Young Sounds UK

Who we are

For over 25 years, we’ve supported talented young people from low-income families, helping them to overcome financial and social obstacles. Whatever the genre, whatever the style, our strategically-targeted programmes help young musicians from across the UK to grow, flourish and fulfil their musical potential.

From funding instruments to lessons, to transport, whilst expanding their musical networks and giving them opportunities to perform, we do anything and everything we can to give holistic, tailor-made support to young people in need.

We offer bespoke, individual support for each young person’s musical progression. Our programmes not only sustain musical journeys, they also support others to identify and nurture talent wherever they find it. Each programme is designed to tackle a major obstacle faced by these young people: 

Identifying Talent: training teachers how to spot young people’s musical potential 

Furthering Talent: targeting and nurturing emerging talent with sustained, strategic support  

Awards: funding young talent UK wide through annual grants, with tailor made help for individual musicians 

Innovation and Research: leading new thinking and action on talent development. 

At Young Sounds UK, we find potential and give musical talent a chance.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We are committed to treating all those involved in our activities fairly and equally both in our employment practices and across our work. We are also committed to the principles of equity of opportunity in our employment practices. It is our policy to ensure that no job applicant nor current employee receives less favourable treatment due to a "protected characteristic" (i.e. age, disability, gender reassignment, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation) or is disadvantaged by any conditions or requirements being placed on him/her/they which cannot be justified. Note that the protection extends also to discrimination by association (i.e. the person does not have the protected characteristic but has friends or relatives who do) and to discrimination by perception (i.e. the individual is perceived to have a protected characteristic).

We will not condone any discriminatory act or attitude in the conduct of our business with our employees, stakeholders, suppliers, donors, funders or anyone with whom we deal.  We aim to ensure an inclusive environment and encourage diversity across our organisation and in the delivery of our programmes. Actions we are taking to help us to meet these aims are set out in the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategic objective of our Business Plan. 

If any employee experiences a discriminatory act or attitude they should: 

• Respond as they see fit in the moment e.g. “what you have said makes me feel uncomfortable.” 
• Report this experience immediately or as soon as possible to their manager or another senior colleague. At all Young Sounds led events there will always be a named designated person responsible for safeguarding that staff can report to. 

• Remove themselves from the situation as soon as possible so as not to be subject to further harm.