MERCURY SERIES - Making A Difference
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Trainee counsellor Kate Mooney will stage an event in Wollongong next Saturday called Grow the Music to provide musical instruments for children in remote indigenous communities.
A first-time fund-raiser, Ms Mooney has based the event on an instrument drive run by the Grow the Music founders in Canberra.
She has enjoyed immediate support from local bands such as A Cat Named Kesey and businesses including Haworth's Shellharbour Music Centre.
Round the Corner band member Niels Glahn-Bertelsen, of Sifters Consulting Events, has also been a big support.
"Grow the Music is also the name of the organisation I support," she said.
"Grow the Music was founded by four women who decided to use music to help young people in remote locations.
"I believe in what they are doing and I believe in the power of music to engage kids. They put in so much effort. Their initiative is to build confidence and self-esteem through music programs.
"The idea of Grow the Music was to go into the schools for five weeks and run music programs to help engage kids. It is also about teaching them how to handle their emotions and dealing with things like stress."
Ms Mooney said she befriended the four founders after an encounter in Melbourne: "We ... travelled up to the Kimberleys a couple of times together."
"I am really behind what they are doing. I am studying to be a counsellor so I am interested in social work. I am actually going up to Balgo in May."
Ms Mooney saw how much the children enjoyed the music program on previous visits.
At one school the principal told her how a child began to speak after never talking to anyone at school before.
"And the attendance at the school went up from 15 per cent to 85 per cent over the five weeks."
Haworth's general manager Glenn Haworth loves using music to break down barriers.
"Encouraging kids in different communities through music and the donation of instruments is something we are big on," he said.
"We already visit a lot of different schools through the Haworth Music School Tour ... to encourage young people to get involved in music, particularly people who do not have the opportunity or money to get instruments.
"So anything to do with donating instruments to people who really need it is something that we always try and support. We probably get to 30 to 40 schools in a year.
"I go myself and ... really focus on talking to kids about music. I talk to them about bullying and anxiety too. I want to encourage children to play music and really encourage them to go after what they want in life."
A Cat Named Kesey band members Brett Johnson, Bethany Levy, Rhyan Clapham, Corey Pickett, Eliza Sykes decided to get involved after they saw Ms Mooney's post on Facebook.
The Grow the Music Festival opposite Stuart Park on the corner of Virginia Street and George Hanley Drive in North Wollongong on March 23 will feature 10 acts from 11am as well as instrument making workshops.
"It is $10 to get in or free entry if you bring an instrument to donate," Ms Mooney said.