Why We Do It

Every young person deserves the best possible start and every opportunity to succeed in life. To achieve this, children must have positive social and educational development - participation in the arts have been shown to assist with this.

Participation in music and arts profoundly adds to our quality of life, strengthens our identity and self-esteem and connects us to one another and to our community. It develops essential life-skills such as teamwork, communication and respect for others. It fosters critical thinking and has a direct and positive effect on learning skills. Music can cultivate an appreciation of other cultures, embracing diversity and community awareness. It is creative, it allows self-expression, it’s fun – it is vital for our children.
Strong international research⁽¹⁾ has demonstrated the significant benefits of arts-based programs for children including:

Improved learning outcomes:

• concentration, languages, reading and cross-disciplinary skills,

Enhanced social outcomes:

• communication, teamwork, classroom participation and school retention rates, and,

Beneficial personal development:

•  including higher self esteem and confidence and self-directed learning.

One of the critical research findings is that learning in and through the arts can help “level the playing field” for children in disadvantaged circumstances.

Currently in Australia up to 3 out of 4 children in Government Primary Schools have no music teachers. That equates to over 700,000 children missing out, and often those are the ones who need it most.

The Song Room vision is that all Australian children and communities will have access to music and performing arts programs; a vision that is supported by a recent National survey that found 87% of respondents believe that “every Australian child should have the opportunity to study music in school”.

This vision has also been supported by the Australian Government National Review of School Music Education launched in November 2005, which identified a “crisis” in schools and three key areas for action, including the need to make music programs accessible to all students.

The Song Room targets its efforts to those who need these opportunities the most, providing tailored programs to children who would otherwise miss out. There is a growing body of research which indicates that arts based interventions can have significant impacts on the Song Room’s target groups.