Enriching Teaching in Social Music Programs
In 2020, the Hilti Foundation initiated the Academy for Impact through Music (AIM) based on the experience of more than 15 years of engagement in the field of Music for Social Change. The establishment of AIM is a response to the great potential of the field to enable transformational learning. With the Firebird Fellowship, AIM offers pioneering training for teachers from social music programs around the world, recognizing their vital role in the empowerment of young people.
The Academy for Impact through Music’s Firebird Fellowship program
By the end of the 2023/24 cohort, AIM will have trained 100 teachers from 30 international music programs. Each of them will have completed a period of 15 months, which includes virtual learning, an intensive summer academy and regular 1:1 exchange with their personal coach once they are back in their respective programs.
Reflecting the needs of the individual music programs and their teachers, AIM developed ‘Fire Up!’, a light touch teacher training program, which is a 20-hour compression of the most relevant learning contents from the Firebird Fellowship. It responds to the big interest of social music programs in teacher training but with a less time-consuming model. In addition, it will fulfill AIM’s goal of extending the reach of AIM towards many more programs and teachers.
“By diversifying our teacher training program, we not only meet the high demand in the Music for Social Change ecosystem, but also ensure that as many children and young people as possible benefit from innovative and impactful teaching.”
Christine Rhomberg, Member of the Executive Board of Hilti Foundation & Chair of AIM Foundation
An initial Fire Up! pilot program started with a four-day training course in September 2023, involving six programs from the United States and Canada. During the first three months, the participants have tested and adapted the learning contents in their individual programs and then meet again in spring 2024 to share their experience and contribute to a final version of Fire Up!
The responses after the pilot program were enormously positive, with requests from numerous leaders to be trained to spread Fire Up! to a wider group of programs in their countries and regions.
“Please pass on our gratitude to whoever will appreciate hearing about it! Fire Up! has made a huge impact on our teaching team, and it's going to have a long-lasting impact on our program.”
Fire Up! Participant
Music for Social Change Programs
Since 2002, the Hilti Foundation has supported "Music for Social Change" programs, using music education as a catalyst for positive change in societies and individuals. The initiatives offer young people the opportunity to pursue their passion for music and lead a self-determined life. Our programs not only provide music education to those who would not normally have access to it; they do much more than just teach music: filling a gap when children do not receive an adequate education, providing meals, supporting families, or even offering psychological support for students who have experienced trauma. They are often vital places of community pride and solidarity, where music is the glue that brings people together.