Past Projects - Olive Branch

Olive Branch was a pilot project for working with youth in 2005. Supported by Birmingham Youth Service and based in the Jewelry Quarter a safe zone for young people throughout the city.

The young people we engaged were severely at risky and come from severely deprived areas and were among the most disaffected youth within the city.

During the project young people would attend and produce music at the times when they could be most active in anti social behaviour. At night and on weekends. These sessions took place from 8 pm in the evening until the early morning. During this project young people recorded songs expressing their views on the world and the environment in which they live.

Outcomes

• In all a core group 30 young people attended the project regularly and there were a total attendance of 65 young people attending the project.
• 11 young people took up music as full time career.
• 4 albums worth of music were created.
• 3 young people became qualified in Music technology and became music studio engineers on the project after achieving a Level qualification as part of the project.

Partnerships

• Birmingham Youth Service South Birmingham College