Considering running a music summer camp for kids and teenagers this summer in Galway

matchboxyouth

So as the title says I'm considering the idea of running a School of Rock themed Summer Camp this summer in Galway in a few areas; Athenry, Tuam and perhaps two in the city.. one in the east and then one in the west.

I guess I'm calling out to parents here and trying to figure out what kind of interest there would be in this idea? I will be on summer holidays from university and figured it would be a great way to spend my time and helping young musicians improve in their songwriting and their stage performance but also in turn their confidence and social skills. They will also learn about recording and will also record their own song during the camp with a live performance for all the parents at the end of the camp.

I will be enrolling in a Masters in music technology in the Cork School of Music this September. I have been recording music over 10 years and have plenty of experience working with young adults and teenagers from my work through TG Lurgan, which is an Irish summer camp based in Connemara that produces pop songs in Irish.

The other two members of my team both have extensive recording and stage performance experience and knowledge, playing in two well known bands in Galway for the last number of years. If there was interest in this idea I'd love to go ahead with it but for now I'm just seeing if there are any parents out there that would have any interest. Thanks guys!

Moomintroll99

As a parent who works I am ALWAYS looking for this kind of thing and that would definitely be the kind of summer camp I would be interested in for my kids.

Couple of things from the parent point of view that may help:

- Start advertising as soon as the Easter holidays finish. We are all currently obsessed with easter childcare and not thinking about summer yet, but as soon as they go back to school it will be time for the summer childcare panic.
- Ensure you divide kids intro groups by age (you probably will anyway but make sure your marketing says so clearly) - some parents would be worried about their 6 year old being with 14 year olds or whatever, plus the 14 year olds don't want to hang out with little kids.
- Think about start/finish times. These things often start at 930am & finish at maybe 330pm which is a total pain if you are trying to get a normal office day in. It would be great to either start or finish at the right time for a 9-5 office day. Maybe it could be a morning or afternoon based thing?
- The four locations sound good.
- I get a lot of my info from a few Facebook groups - there is one called Galway Parents Out & About for example. They would be good places to advertise.

Overall it sounds great though, my kids would love that, especially the thing about recording your own song. Best of luck with it!

GalwayGrrrrrl

Sounds like something my 12 year old would like. Another few points from a parents point of view-
Run the camp for a full 5 days- much easier for working parents.
I agree about the 9am start - camps that run 11-2 etc are a pain to organise with work. You could do 9-1pm with an extra optional payment for late collection at 3pm ( some camps show a movie for last hour or so for late collect and charge 5 extra per day).
Make sure you have Garda vetting and first aid certificates for tutors.
Good luck with it- let us know when it’s on as I’m interested already!

Mrs OBumble

GalwayGrrrrrl wrote: »

Make sure you have Garda vetting ....for tutors.

And this the first place where you will run into issues.

To get vetting done you need to be an organisation that is registered. Not just a guy who wants to run some summer camps for one year.

Next issue will be getting public liability insurance, and booking venues. Registering your business for tax, VAT and as an employer.


A far easier approach is to look for work as a tutor working for one of the existing summer camp operations.

Mrs OBumble

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Registering your business for tax, VAT and as an employer.

.

None of which is necessary and no need to setup a business.

I’d also think insurance would be included in any room that was rented.

matchboxyouth

Thanks everyone for your advice and for those that are interested, that is great and we hope to get this going this summer.
There are a number of important factors for us to consider such as insurance, which I thought might have been covered by the venue but maybe that is not the case?

Also, I didn't think we would need to set up as a business just to sort out tax and VAT, one of you says it is not necessary but one is saying it is. Does anyone else have any experience or knowledge here? Thanks again everyone.

half pint

There already is a school of rock in Galway.
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=247232025416761&ref=content_filter

matchboxyouth

half pint wrote: »

There already is a school of rock in Galway.
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=247232025416761&ref=content_filter

And I will be doing my best to ensure there is another. Also, that facebook page hasn't been updated since last year and their website seems to say the camp was run through Access Music Project; which finished in 2017 or so, could be wrong?
Either way, it's irrelevant. Thanks.

Mrs OBumble

Take a look at Starcamp (https://starcamp.ie/county/galway-summer-camp/) for an example of how this is done.

Focus on what it will take to get your workers garda vetted, and what venues you will use.

Contact the venues - ask if they're available, what the price will be, and if their PL insurance would cover your use. Remember to think thru what facilities you will need, especially if you want to get into recording.

Investigate garda vetting. Look at some other organisations child protection policies. Assess how much child protection and behaviour management training you've done. How many workers you will need to maintain adequate ratios - and what you will do if a worker gets sick.

matchboxyouth

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Take a look at Starcamp (https://starcamp.ie/county/galway-summer-camp/) for an example of how this is done.

Focus on what it will take to get your workers garda vetted, and what venues you will use.

Contact the venues - ask if they're available, what the price will be, and if their PL insurance would cover your use. Remember to think thru what facilities you will need, especially if you want to get into recording.

Investigate garda vetting. Look at some other organisations child protection policies. Assess how much child protection and behaviour management training you've done. How many workers you will need to maintain adequate ratios - and what you will do if a worker gets sick.

Thank you very much! Taking all these factors into consideration.

snoopy84

sounds brilliant. something I would definitely be interested in, but not for a few years yet as my little man is only two. but sounds great

matchboxyouth

snoopy84 wrote: »

sounds brilliant. something I would definitely be interested in, but not for a few years yet as my little man is only two. but sounds great

Thank you! Well I'd hope to run this every summer and not just a once off, so you never know, hopefully we'll meet some time down the line

GreeBo

Kingsley Salty Karaoke wrote: »

None of which is necessary and no need to setup a business.

I’d also think insurance would be included in any room that was rented.

No need to setup a business or pay tax?

Room insurance isnt going to anywhere near cover the cost of insurance for being in charge of a group of kids. Just look at all the companies closing down in Ireland due to Insurance costs.

matchboxyouth

GreeBo wrote: »

No need to setup a business or pay tax?

Room insurance isnt going to anywhere near cover the cost of insurance for being in charge of a group of kids. Just look at all the companies closing down in Ireland due to Insurance costs.

I'd obviously be paying tax, where did I say I wasn't doing that? the insurance I was not sure about but I'll discussing it with a professional Monday to see what we need to be covered.

beardybrewer

My son is in 6th class and has 3 other friends who all recently got electric guitars and are very excited and into their music. Would love to see something like this for them all to show off.

GreeBo

GreeBo wrote: »

No need to setup a business or pay tax?

.

Of course there is no need to setup business, op can simply operate as a sole trader and just make a tax return (or add to his current tax return) with the additional income no need to “register” for tax.

Not a hope his will earn enough to get near VAT registration levels of turnover either.

Mrs OBumble

Kingsley Salty Karaoke wrote: »

Of course there is no need to setup business, op can simply operate as a sole trader and just make a tax return (or add to his current tax return) with the additional income no need to “register” for tax.

Good luck with registering as an organisation to get garda-vetting done, while operating as a sole-trader.

GreeBo

matchboxyouth wrote: »

I'd obviously be paying tax, where did I say I wasn't doing that? the insurance I was not sure about but I'll discussing it with a professional Monday to see what we need to be covered.

Erm...i wasn't replying to you?
If you look you will see i quoted another poster...

GreeBo

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Good luck with registering as an organisation to get garda-vetting done, while operating as a sole-trader.

might as well just buy the ice cream van and trench coat now alright.

matchboxyouth

GreeBo wrote: »

might as well just buy the ice cream van and trench coat now alright.

And what do you mean by that?

GreeBo

Kingsley Salty Karaoke wrote: »

Of course there is no need to setup business, op can simply operate as a sole trader and just make a tax return (or add to his current tax return) with the additional income no need to “register” for tax.

Not a hope his will earn enough to get near VAT registration levels of turnover either.

A sole trader you say?
That'd be a type of business then yeah?

beardybrewer

Well, in typical Galway boards fashion that went off the rails quick. Sheesh, rhymes with itch.

OP, I think you got your answer that there is interest and if you can sort out all the red tape and paperwork I'd be very interested.

However it is clear this is not a good forum to get helpful advice on actually making this a reality. I wish you the best of luck and hopefully you can find the resources you need to take your idea to the next step.

matchboxyouth

beardybrewer wrote: »

Well, in typical Galway boards fashion that went off the rails quick. Sheesh, rhymes with itch.

OP, I think you got your answer that there is interest and if you can sort out all the red tape and paperwork I'd be very interested.

However it is clear this is not a good forum to get helpful advice on actually making this a reality. I wish you the best of luck and hopefully you can find the resources you need to take your idea to the next step.

Thanks very much, and I'm talking to a few people Monday so it is looking good. I was prepared for some of the replies I got before I posted, some people are just like that, but nonetheless I appreciate their input also.

I'm not sure of how to close a thread but I've gotten the information I need so I will be disabling notifications now. Thank you.

GalwayGrrrrrl

Original School of rock now back and taking bookings. Must be boardsies!

GalwayGrrrrrl

From Facebook - Original School of rock now back and taking bookings. Must be boardsies!

Del2005

beardybrewer wrote: »

However it is clear this is not a good forum to get helpful advice on actually making this a reality. I wish you the best of luck and hopefully you can find the resources you need to take your idea to the next step.

With the work the OP is going to do setting up a company would be very sensible as the company is liable for any issues then not the OP, which they will be as a sole trader. They were told that they need to pay tax and have insurance, you'd be surprised the amount of people who don't think that money they earn in extra jobs doesn't need to be declared and the OP thought the venues would provide insurance.

But yes the information provided here is not helpful.

Mrs OBumble

beardybrewer wrote: »

However it is clear this is not a good forum to get helpful advice on actually making this a reality.

I guess you missed the part where I advised the OP to look for work as a tutor working for one of the existing summer camp operations.

Without some structure behind him/her, that this the most realistic way to get what is suggested up and running.

Wompa1

What age groups?

I'm moving back to Galway at the end of May. My son goes to a music class at the moment for 3 year old. It's mostly just learning rhythm and singing through play. Would love something similar in Galway.

GalwayGrrrrrl

Wompa1 wrote: »

What age groups?

I'm moving back to Galway at the end of May. My son goes to a music class at the moment for 3 year old. It's mostly just learning rhythm and singing through play. Would love something similar in Galway.

There are several Colourstrings music groups in Galway which are aimed at preschoolers. Might be worth a look if the school of Rock doesn’t go that young.