Kathryn Deane, Director, Sound Sense

Photo: Courtesy of Andy HoweHubs were unfinished business from the Music Manifesto, five years ago. At Sound Sense, we see a lot of potential in the plan to complete this task as we'd originally envisaged it.

We like the emphases on inclusivity, on starting from a young person's wants and needs and on genuine collaborative partnerships - all strong values of the non-formal sector.

We don't like the timidity of the roles hubs are required to play: we can't see anything about the importance of creative music-making in general (nor in the section on music technology), for example. And the model for young people's musical progression is still limited: where would the progression route be for a beatboxer, MC or rapper, for example? Or for work in the creative industries generally?

We reserve judgment on the proposed qualified music educator qualification. Sound Sense members are already faced with a raft of qualifications they can take for working in music education with young people, for working with older people, in the criminal justice sector, in lifelong learning and elsewhere and we want to ensure any additional qualification is a help not a hindrance to those whose work includes non-formal music education with young people.

For Sound Sense's full response, click here.