Source: Psynopsis | Winter/Hiver 2016 Volume 38 No. 1
Phoenix Youth Programs has been providing service for and caring about youth in Halifax, Nova Scotia for over 27 years. We work with youth who face multiple barriers such as housing insecurity; food insecurity; and inadequate access to regular health care, education, and secure employment.
This article will discuss the Phoenix Community Choir, which is made up of youth, staff, and other members of the Phoenix community.
Choir is about nurturing the soul, and our choir works to support youth and improve their lives. The program is based on the theories of Youth Development and Empowerment and is ultimately informed and influenced by the transformative power of music.
Youth Development
We recognize that young people learn through experience. They are searching for opportunities to express their individuality and independence as they transition into adulthood. We value the knowledge, skills, and lived experiences that they bring and see our role as preparing and promoting their development by providing opportunitiesthat focus on personal,social, and emotional growth (Damon, W, 2004). We are intentional about our programs, our practice, and our spaces so that we create a tone and culture that meets their unique developmental needs.
Our choir programming is designed to support youth in their development and encourages both formal and informal learning. We utilize the profound transformative power of music as a platform to engage youth and build their capacity for skill development. Studying music improves performance in many areas such as math, language skills, and even physical coordination (Clements-Cortes, 2012). The rhythmic aspect of music is the focus of music therapy for both mental and physical wellness because it trains the body to regulate movement (ClementsCortes, 2012).
More specific to the Phoenix choir, are the psychological and social benefits of music, particularly group music therapy. Singing has been shown to be a powerful mood regulator, and an excellent way to expel stress and negative emotions (Lamont, 2012). Making music regularly in a group is also provides opportunities to develop interpersonal relationships. it is important that staff, youth, and volunteers in the choir work together as equal partners on a creative project – this levels the playing field for relationships that often have a steep power dynamic. in this environment, youth and community alike can develop life changing social and emotional connections.
Empowerment Theory
Being empowered is about having the ability to control, influence, make decisions and bring about change. This can be broken down into personal, interpersonal, and community empowerment. To be empowered is to have power over one’s own actions and the direction of one’s life; to have power in choosing and managing one’s relationships with others; and to have the power to change policy, behaviour, and opinions in a larger group, institution, or community (Labonte, et al., 1994).
Choir rehearsal and performance builds confidence in all three forms of empowerment for the youth who take part, and this empowerment is applied to their socializing, goal-setting, and life outside of choir. There are increasingly difficult challenges to overcome in choir: auditioning to have one’s range checked is very intimidating, as is singing with others in a group for the first time, and of course, performing (Lamont, 2012).
Choir provides youth with an immediate return on investment. When a young person takes a risk, they are immediately rewarded with positive feedback. For instance, when a youth goes on to sing a solo or speak at choir performances they are immediately recognized through applause and support. The moment of success that comes when youth receive a standing ovation at a concert they have been preparing for for months is personally empowering in the extreme. it can be seen in the faces of youth as they are congratulated by family, staff, and even strangers in the audience. There are smaller moments of success as well, such as when a youth learns the basics of music literacy or meets with an artist who is performing with the choir. Each risk a youth takes builds confidence and self-esteem that impact the rest of their lives.
Singing in a group, particularly when a youth is performing for the first time in front of hundreds of people, requires reliance on the other members of the choir. Through the collective creative process of rehearsal, and the stress and success of performance, the choir community is made strong and supportive. Choir members have visited each other in the hospital during pregnancy or mental health breaks, written songs for each other’s birthdays, and sat with each other when the emotion of a song overwhelms. it is also meaningful for youth to see their workers engage with them on an equal playing field in an activity like the choir, and not just in a formal capacity as part of their jobs.
It is perhaps surprising that it is in community empowerment that the choir excels most strongly. Unlike most other choirs, the Phoenix Choir performs not just for fun but to share a message. For the choir, performance has become a platform for advocacy. Through repertoire choice and through sharing stories and opinionsin spoken sections between songs, youth get the opportunity to express and legitimize their political, generational, sexual, and community values and experiences.
They have performed at youth mental health expositions, fundraisers and events for community organizations, and for many schools and student meetings. To these performances they bring messages on themes such as marginalization, mental health stigma, LGBTQ experiences, and housing insecurity. The end result is the discovery of the power of one’s voice to change public opinion and even policy in the wider community. The Phoenix Community Choir is a program where theory meets practice and where young people share together in moments of great triumph, hard work, and tremendous success. it is a place where youth can channel the many psychological and social benefits of music. it is a place where they feel dignified, strong, and resilient. Choir is a place where youth are celebrated, the soul is stirred, and everyone is transformed.
