Idle Hands to Music

1.*£30,000.00

2.*Regular group and one-to-one music tuition, aligned with ABRSM and Trinity standards

A free instrument loan scheme for young people unable to afford their own instruments

Provision of healthy meals during sessions, and a food distribution programme to support those affected by food insecurity.

Public community concerts and performance events to build confidence and visibility

Structured progression routes, including preparation for graded music examinations

We are a community-based music education charity, dedicated to advancing access to high-quality music training for children and young people from low-income, migrant, and underrepresented backgrounds. Our mission is to remove financial and social barriers to music education and to support the holistic development of young people through creativity, discipline, confidence-building, and community engagement. We train on various musical instruments: Brass, Woodwind, Strings, Piano, and Percussion.

The aim to deliver a comprehensive and inclusive music and wellbeing programme that combines free instrument access, structured music tuition, healthy meals during sessions, and a food distribution programme to address food poverty, and public performance opportunities.

3.*We primarily support children and young people aged 5–25 from disadvantaged, marginalised, or financially constrained backgrounds. Many of the families we serve are low-income, migrant, or single-parent households. The wider community will benefit from increased participation, inclusion, and cultural enrichment through public performance events.

4.*Reduces inequality of access by removing financial barriers to music education

Supports well-being and mental resilience through safe, structured, creative engagement

Mitigates the effects of food poverty, improving concentration, dignity, and inclusion

Builds confidence, aspiration, and discipline, opening pathways to education and careers

Strengthens community cohesion, celebrating identity and culture through shared experiences

Equip young people with skills for life that could lead to a lucrative career in music, as some of our alumni are already experiencing.

Provide an alternative pathway to a career from the mainstream education system, especially to those who are not academically astute.

5.*Peckham is on the council’s list as one of the most deprived areas of the borough in the 2019 Southwark Indices of Deprivation. This funding will enable us to keep our music programme fully accessible and free to those who need it most. It will ensure that young people from financially struggling households are not excluded from life-enhancing musical and developmental opportunities that would skill them for life. Many of our past and present learners use their ABRSM results with us to gain extra valuable UCAS points into universities. By supporting both education and wellbeing, the project will offer a positive, structured alternative to mainstream education, strong mental health, high self esteem, and hope for young people in Peckham. 

6.*Salem Academy has a strong track record of delivering impactful and inclusive music programmes, Over 85% of our learners stay with us for over 10 years. We have good good relationship with the council (collaborated with two Southwark Mayors, and was one of the three charities chosen by Cllr Michael Situ, during his mayoral term. Many of our trainees attain very high standards at an early age. Children as young as six years old are achieving grade 5 (GCSE equivalent), and 13-year-olds passed grade 7 with distinction (A-level equivalent). Many organisations hire us for, Weddings, BHM, etc. We are embedded within the community and are led by experienced, passionate, music teacher.

From the council's youth consultation from 18/05/2023 to 02/07/2023, in the 'PFYPF commissioning framework and grant specification', 44.70% (the highest in the survey), chose learning a musical instrument as a skill they would like to have.