The Song Room Arts Learning Gives Appeal – donate today!

Every child deserves the right to become a lifelong learner. Give confidence, connection and learning opportunities to young people in need by donating to The Song Room’s Arts Learning Gives appeal – donate today!

Young people from across the country consistently tell us that The Song Room has helped them with their wellbeing. Arts learning helps them to feel confident in class, connected to their learning, and gives them an opportunity to thrive at school.

Feedback from teachers and school leaders confirms that arts learning with The Song Room has improved their students’ sense of belonging, behaviour management, resilience and has reduced their anxiety.

Arts learning gives young people the opportunity to access an inclusive and equitable education that promotes a lifelong love for learning¹. Many children are currently missing out on a quality arts education. Three out of four students do not have access to music education at school². In the face of growing demand, we are unable to support schools who are calling out for our programs. Evidence shows that participation in The Song Room³ improves educational achievement in the arts and other subjects, school attendance and social and emotional wellbeing.

Increased educational inequity and a decline in young people’s wellbeing continues to be felt across the country, putting our most vulnerable students at even greater risk. Half of all adult mental health challenges in Australia emerge before the age of 14⁴. Students who are included in goal setting, reflect and participate actively in their learning have better educational outcomes.

The arts provide a powerful way to uplift, enrich and transform our schools. Arts education helps develop the full range of cognitive, emotional and social skills essential for young people to thrive.

“When students develop agency they rely on motivation, hope, self-efficacy and a growth mindset to navigate towards wellbeing. This enables them to act with a sense of purpose, which guides them to flourish and thrive in society.”⁵

– OECD

We need your support.  Your donation to The Song Room’s Arts Learning Gives appeal can give young people the gift of lifelong learning through participation in the arts at school.

Your donation will:

• Improve student wellbeing: Build resilience, confidence, and social emotional learning skills through rich arts experiences that reduce anxiety and promote self-regulation, collaboration and confidence.
• Increase educational inclusion and equity: Provide access to quality arts learning programs that build student agency, motivate children to come to school and nurture curious, inspired learners.
• Build cultural connection: Give all students access to learning centred on diverse cultural histories and practices to ensure that they can see themselves in their education and engage in learning that is inclusive of all voices from their community.
• Improve creative digital education: Give teachers time-saving support through access to online resources, lesson plans, and guides that help them provide students with inspiration and a lifelong love for learning.
• Build strong communities: Strengthening school culture, belonging and connection through the arts while building teacher confidence and capacity providing sustainable solutions.

Every child deserves the right to become a lifelong learner. By giving them access to arts learning you are setting them up to thrive in school and in life.

This year, through The Song Room’s Arts Learning Gives appeal, we aim to raise $150,000 to support schools and young people at this critical time.

Please donate today to help us reach our goal.

Thank you. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

1. Robyn Ewing, The Arts and Australian Education: Realising Potential, Australian Council for Educational Research, 2011, https://research.acer.edu.au/aer/11/
2. Robins Stevens, Trends in School Music Education Provision in Australia, The Music Council of Australia in collaboration with the Australian Society for Music Education and the Australian Music Association, 2003
3. Vaughan, T., Caldwell, B., (2011), Bridging the Gap in School Achievement through the Arts, Educational Transformations. https://www.songroom.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Bridging-the-Gap-in-School-Achievement-through-the-Arts.pdf
4. National Mental Health Commission. National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. 2021, National Mental Health Commission. 
5. OECD (2022), Education Policy Outlook 2022: Transforming Pathways for Lifelong Learners, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/c77c7a97-en.