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Changing Tunes is a registered charity that uses music teaching, rehearsing, recording, performance, improvisation and composition to aid the rehabilitation of prisoners and ex-prisoners. We have been doing this work for over ten years. The common purpose created through the shared experience of making music provides many opportunities to befriend, build self-esteem, educate, assist and change attitudes of offenders.
Each week we lead music sessions in 13 prisons, enabling prisoners to play music in groups and learn music theory. We see on average five prisoners at a time. In order to give our work focus we work towards concerts, services or CD production for the Koestler Awards (we have won 46 in the last three years). In 2007 we worked with 242 prisoners, providing 3,665 prisoner sessions and held 20 concerts in prison. In addition we held 140 post release meetings with ex-prisoners and organized 6 concerts in the community featuring ex-prisoners. We also recorded two CDs.
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Each session in prison is facilitated by a Changing Tunes’ professional musician able to play at least two instruments to a very high standard, and to coach people in a number of other instruments, as well as singing. Most of the work involves guitar tuition and band rehearsals, but other styles and instruments are also encouraged.
All our musicians are security trained and work unaccompanied by officers while in prison. They usually work in the prison chapel and are closely linked with the chaplaincy and education. Our work has the benefit of being both pastoral and educational.
Following release, we continue our work with those who want to, through concerts in the community and other support work. In the last five years we have held over 360 post-release meetings/events with ex-prisoners, including 54 concerts/events. It is this ‘through the gate’ (post release) work that is the key element to creating lasting behavioral change.
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While music cannot directly address many of the challenges ex-prisoners face it can make a significant impact because:
- Music is intrinsically uplifting, this is particularly relevant in an environment where very little is perceived as positive
- Musicians are generally looked up to by society, creating an ideal opportunity to significantly improve self-esteem and thus create the self-belief that is essential to re-habilitation
- Having something to look forward to (a forthcoming concert, recording or rehearsal) can give you motivation in other areas of your life
- Playing music as part of a group can significantly improve interpersonal skills as it involves listening and team-work
- Performing can significantly improve presentation skills and self-esteem
- Music creates an ideal meeting place to create genuine friendships through a shared activity
- Music is accessible as a learning opportunity to prisoners who would not normally engage in education
- All our staff regard this work as more than just a job and must bring a personal commitment to the work
- We signpost people we work with to other organisations that can help their individual circumstances
Ex-prisoners who actively participate in our programme have a re-offending rate of less than 15%, compared to a national average of 61%. We are just about to start an MPhil to gain empirical evidence of this benefit. The very high national average for re-offending clearly demonstrates the need for our work; just preventing 2.5 people re-offending per year would pay for our entire current programme!
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