Children in Need Backs New "Music Mentors" Programme Giving Nottingham's Young People a Voice Through Music
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 30 June 2026
A new two-year programme funded by Children in Need is set to help young people across Nottingham build confidence, skills and a positive sense of identity through music and creativity.
Launching this month, the Music Mentors project is a partnership between youth charity Epic Partners and Community Recording Studio (CRS), running from June 2026 to June 2028.
At the heart of the programme is a simple but powerful idea: young people leading young people. Up to 15 mentors aged 16 to 18, drawn from CRS's existing community of young people, staff and volunteers, will receive accredited training and be employed on paid sessional contracts to deliver creative music sessions for children and young people. The model gives the mentors real, paid work experience and recognised qualifications, while passing their skills and passion on to the next generation. Epic Partners will deliver a series of training workshops, safeguarding training and inductions to equip the mentors to run effective, safe and engaging creative sessions. The mentors will then lead monthly sessions at Epic Partners youth clubs, based at the Oliver Hind site in Sneinton, where young people can also take part in a range of multi-sport activities led by a qualified coach. Throughout the project, Epic Partners staff will continue to support and develop the mentors, deepening their knowledge and skills.
The programme is designed not only to benefit the young people taking part, but to strengthen both organisations and build a sustainable future for the partnership. Each year will culminate in a charity dinner showcase event, celebrating the achievements of the mentors and participants while raising funds to help the project, and the wider work of both charities, continue.
"This programme is about putting young people in the driving seat," said Pete Bewley, CEO of Epic Partners. "By training and employing young mentors, we're giving them genuine responsibility, paid experience and qualifications they can carry into the rest of their lives, while creating something special for the children who look up to them. We're hugely grateful to Children in Need for making it possible, and proud to be doing it alongside Community Recording Studio."
Trevor Rose, Founder and CEO of CRS Nottingham, added:
"For more than twenty years we've seen what happens when you put a microphone in a young person's hand and tell them their voice matters. Music Mentors takes that further, our young people aren't just taking part, they're being paid, trained and trusted to lead. Watching them inspire the next generation is exactly the kind of legacy we want to build, and this partnership shows what two organisations can achieve when they share the same belief in young people's potential."
The Music Mentors project reflects a shared ambition to develop the next generation of creative talent and youth leaders in Nottingham, while ensuring the work can be sustained well beyond the life of the grant.
About Epic Partners Epic Partners is a Nottingham-based youth charity working to give children and young people the opportunities, relationships and skills they need to flourish. Established in 2015 and operating from the Oliver Hind site in Sneinton, the charity runs accessible youth clubs, sport and mentoring programmes that reach more than 400 young people across the city each year. Epic Partners is committed to creating safe, inclusive spaces where every young person can belong, grow and succeed. Website: https://epicpartners.co.uk/
About Community Recording Studio (CRS) Community Recording Studio is a Nottingham music and youth charity that uses music production, recording and the creative arts to engage and empower young people, particularly those facing disadvantage. Founded in St Ann's in 1992 by Trevor Rose, CRS has supported thousands of young people to develop their talent, confidence and employability, with many alumni going on to careers in music and the creative industries. Its professional studio and experienced team make it a trusted home for young creatives across the city. Website: https:www.crsstudionotts.uk
About Children in Need BBC Children in Need is the BBC's corporate charity, dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and young people across the UK. Through its grants, the charity funds local projects that help children and young people overcome the challenges they face and reach their full potential. For more information, visit https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/
