Striking a chord to give young a chance

MUSIC can lift the spirits and save the economy millions by helping teenagers to stay off the streets.

Young people from around Britain who might have drifted into crime, may soon be able to find redemption by strumming a guitar or playing the violin.

A project which helps rootless youngsters to find a purpose has received backing from the Charity Bank, a registered charity which uses depositors' savings to make loans to social enterprises.

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The Charity Bank is supporting The Lighthouse Group's (TLG) plans to set up a Music Academy in Bradford.

Since 1987, TLG has helped youngsters around Bradford who have had problems at school. The social enterprise gives them the chance to see themselves in a more positive light by offering training and career guidance.

In recent years, TLG has received loans totalling 955,000 from the Charity Bank.

TLG's Music Academy will help dozens of teenagers from around Britain learn how to play a musical instrument and perform as a group. It's hoped they will also acquire the tenacity and self-discipline to hold down a job.

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The programme is expected to start next month and will run for three days a week, over three terms of 10 weeks.

The activities and workshops will take place in the afternoon and evenings, which means the students will have the chance to gain work experience in the mornings. As a result, they will be less likely to get involved in crime or vandalism.

Paul Chenery, the support development manager with TLG, said: "We work with young people who have been excluded from school. It's all about raising aspirations.

"There's a cost to the economy in terms of anti-social behaviour. We work through a complex range of issues to do with their behaviour and improving their self-esteem.

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"We work with 300 to 400 kids a year, and 96 per cent go back into school or further education and training. They learn a lot of interpersonal skills, such as the importance of being on time."

Last year, Home Secretary Alan Johnson promised to launch a fresh drive against anti-social behaviour, after acknowledging that many people living on housing estates felt ignored by the authorities.

Sarah Graham, of the Charity Bank, said the team at TLG had run taster sessions for the Music Academy, and those taking part would come from around Britain.

She added: "While they will be staying with a host family in Bradford, they will also have to raise some money towards covering their costs, to enable them to develop independent living skills.

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"The programme will count towards a GSCE equivalent arts qualification, and it is hoped that the course will be accredited as a diploma."

The Music Academy was inspired by the life story of a former TLG student, Paul Booth.

Without the Lighthouse Group, his life could have gone off the rails. In his early years, he mixed with people who got into fights and caused a nuisance.

He recalled: "I ended up making friends with the sort of people that did bad things.

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"I soon saw that my friends weren't really my friends and they just wanted me to do those things because they were too scared to do it themselves.

"I was 16 when I came to the TLG because of issues at home. When I was kicked out of home, I missed quite a bit of school and TLG helped build my confidence to aim higher in a career.

"While I was still at TLG, I went for my Grade 5 in the bass guitar and I applied for a course at the Leeds College of Music and just hoped for the best. I passed the audition pretty confidently."

Now 21, he has transferred to a degree in Youth and Community work at Bradford College.

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He will also work at the Music Academy, teaching and mentoring other young people, helping them to develop their musical skills and ambitions.

The Charity Bank in the North has attracted deposits of more than 6m since it was launched in 2007.

The bank, which is supported by Yorkshire Forward, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Helping hand from lighthouse group

Every year, thousands of young people across the UK fail to cope with mainstream education.

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More than 50 young people are excluded from school each day. Many of them become criminals.

The Bradford-based Lighthouse Group helps young people who have reached a crisis point in their education.

The social enterprise works with young people who have been excluded or are at risk of exclusion from school.

As an alternative education provider, its aim is to tackle the issues that lead to bad behaviour and to develop skills that lead to qualifications and a brighter future.

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It was established in 1987 as a small drop-in centre and community diner serving the local community of Bradford and has since evolved to become an Alternative Learning Centre with DfES independent school status.

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