Legacy Foundation, in partnership with Notes of Praise, has launched a four-week initiative aimed at helping young people turn their musical talent into sustainable careers by blending artistic development with financial literacy and entrepreneurship.
The Music and Money programme, launched on Friday at the charity’s Byer Court, Webster Business Park, Wildey office, is designed to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, said chairman Ayodele Burrowes.
“It uses music as an entry point to improve mental well-being and self-expression. It provides learning through structured standards-based training and it promotes empowerment by equipping young people with the financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills they need to navigate the creative industries.”
A survey conducted by Notes of Praise among teenagers found that 56 per cent were unsure whether they could use their musical skills as a source of income, while 22 per cent said they were already doing so, 11 per cent expected to in the future and 11 per cent said no.
“That ‘not sure’ majority tells a powerful story,” Burrowes said. “It does not say that our young people are not talented. It does not say that they are not interested. It says that they have not yet been sufficiently exposed to structured pathways to knowledge, networks and tools that would allow them to see music and creative industries as realistic, sustainable career options.”
Chairman of Legacy Foundation Ayodele Burrowes and Managing Director of Notes of Praise Vallis Jemmott signing partnership document. (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla/Barbados TODAY)
The programme, which targets youth aged 13 to 19, will run over four consecutive weeks during the July-August period at St Leonard’s Boys’ School. Participants will receive training in budgeting, saving and investing, stagecraft, music technology, sound engineering, songwriting, event production and social media marketing, while also beginning work towards the Caribbean Vocational Qualification in Musical Performance Level 1.
Managing director of Notes of Praise and project partner Vallis Jemmott said the initiative mirrored his own life story.
“The theme of this programme, ‘Music and Money’, has been the story of my life,” he said.
After training and working as an accountant, Jemmott eventually decided to pursue music professionally.
“That conversation stayed with me for years because it highlights a challenge faced by many talented young people. They often believe they must choose between passion and financial stability. The purpose of this programme is to show them that they do not have to make that choice.”
He added: “Our goal is simple: help young people transform their talent into opportunity and their passion into purpose.”
Jemmott stressed that opportunities in the industry extend beyond performing.
“Today’s musician can earn income through performing, teaching, producing, composing, arranging, content creation, event management and many other areas. The challenge is not whether opportunities exist, but whether we are preparing our young people to seize them.”
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council quality assurance manager Kwesi Osei said the programme reinforced that vocational education extends beyond traditional trades.
“TVET is about preparing people with practical, relevant and recognised skills for life and for the world of work,” he said. “Music is not only a passion or a form of entertainment; it can also become a viable career path, a source of income and a meaningful area of entrepreneurship.”
He noted that Notes of Praise was the first institution in Barbados approved to offer the CVQ in Musical Performance.
“The Caribbean Vocational Qualification formally recognises that an individual has demonstrated the practical skills and competencies required in a particular occupational area. It is recognized regionally and can therefore add real value as young people pursue further training, employment and other opportunities within the creative sector.”
Describing the initiative as an investment in Barbados’ creative economy, Osei said: “By exposing our young people to these possibilities at an early age, we are helping them to see how their talents can be developed into meaningful and sustainable opportunities.”
Legacy Foundation programme coordinator Hanif Moore revealed that the expanded summer initiative grew out of a shorter pilot programme started by Stacy Mottley, community relations officer at the Barbados Public Workers Cooperative Credit Union Limited.
“It was a week programme, less than a week, and I said to Stacy: ‘You know, well, we could do so much more with this. Would you allow Legacy to step in?’” he recalled.
“Yes, and expand it… birth it from a one-week programme now to four weeks, and I’m sure you’re all as excited as I am hearing about all the benefits.”
The Legacy Foundation Music and Money programme aligns with the charity’s pillars of Wellness, Empowerment and Learning, using music to support emotional wellbeing while equipping participants with practical life skills and exposing them to entrepreneurship within the creative industries.
Participants will engage in ensemble performances, performance tours, rehearsals and a culminating concert, while exploring career pathways in music performance, production, teaching and event management. Interested persons can register through the Notes of Praise website.
Burrowes noted: “We believe that the Legacy Foundation Music and Money programme will show what is possible when we treat our young people not just as beneficiaries, but as emerging professionals, as artists, entrepreneurs, and leaders in their own right.”
(LE)
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