Guitars for Kids

Greetings from Musical Youth Foundation HQ in Ireland,

Every few months GlobalGiving invites us to share a project report update with you, this is our chance to let you know what we've been up to and how we've been investing your donations to make #EducationEquality a reality for more and more disadvantaged children in Ireland. As Founder & CEO of the Musical Youth Foundation it's an opportunity for me to reflect on progress made, goals reached and achievements still outstanding. Not something I get the chance to do very often due to the nature of the work and the complete lack of resources at my disposal to grow the foundation.

As a small start-up charity that launched in the depths of a global recession it has been a very hard road. With cash-flow being cut off at source for many organisations and individuals, fundraising for a charitable cause, no matter how worthy has been next to impossible. Despite this, we remained determined to push forward - we know that giving kids access to music lessons can and does have a dramatic positive impact on their lives. Not only does the research confirm this, but we have been fortunate to see the results with our own eyes and it is nothing short of miraculous. Except that it isn't a miracle, it is common sense. Giving kids access to music education is good for their brain, providing lessons in a positive, supportive group environment is always going to produce positive results. Especially when for many of the children we work with they are constantly starved of positive affirmation and encouragement both at home and at school.

So what have we been up to?

#MusicChangesLives

Well, last week we finally launched Music Changes Lives - our national #EducationEquality advocacy campaign to promote awareness for the benefits of music education for kids. The campaign will run for the next 12 months and will see us in conversation with a host of musicians and music lovers about what role music plays in their lives and what impact it has had. President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins is among a host of well-known people that have shown their support for our cause by giving on-camera interviews. You can view the interview with the President of Ireland here along with a host of other interviews from known and unknown musicians.

We want to hear from yoU!

We love to hear how music has impacted on people’s lives. Whether you're a professional musician or just a person that enjoys strumming a guitar, bashing some drums or perhaps like me making noise with a saxophone then the Musical Youth Foundation wants to hear from you. Why not take a few moments to record your story and share it with us via Facebook and Twitter or by emailing the video to us giving us permission to share it on our YouTube channel. No need to enlist a professional camera crew, your phone probably has a video camera that will be more than sufficient. Don't be shy, share your story - you might inspire someone to pick up an instrument and thus change their life!

Ten New Guitars for Kids projects!

I am delighted to be able to report to you that access to life-changing music education programmes has been made available to an additional 120+ vulnerable children across ten new locations in Ireland with thanks to vital financial support from the Smurfit Kappa Foundation and the Irish Youth Foundation.

This is our biggest boost in support to date, with €30,000. in funding, via the IYF  enabling the Musical Youth Foundation to expand its vital, life-changing music education programme to even more children in Ireland and bringing #EducationEquality one step closer. Over the coming month’s children in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Mayo and Offaly will receive weekly professional music lessons, access to practice sessions and various specialist workshops in singing, song-writing and live performance.

Each child participating in the Guitars for Kids programme receives their very own guitar which they can keep for the duration of their engagement with the project. As the young people grow and learn they can then over time upgrade their instruments as required with the old instruments then being passed on to a new group of students.

Head of Grants and Programmes at the Irish Youth Foundation, Sabina Cotter says; “The Irish Youth Foundation are delighted to support the Musical Youth Foundation with financial support from the Smurfit Kappa Foundation. This funding provides access to an additional 120+ children around Ireland. They will experience professional guitar lessons otherwise inaccessible due to family circumstances and financial constraints. The Irish Youth Foundation recognises the importance of music in children’s lives especially young people living in disadvantaged circumstances.  It helps with their self-confidence, concentration, co-ordination, relaxation and perseverance”

The funding is enabling us to increase the number of vulnerable young people the Musical Youth Foundation can support to over 200+ children across 17 locations in Ireland. In 2015 we will provide more than 700 hours of professional music tuition + 1400 hours of practise sessions across all projects – not bad going for a charity with little or no financial resources at present. For a full list of locations click here!

What the kids are saying!

We asked some of our students to tell us what the guitar classes have meant to them and what if anything has changed since they started. Here's what they told us...

Aashima (9) - "I'm so happy I'm learning to play the guitar. I've made lots of new friends and I'm not shy about putting my hand up in class anymore."

Conor (11) - "Since I started the guitar classes everything has changed. The older boys don't bully me anymore. I love the guitar. I want to teach my younger brother what I've learnt when he's a little bit older."

Sarah (14) - "I've been learning the guitar for a year now and it's the best thing I've ever done. I used to be very nervous at home and in class, now I'm not afraid to speak anymore. I even got up and sang a song I wrote myself in front of the whole class. I wasn't even nervous doing it, I just got up and played my guitar and sang my song. I feel really confident, like there's nothing I can't do if I'm not afraid to try."

Don't forget to tell a friend about the Musical Youth Foundation...

While your financial support is vital please don't forget the power of your voice. Tell a friend about the work we do, why you have chosen to support our cause and encourage them to help out. There's no better form of advertising than word of mouth and together we can spread our successful music programme across the island of Ireland and make a better future for our nation’s children!

Urgent Donations Required!

We urgently need your donations. Don't think that just because we got one nice grant that we're sorted. We are not, there are thousands of kids that don't have access to #EducationEquality tight now. Every day that passes is another day lost so please give what you can afford - we'll make sure your support is put to the best possible use helping vulnerable children get a better start in life! Thank You for your support!

That's all for now!

Thanks and best wishes,
Chris

Chris Maher
Founder & CEO
Musical Youth Foundation

Links:

• President of Ireland in converstion with MusicalYouthFoundation