Youth-led approaches in Music Hubs: upcoming training and free digital resource

by Jasmine Padda, Programme Producer for Sound Connections 

When I was at school, I had no idea what a Music Hub was. Nor did I realise that the weekly guitar lessons that took me out of timetabled lessons were likely made possible through the local Music Hub’s partnership with my school. As these guitar lessons gradually fizzled out, so did my engagement with music education. 

Years later, when I’d left school and decided I wanted to learn how to make music, I taught myself independently online, through YouTube and GarageBand­. I wasn’t aware there were organisations, programmes, or community spaces that could support me, connect me with peers, or help me develop skills as a young person interested in music. It wasn’t until much later that I discovered opportunities like Wired4Music and Sound Connections, which have made me increasingly aware of how important it is for young people to have access to musical spaces and opportunities, and how much of an impact this can have. 

Since becoming a Programme Producer for Sound Connections two years ago, I’ve managed the day-to-day coordination and planning of Activate – our investment programme supporting Music Hub partnerships to develop or deliver action-focussed work with their young people. Through this role, I’ve been privileged to see some incredible projects taking place in Music Hubs across the country. Projects that are not only creating an environment for young people to access music but co-creating musical opportunities alongside young people in ways that are exciting and responsive to their needs, interests, and local contexts. They are exactly the kinds of projects that I would have loved to have access to when I was younger and just starting out, and exactly the kinds of projects that Activate was created to support. 

The 2025–26 Activate cycle has just drawn to a close, and as one cycle ends and the next begins, we are excited to share two new resources that celebrate and support youth voice in Music Hubs: 

• an online sharing session where this year’s Activate grantees will share their projects and learning, alongside the young people they work with 

• a free digital resource bringing together insight and learning from the 2024/25 Activate programme 

 Keep reading to find out more about both opportunities and how to get involved. 

Youth-Led Approaches in Music Hubs: Activate 2026 

|Date coming soon|

Whether you’re just beginning to explore youth voice or looking to strengthen existing practice, this session will offer practical insights, honest reflections and examples of youth-led approaches in Music Hub settings.  

Following their participation in the 2025/26 Activate investment programme, join Bristol Beacon, Leicestershire Music Hub and Norfolk & Suffolk Music Hub as they share how they have developed youth voice practice over the past year. Hear directly from project leads and young participants, explore key learning, and take part in discussion and Q&A, or simply listen and reflect. 

Book your place and find full event details below: 

Youth Voice in Music Hubs: Activate 2024–25

The 2024/25 Activate programme provided investment to:

• Leicestershire Music
• Lewisham Music
• Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub
• Sheffield Music Hub

At the culmination of their projects, each Hub shared insights and findings with the wider sector through an online public event hosted by Sound Connections, ‘Youth Voice from a Music Hub perspective’ in September 2025.

To extend the reach of this learning, this free digital resource collates the content shared at this public event and each Hub’s project evaluation, highlighting practical insights and best practice developed through the programme.

Access the free digital resource here.