What is it?
For 12 years Music Generation Cork City has been providing music learning and participation opportunities to children and young people up to age 18 in RAPID areas, in a community education approach to generating inclusive, accessible, and transformative music education experiences for children and young people at risk of exclusion.
Building on experience gained through working in partnership with community-based music groups, MGCC initiated a year-long research and development project to engage in a coordinated research action plan, to build our capacity to address barriers to access to creative music-making and self-expression, and to augment our partnerships with groups that work with marginalised youth.
Research
Our approach
Working on the ground in communities in partnership we have learned that combining pilot project/action research elements that facilitate creative musical engagement generates grounded learning through data gathering, analysis, CPD for musician educators, staff and partners, and opportunities for children and young people to inform and shape research on their own needs and from their unique perspectives is the best way to develop good practice.
Through this work we have developed a new partnership with Cork Traveller Visibility Group and the STAR (Supporting Travellers and Roma) initiative under the National Traveller and Roma Education Strategy, continued to develop and expand our relation with Cork Migrant Centre, we have upskilled all staff through training with AsIAm and Traveller and Roma Cultural Awareness, and we have worked with existing partner schools School of Divine Child, Scoil Íosagáin Boys NS, as well as a new school, St Aidan’s Secondary and partner providers The Kabin Studio, Creative Tradition and Music Mash Up.
