New leadership qualification to be piloted at festival

After two years of planning and negotiation, a qualification in 'Youth Marching Band Leadership' will be launched at the BYBA Festival of Fun and Music. With the support of its member organisations, the Federation has been working on this for more than two years. It is to be accredited by the long established national Open College Network (OCN) and is a major aspect of the activity's development strategy.
 
The qualification is based around three units. The first covers knowledge of the activity, child development and protection, plus leadership and teamwork skills. Leaders and supporters can then select one from either performance skills or administration. The completed units will be recognised by OCN documentation, and the Federation will also issue a certificate on completion of any four units.
 
The rationale behind the qualification is that it can be mostly completed carrying out normal band related work, so should not take up too much extra time. Additionally it is structured so that evidence of completion can be via verbal discussion and presentation, rather than completing lots of written work.
 
Leaders have to begin the qualification by attending an introduction, which will be one day. At the Festival this is likely to be split into two afternoons. Some of the qualification content will be completed during these introduction sessions.
 
OCN charge £18 per candidate but the Federation has secured funding from 'Awards for All' and from 'The Weston Foundation' so can waive this figure for those attending this Festival pilot.
 
Because this is an externally accredited qualification, the Federation has to register leaders with OCN before it starts, so it is important that leaders attending the Festival and who wish to begin the qualification, sign up beforehand. Festival organisers and the Federation are currently working on how to manage this process. The Federation is currently writing a detailed guide booklet which will be given to each candidate during the first afternoon session.
 
The activity is breaking 'new ground' with this initiative, so everyone involved hopes that as many leaders and support staff as possible attending the Festival will sign up.
 
Jim Vaughan, Honorary Director for the British Federation of Youth Marching Band Organisations comments "This is a historic point in time for the efforts that have been going on in the background for the benefit of all member organisations, and I am extremely pleased that the BYBA Festival of Fun and Music will be the place to launch this important and recognised initiative."