s – community music • “Active music creation, equality is central, and the music making itself somehow tells the tale of the community that’s making it.” • (Macdonald 1995) BACKGROUND Community Choirs in the UK

11. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs 1935 – choral societies • 1970s – community choirs • 1990s – community music • 2000s– reality tv and medical evidence BACKGROUND Community Choirs in the UK

12. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Research question: “Does a singing group in an area of disadvantage contribute to community and personal development in that area; and if so, how?” VOCALITY

13. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs evaluation objective: “To investigate the benefits and challenges of community choirs operating in areas of disadvantage as a tool for community development; and identify the best strategies for success of such choirs.” VOCALITY

14. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs • Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire • Brent, London - Chalkhill Estate • Gloucester – Barton and Tredworth • East Brighton – Whitehawk and Woodingdean • Torbay • Newport, Gwent • Cardiff – Riverside and Grangetown • Kirklees VOCALITY the 8 places

15. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs • Elders from a deprived London borough, one with a high population of people from black and minority ethnic groups • Adults with learning difficulties • Refugees and asylum seekers • Communities in the lowest 30% of multiple deprivation • Young parents in an area of mixed ethnicity and deprivation • People of mixed language, religion and ethnicity, on a single high-crime street • Patients at an inner-city GP surgery • Parents at a poorly-performing school VOCALITY participants

16. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs MONITORING 2. Quantitative 3. Qualitative VOCALITY Evaluation framework

17. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Singing skills Feeling confident Dealing withproblems 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 3 5 4 3 5 4 3 2 4 3 Feelingcheerful 2 Feeling relaxed 4 3 2 4 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 Makingdecisions Feelinghealthy Feeling energetic Interested in new things Interested in other people

18. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs VOCALITY What singing did

19. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Fun VOCALITY What singing did “I really look forward to the group, it cheers me up. Tuesdays can't come around quick enough. You sit in the house and you think, tomorrow we'll all be singing together, it's a wonderful feeling.”

20. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Fun Wellbeing VOCALITY What singing did “The reason we do it is that fits with our philosophy about the ... prevention of the deterioration of mental health and wellbeing. We work with people on that basis – not as therapists but because we believe singing has therapeutic benefits.”

21. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Fun Wellbeing Builds confidence “I think that raising aspirations and wellbeing is key for me. I really saw that with all the people that came. And a real sense of achievement. I've heard a little of their stories and what's going on in their lives, and for them to come to something for a positive experience and for those things to be put on the backburner is really important to them. And to network as well. And showing all of these things is important too.” VOCALITY What singing did

22. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Fun Wellbeing Builds confidence Appeals to people that other activities don’t VOCALITY What singing did “I haven't seen [housing association] residents in any other project before so it was a new set of people, new in that other things hadn't quite sparked their interest.”

23. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Fun Wellbeing Builds confidence Appeals to people that other activities don’t Builds inclusion VOCALITY What singing did “I think they found connection to others, awareness of their wider community, feeling a bit more secure with those around them on the street. Breaking down barriers in terms of perception of other people.”

24. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Fun Wellbeing Builds confidence Appeals to people that other activities don’t Builds inclusion Builds respect and trust VOCALITY What singing did “When she sings a Kurdish song, Kurdish people love it more than if I sing it. Because it is a connection – singing in their language shows they don't hate you, they want to live with you, they are human, there is no difference between you and them.”

25. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Fun Wellbeing Builds confidence Appeals to people that other activities don’t Builds inclusion Builds respect and trust The visible voice VOCALITY What singing did “For these [refugee and asylum seeking] communities it is an incredibly powerful tool as so silenced. Da said, you know we feel invisible but you made us feel visible.”

26. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Can you set up a choir in a community of disadvantage and sustain it? If so, how?   VOCALITY Conclusions

27. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs Can you set up a choir in a community of disadvantage and sustain it? If so, how?   YES! Of the 8 projects we funded, 5 developed singing groups – in most cases from nothing, and in areas of severe disadvantage – and found pathways to at least the start of continuing the group after Vocality funding had finished. All these 5 projects could identify a range of impacts the singing had produced; and all of them could point to tangible benefits the activity had brought to participants, to the singing leaders, to organisations directly involved in the process, and to the wider community.   VOCALITY Conclusions

28. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs VOCALITY 8 essential ingredients

29. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs A champion VOCALITY 8 essential ingredients

30. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs A champion Community development worker VOCALITY 8 essential ingredients

31. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs A champion Community development worker A singing leader VOCALITY 8 essential ingredients

32. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs A champion Community development worker A singing leader Enough time and money VOCALITY 8 essential ingredients

33. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs A champion Community development worker A singing leader Enough time and money The right venue VOCALITY 8 essential ingredients

34. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs A champion Community development worker A singing leader Enough time and money The right venue A Plan ‘B’ VOCALITY 8 essential ingredients

35. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs A champion Community development worker A singing leader Enough time and money The right venue A Plan ‘B’ A meeter and greeter VOCALITY 8 essential ingredients

36. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs A champion Community development worker A singing leader Enough time and money The right venue A Plan ‘B’ A meeter and greeter Food VOCALITY 8 essential ingredients

37. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs WHAT NEXT?

38. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs • Singing groups can have a large impact on the wellbeing of participants in a relatively short space of time, as well as deliver a range of other benefits to the participating organisations and the wider community. WHAT NEXT?

39. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs • Singing groups can have a large impact on the wellbeing of participants in a relatively short space of time, as well as deliver a range of other benefits to the participating organisations and the wider community. • It is possible to create sustainable singing groups in very challenged communities, provided that sufficient time is spent in developing relationships and support from local people, and partnerships with local organisations and community workers. WHAT NEXT?

40. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs • Singing groups can have a large impact on the wellbeing of participants in a relatively short space of time, as well as deliver a range of other benefits to the participating organisations and the wider community. • It is possible to create sustainable singing groups in very challenged communities, provided that sufficient time is spent in developing relationships and support from local people, and partnerships with local organisations and community workers. • The qualities needed by the singing leader for such groups are diverse, embracing far more than just musical skills. WHAT NEXT?

41. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs • Singing groups can have a large impact on the wellbeing of participants in a relatively short space of time, as well as deliver a range of other benefits to the participating organisations and the wider community. • It is possible to create sustainable singing groups in very challenged communities, provided that sufficient time is spent in developing relationships and support from local people, and partnerships with local organisations and community workers. • The qualities needed by the singing leader for such groups are diverse, embracing far more than just musical skills. • Participant numbers for singing groups in challenged communities can be quite small at the outset, but this can still have a strong impact, and form the basis for a sustainable group to continue. This work can take a long time to generate momentum, and short-term project funding may not be appropriate. WHAT NEXT?

42. The heroes inside Building communities in community choirs • Singing groups can have a large impact on the wellbeing of participants in a relatively short space of time, as well as deliver a range of other benefits to the participating organisations and the wider community. • It is possible to create sustainable singing groups in very challenged communities, provided that sufficient time is spent in developing relationships and support from local people, and partnerships with local organisations and community workers. • The qualities needed by the singing leader for such groups are diverse, embracing far more than just musical skills. • Participant numbers for singing groups in challenged communities can be quite small at the outset, but this can still have a strong impact, and form the basis for a sustainable group to continue. This work can take a long time to generate momentum, and short-term project funding may not be appropriate. • There is a powerful case for singing groups to be established in disadvantaged communities. Further research is needed to examine different models of delivery. WHAT NEXT?

43. Culture, Health & Wellbeing International Conference, Bristol 2013 “The Heroes Inside” Building Communities in Community Choirs Evan Dawson, Making Music Kathryn Deane, Sound Sense Prof Angus McCabe, Third Sector Research Centre Download full report from www.makingmusic.org.uk