Social Awareness and
Our Music Mentoring Arts & Poetry Courses encourage critical thinking, nurture mindfulness and wellbeing and guide Young People and Adults towards Communicating more effectively in society.
Our facilitators actively encourage Self-awareness, self-regulation, Motivation, Empathy & Social skills. Read more about the subjects and issues we cover here:
MMAP Workshops understand that pupils who are emotionally healthy perform better in a school setting. PSHE education helps children and young people to achieve their potential by supporting their wellbeing and tackling issues that can affect their ability to learn, such as anxiety, toxic stress and unhealthy relationships.
Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is an important and necessary part of all pupils’ education. PSHE is a non-statutory subject. Many Schools have the flexibility to deliver high-quality PSHE.
MMAP Workshops have notable experience in Tailoring Sessions that complement the PSHE Programme and reflect the needs of their pupils. Schools are expected to use their PSHE education programme to equip pupils with a sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions.
Child criminal exploitation
awareness (CCE)
MMAP Workshops have found that our Creative Writing and Music Production courses have been integral in helping to raise awareness and open up avenues of communication around societal issues.
In recent Months we have been part of a continued campaign to educate parents, children and young people about the signs of Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and to encourage people to share their thoughts, feelings, knowledge and opinions in a safe and confidential space (In line with duty of care & safeguarding policies).
Studies show that a child is more at risk of being recruited if: they've been excluded from school, If they have special education needs or there are problems at home like neglect, domestic abuse or sexual abuse. CCE involves a number of types of crimes which can include drugs, County Lines, the carrying of weapons, money muling and other serious Crimes, including Gang Related Activity.
We have assisted Schools, Youth Organisations, Police Forces, Parents and Caregivers with breaking down barriers and forming trusted relationships with Children and Young People that have felt vulnerable and/or at risk of exploitation. Engagement with our courses have led to serious disclosures and subsequent intervention that has helped change the trajectory of many CYP that we have been working with.
We help Parents recognise early signs of CCE such as Suddenly acquiring expensive gifts such as mobile phones, jewellery – even drugs – and not being able to explain how they came by them. Having hotel cards or keys to unknown places. Being secretive about who they are talking to and where they are going. Relationships with controlling older individuals or groups.
Confronting the subject in this way is an important step in our collective efforts to protect those who are often the most vulnerable within our communities. MMAP Workshops have worked with specially trained police officers and safer schools officers to help tackle child criminal exploitation in the wider community.
Societal Issues
The team at MMAP Workshops pride themselves on their ability to encourage expression and open conversation in a group setting
We have tailored & structured, Interactive Workshops designed to advocate healthy debate and critical thinking
MMAP Workshops have successfully collaborated with Adult Groups, Local Authorities and Youth Organisations across the Country to raise awareness around societal issues such as mental health, serious youth violence, poverty and homelessness, hate crime, human rights, racial disparity and more.
Our founder, Quinton Green, has led Seminars & Conferences that address many, if not all of these issues. He has a proven track in achieving strong learning outcomes. He understands the importance of delivering results driven conclusions and often sees outstanding results outside of a formal academic setting
Our workshops are conceived with a holistic, creative, open minded and relaxed approach in mind. Group Mind MMAPS, individual prompts, personal Freewrites & Free thinking drafts form an integral our World/Community issue Workshops.
Clean Drill
Social media has become an integral part in the lives of young people within the UK, and those that are involved or subscribe to street gangs are increasingly using social media as a platform to communicate. Music videos have been used for decades by artists to express, communicate
and tell stories of their lived experiences. Drill music in particular is a hip-hop subgenre originating from youth located in the Southside of Chicago, USA (Irwin-Rogers and Pinkney, 2017).
Due to the current climate of gang-related music videos, and the consequential incarceration of individuals involved in such videos, we felt it appropriate to explore this element further. The use of music videos as evidence within a court setting has been utilised more frequently. An example is Reial Phillips from Birmingham, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison for conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate and further charges of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence (McCarthy, 2016).
The second example is Winston White, Akyrie Palmer and Mark Oduro who were sentenced to a total of 51 years for 2 counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and three charges of ammunition possession (Bullen, 2016).
In both cases, music videos, specifically, played a role in the evidence and subsequent convictions. Crime and the expression of crime through means such as social media is arguably utilised more frequently by new millenniums. Yardley et al. (2017) argued that criminology has leant far too heavily on media concepts that are binary in orientation and in the main operate as independent variables, without acknowledging that crime has now firmly moved into a digital, virtual and online mediated space. Arguably gang members have also seized this very opportunity of utilising mediatised spaces. Drill - Academic Journal (Irwin-Rogers & Pinkney 2017)
MMAP Workshops have partnered with Police Forces and County Councils to engage Young People with a particular Interest in Road Rap and Drill Music. Our Clean Drill/Creative Writing Workshops encourage Youngsters to Write Lyrics that may reflect their lived experience WITHOUT glorifying or glamorising Gang Affiliation & Serious Youth Violence. MMAP Workshops have seen notable success with these 6-8 Week Courses in Dagenham, Hertfordshire, Northampton and elsewhere.
MMAP Founder Quinton gains credibility by sharing his life experience and demonstrating that he has found success in the Urban Music Industry, supporting the likes of Stormzy, Wiley, Lethal B and Ghetts.
Quinton has gained Trust & Credence amongst varied cohorts, successfully delivering Music Production and Songwriting workshops to vulnerable/at-risk youngsters, Young Offenders, ex gang members and looked after Children in collaboration with organisations, charities and practitioners across the UK. Our Clean Drill Courses are designed to counteract the belief that Drill Rappers have to write lyrics that Provoke Rivals, glamourise gang culture, glorify the drugs trade and make references to the use of weapons.
Post Course Assessments with input from Council Leaders, a Project development Manager & Police Officers including a Chief Inspector have found that Young People we have connected with have benefited from:
• Improved Mental Well Being
• Increased Self Confidence
• Improved awareness of Gang Stereotypes in Music
• Improved Music & Lyric Creation & Significant Risk Level Reduction
• Contact Us to find out more about our Clean Drill Courses & Workshops
Creative Writing
MMAP Workshops actively encourage Young Prople and Adults to write about life experiences and environmental observations, both past and present.
These experiences could be the beginning of ideas and concepts that can be developed into stories, journaling and creative writing.
We have worked in partnerships with Schools, colleges and Academies to help Young people channel their emotions, tap into imagination, plot storylines and develop character driven narratives.
Our facilitators will always seek to embolden learners of all abilities by introducing or re-introducing them to Mind MMAPS, elements of writing, prose, poetry, prompts and Freewrites; Utilising a forward thinking and contemporary approach and non formal setting.
Our creative writing workshops can help to nurture and develop mindfulness and emotional well-being in Adults, Children & Young People.
Our Holistic approach to alternative education can bolster and strengthen fundamental skills that can be applied in other areas of learning and success.
We have carefully tailored varying courses and modules that support extra curricular, advanced and key stage learning.
MMAP WORKSHOPS have seen positive learning outcomes and strong evidence based results, supported by testimonies from respected professionals & practitioners. In a World where “Text Speak” and Emojis are so common, we have found that our Creative Writing Workshops can help engaged groups & individuals to re-discover forgotten skills, articulate opinions and communicate effectively in real world situations. With recognition, appreciation and praise at the heart of everything we do, our aim is to guide attendees towards becoming a well rounded writer, with a new found confidence in language, storytelling, poetry & prose.
Ask us more about our online and in-person writing workshops.
Writing Retreats
MMAP Workshops are currently developing an exciting new experience - to offer a complete package that gives you dedicated time to write and relax in idyllic rural or seaside surroundings.
A perfect opportunity to connect with other like-minded writers and to enjoy a truly motivating and inspiring time away from home or work .
Also look out for our 'Road MMAP' - where we invite you on an invigorating & memorable writing retreat, that will enhance your approach to creative writing in just a few days.
Keep an eye on this space for updates!
F.A.Qs
We answer frequently asked questions from professionals and practitioners here
We wouldn’t expect the students to do anything in particular in preparation, although it may be worth asking them to reflect on aspects of the subject/issue ahead of the session (Mental Health, Hate Crime, Road Safety, Racial Disparity, Criminal Exploitation etc)
Our session can work practically anywhere within a School Environment. However, we are big advocates of rooms with lots of space as we feel it encourages creativity. A conference room or assembly hall usually works well.
It isn’t a necessity but we usually request access to a Monitor, with Speakers. (We can provide a Microphone if the size of the presentation requires one) Note: If your IT department Firewall external Laptops, then we would need access to an online computer.
A flip chart, marker pens and oversize paper for group exercises work well. Individuals should bring along or be provided with standard Pen and Paper too as often the group is broken down for individual input too.
MMAP Workshops have worked with varied numbers of students (1-300) The amount of support may depend on attendance. We usually suggest ONE teacher for up to 20 Students. TWO Teachers for 20-40 Students and up to FOUR Plus for Assembly Sized Presentations.
MMAP Workshops will provide a detailed lesson plan ahead of the visit
Quinton and the MMAP Facilitators have delivered varied workshops to Young People and Adults from all backgrounds and demographics. We are particularly popular with those of Secondary School Age and we adapt our Workshops depending on learning ability.
We also have experience working in varied environments, from Primary Schools to Pupil Referral Units. Our learners range from Year 12 A Level English Students to those with Learning Difficulties, Special Educational Needs & Disabilities, Young Offenders and Ex Gang Members.
Quite a cross-section, but we feel that our experience equips us to deliver workshops effectively in various settings; Whether it’s 1 to 1s or Assembly Sized groups