Bethan attended the Community Music Tutor Training course in May 2011. The training lasted 15 weeks, one day each week, covering a range of theory and practice in community music with practical workshops from professional community music trainers. The workshops included group work skills, assertiveness, devising and adapting workshop material, facilitating client learning and growth, working with soft outcomes and transferable skills, an awareness of child protection, insurance, assessing basic skills, health and safety, equal opportunities and diversity, and best practice.

Bethan’s background is in drama and music. Before starting the Tutor Training course she was already an established drama tutor and had set up her own drama workshops in primary schools. She applied for the course in order to gain fresh knowledge and confidence in delivering her workshops, which she felt that the training did and more. She said; “It was a fantastic course from which I have developed new skills and confidence in working as a community music tutor in a variety of settings.  The course was well structured, creative and practical in its approach.”

As part of the workshops, CMW provided Bethan with a number of placements and observations with experienced music tutors.  She found this experience very valuable, saying; “This enabled me to see how different tutors work in the community and the variety of groups that I could find myself working with.  I learnt throughout the course how to evaluate my own work and progress and I hope I will continue to do so as we never stop learning.”

Since completing the course Bethan has set up her own harmony singing workshops for adults in Gartholwg and Pontypridd. She was also asked to facilitate a pilot project leading contemporary folk music workshops in Welsh and English medium schools set up by RCT Music Services.

Bethan felt that the level of tutoring on the CMW course was excellent and the support from CMW throughout was invaluable. She said; “I would highly recommend this course to anyone thinking of working within the field of Community Music.  It certainly gave me the tools, structure and confidence to expand my work opportunities and set up my own projects.”