Spotlight on Readipop's Access All Areas programme

Readipop's Access All Areas (AAA) programme improves the musical offer for young people in Reading who face barriers to participation. Vulnerable young people are offered one to one music-based mentoring sessions, free-to-access youth clubs, workshops, creative employment and performance opportunities.

ALW Foundation is in the its third year of funding this programme with particular focus on the one to one mentoring sessions which are led by experienced music mentors for at-risk young facing disadvantaged. Participants are referred by local councils, special schools, PRUs and youth offending service.

Since July 2021 Readipop has delivered 384 one to one sessions to 31 referred children and young people and music leaders have observed that participants have used the sessions to help process their thoughts and experiences;

"I used to bottle everything up until I found music" - participant.

Feedback from teachers, parents and referral partners has been received around the positive impact of the sessions on attitudes and engagement with education as well as life chances;

"You did so much for him. I think you saved him, he could have gone down a very different path" - teacher re participant.

One to one sessions allow participants the time and space to work on their own portfolios and have inspired several participants to apply to study music at college and re-enter mainstream education.