27/08/2022
Pelican Live Sound is a new intervention initiative for 13-18 year-olds that are losing their way. Children that live in poverty, come from dysfunctional families; PRUs; SEND; children with mental health issues; gangs, crime, or that feel they are marginalised from mainstream education.
Pelican Live Sound is a 12-week course (2 hours a week) in live music sound engineering. The course content is 50% practical and 50% theory and is accessible to all ability groups, with class capacity for 8 students. This comfortably allows for the practical element to be effective and deepen their learning. Pelican provides a fully equipped PA system and delivers the sessions on site.
The course aims to:
• Build confidence with a hands-on approach and a can-do attitude.
• If children feel isolated from mainstream education and harbour a belief that they have limited life choices, it can manifest itself into powerlessness. Through demonstrating that education comes in many guises, can take different paths and is accessible - a child’s sense of empowerment can then raise their aspirations.
• Having a passion for music and creativity also gives a sense of purpose in life. To fulfil your dreams takes, inner strength and determination.
• Confidence, empowerment, purpose, aspirations, strength and determination are the building blocks for resilience.
As I also struggled at school with dyslexia and came from a very dysfunctional, traumatic homelife, I too experienced the powerlessness, low self-esteem and feelings of exclusion from education, my peers and life opportunities.
However, I have now been a live Sound Engineer for 31 years working in music venues, TV & radio, music festivals, touring with bands around the world and finally Head of Audio at the o2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. I am now a fully qualified teacher with QTS and a Postgraduate Certificate of Education.
Pelican Live Sound is unique, I have researched children’s services, local authorities, schools and colleges and there is nothing that offers young people a course such as this.
