Henderson-based registered charity, Crescendo, has a rich history of nurturing the creative talents of West Auckland rangatahi aged 15-24. And now an innovative music mentoring programme is taking that a step further.
Chief Executive Officer Cat Percy reports that the mentoring apprenticeship programmes in music and content creation are not just about theory, but also about hands-on knowledge and technical skills.
‘We equip young people with practical skills in the creative industries and foster their employability and industry connections, setting them on a positive pathway as they transition into the working world,’ Cat affirms.
She adds that the apprentice programmes provide a learning journey from Crescendo’s foundational programmes, which develop music and audio production, through to apprenticeships, providing vocational skills training to rangatahi. The youth music mentoring apprenticeships have been running for two years, following a successful pilot funded by The Trusts.
Crescendo has been delivering youth mentoring programmes since 2012, working with around 150 young Westies each year. Programmes run over 10-week intervals, during each school term. Cat says that most participants are Māori and Pasifika. ‘Many have had a poor experience in traditional education and easily slip through the cracks,’ she advises.
Crescendo’s mentoring helps young people to flourish. Guided by industry professionals, rangatahi learn about sound and audio engineering, recording, music production and live performance. They also develop broader skills needed for the world of work, such as budgeting and time management. Even better, as Crescendo is a social enterprise, the young people are also earning as they complete their apprenticeships, working on commercial jobs and developing a sense of self-worth and independence.
One recent participant had this to say about their experience at Crescendo: ‘I’ve been exposed to hands-on work instead of just theory. It’s very ‘in the moment’ and the sort of skills and experience that I could not have learned elsewhere.’ This year’s music mentoring apprentice salaries have been funded in part by $20,000 from the Your West Support Fund. ‘We’re on a mission to change the creative industry and amplify marginalised voices in the creative workforce,’ declares Cat. The Trusts is proud to play its part in developing the next generation of creative West Aucklanders.
Check out Crescendo’s website for more information on this and all the other exciting programmes on offer. Or drop into the Crescendo studio at Te Puna Creative Hub, 8-14 Henderson Valley Rd, Henderson.
