Associates are individuals and organisations listed in our Directory (we also refer to them as Providers)
Associates are not employees or contractors of Wiltshire Music Connect. Wiltshire Music Connect is not an agency – our role is to help quality assure their work, facilitate ways to connect them to schools and offer some CPD.
Not all individuals in the Associate Directory are qualified music teachers – but they may have skills, experience or qualifications in other areas which support young people’s musical development and opportunities.
Not all organisations in the Associate Directory are music organisations – but music will form at least part of their regular offer.
All Associate individuals and organisations are engaged in a quality assurance process with us which requires them to satisfactorily complete all of the following:
- Surgery meeting or phone call with a member of the Wiltshire Music Connect team
- Detailed written application for Associate status
- Live interview with a panel to assess and check:
- music teaching / leading practice, skills and abilities
- lesson or project planning skills
- assessment / evaluation skills
- up to date working knowledge of child protection and wider safeguarding, and how it applies in music teaching / leading contexts
- commitment to ongoing professional development
- Completion of approved Child Protection training by date of interview, then a refresher course once every three years minimum (individuals)
- Provide evidence of their own Child Protection Policy
- Provide evidence of Enhanced DBS check with annual update service (for individuals)
- Provide evidence that DBS checking of relevant staff / music / project leaders forms part of their safeguarding / child protection policy (for organisations)
- Provided evidence of appropriate Public Liability insurance (“PLI”) on an annual basis (at time of insurance renewal date)
In addition, we take up detailed written references from at least two people, one of whom must know the individual or organisation in a professional capacity.
Wiltshire Music Connect also provides a programme of subsidised professional development opportunities, ranging from training days to mentoring schemes to support Associates and the wider music education community.