Tasmanian non-profit organisations work together to benefit at-risk communities

By Veronika Cox

A drumming program in Burnie is creating a safe space for students to explore their emotions, build social connections and increase self-esteem while having fun.

DRUMBEAT (Discovering Relationships Using Music; Beliefs, Emotions, Attitudes and Thoughts) is a free, ten-week, evidence-based program offered to students.

The program is available thanks to a grant from Communities for Children (C4C), a place-based initiative funded by the Department of Social Services and offered in Burnie by Facilitating Partner CatholicCare Tasmania.

C4C Coordinator Mary Yaxley said the C4C grants supported a wide range of engaging activities and supportive programs for families in the Burnie area with children 0 to 12 years of age.

“Our delivery partners are funded to do the direct delivery of services,” she explained.

“On-the-ground local organisations know what is happening in their communities, so we use the collective impact model to stay in touch with the needs and gaps within our area. We use the funding from the federal government to make grants available, so families and children in our area can get targeted programs and activities.”

Mary said the grant funding enabled local families to attend programs in the North-West rather than travel to Launceston or Hobart to access support.

“These programs can enhance parenting, support family relationships and help participants get to know local services and resources,” she said.

“It is about the reduction of loneliness and an improvement in social connection. Our long-term delivery partners are very skilled at supporting their participants in a range of ways.”

The DRUMBEAT program, which has been funded since 2021, creates a safe space for young people to talk about emotions and feelings, build social connections, increase self-awareness and self-esteem, increase emotional regulation, and even increase school attendance. Community organization Anglicare received grant funding from C4C        to run the DRUMBEAT Program in Burnie.

“DRUMBEAT engages participants through hand drumming with fun and easy-to-learn exercises to build their confidence when playing the drum in a group setting,” said Anglicare Program Manager Marni Bros.

“Each session focuses on different themes, such as relationships, emotions and feelings, identity and community, communication, and teamwork. The drums take the pressure off talking about big issues such as their emotions and feelings and they can connect with each other through music and play.  It is a chance for them to be kids and have fun!”

Marni said the success of the program relied on the C4C grant.

“We would not have the funding to offer this program as a free service accessible to the schools within the Burnie statistical area every term without the grant,” she said.

“Grants provide communities with opportunities to access programs such as DRUMBEAT, which allows young people to connect with their peers, promote a sense of belonging, and learn skills to be more resilient. They help with the costs for trained staff to deliver these programs as a free service, and without grants, this would not be possible.”

Mary said the C4C grants funded multiple not-for-profit organisations in areas identified as vulnerable or at risk. Current programs cover topics such as food and cooking, parenting workshops, nutrition, and mindfulness.

“The biggest thing is that we are always looking for a diverse range of organisations to apply for our Communities for Children grants,” she said.

“This is essential so we can genuinely ensure that families and children here in the North-West are able to access programs that meet their needs.”

To find out more, go to CatholicCareTas.org.au and search ‘Communities for Children’.

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