Hayley, 13, was bullied at school for being ‘different’ to other girls. With the support of a music project at her local youth centre, she’s discovered her potential on the bass guitar and found a new self-belief.
‘Build a Band’ is part of the music programme run by one of Youth Music’s strategic partners, musinc, across the Teesside area in the North East. It takes place at the ‘Corner House @ Newtown’ youth centre in the town of Stockton-on-Tees, where Hayley lives with her parents, sister, and dog Oreo.
The project gives young people the chance to try out the guitar, bass, drums, keyboards or singing and see which they like best. With the guidance of the music leaders, the young people work together to decide a repertoire of songs they’d like to play, then they learn their individual parts before finally rehearsing and performing as a band.
Most of these young people have never made music outside of school – and often, they haven’t done much music-making in school either. Taking part in Build a Band is the first time many of them realise they can make music that sounds good, and the music leaders have seen first-hand how it builds confidence and self-esteem.
Encouraging Hayley’s potential
Hayley first went along to the project after one of her friends recommended it to her. Hayley had tried the drums before, but it quickly turned out she was a natural on the bass. Music leader Ken says: “I could see the sparkle in Hayley’s eyes when we did our first session.”
As the sessions progressed, Hayley’s playing and listening skills improved, and she enjoyed working in a group and building friendships with her fellow band members. Ken recognised Hayley’s musical ability and offered her the chance to take up one-to-one bass tuition.
Ken allowed Hayley to borrow a bass and amp to take home and practice in between lessons, and he’s in no doubt this has been vital to Hayley’s progress. Ken hopes to offer similar opportunities in the future to other young musicians – many families in the area don’t have enough money for kids to have their own instruments.
Many places in Teesside are in the top 10% of the most deprived areas in England, with high levels of unemployment and child poverty. Added to this, the area is isolated – most people travelling to the North East simply bypass it. Traditionally there’s been a lack of opportunities for young people to get involved in activities like music-making, and this is where musinc and their partner organisations step in.
Finding a new passion
Like Ken, the Corner House staff have been a huge source of support to Hayley. Natalie, one of the youth workers, helped out by picking Hayley up from home and making sure she got to her lessons, even when the youth centre was closed over the holidays.
On the journeys to and from lessons, Hayley opened up to Natalie about the bullying she’d faced. When Natalie asked Hayley how she was getting on with the bass, Hayley replied that she was finally doing something that she felt meant something, and that she really enjoyed. Natalie remembers: “She wanted to prove to the bullies that she could achieve something.”
After just a few months of lessons, Hayley was ready to take her debut grade exam, with Ken and Natalie accompanying her to the exam centre. “I was so nervous beforehand, I could hardly speak,” recalls Hayley. Despite her nerves, Hayley performed amazingly, scoring 96/100 and passing with distinction!
Proving a point to the bullies
“Hayley even exceeded my expectations with how well she did,” says Ken. Since he first met Hayley, he’s seen a change in her self-esteem as well as her musical development. “She’s definitely bloomed.”
“Some of the other kids have been down on her because she doesn’t conform – she’s not one of these who wears make-up and goes out looking for lip gloss or the latest fashions, she’s more into things like music. She said to Natalie ‘I’d love to do well in this, just so I could show them’, and I think this has.”
Hayley’s now enjoying school, and considering a career as a full-time musician among a few other options. But she definitely wants to carry on playing the bass and doing more grades.
I want people to realise that it doesn’t matter who you are, what you do or where you came from. Not everyone can be perfect, but they can try their best and be the best at what they can do.