Alongside ambitious music-making, the Young Leaders programme aims to help participants explore how they can develop leadership qualities and other transferable skills. The following aspects from the 2016 Young Leaders Camp give a feel for how we want the programme to evolve.

Peer teaching - We delegated to the more seasoned Young Leaders the task of teaching a piece of music (Ritmos Ciganos) to the new musicians. This took place outside scheduled rehearsal times, and the whole orchestra performed it in the final concert.

Young Leader reps - Our 8 Young Leader Reps met earlier in the year to help us plan the Camp. They wore ‘Here to Help’ badges during the week, and roles included role-modelling leadership qualities, feeding back to Sistema England and encouraging friendships.

‘The Young Leaders Reps badge means that I was elected as a representative. It makes me feel more responsible and that I have to set an example to the other kids. And it is fun! It’s nice that kids look up to you.’ Daniel, Sistema England Young Leader Rep, The Nucleo Project.

Sticker swap - Each programme has their own Sistema England colour. Whenever a Young Leader felt they had made a friend from another programme, they gave them a sticker, a gesture that seemed to make them very happy.

Resident photographers - This provided a way for students to build confidence in approaching others, while enabling them to see people in new ways.

‘Taking pictures helps bring out the happiness in other people, and it helps capture moments that might never happen again. Everybody was really happy here this week.’ Courtney, Violin, Resident Photographer