Good Vibrations: positive change through social music-making

Abstract

Good Vibrations is a charity that runs gamelan projects with offenders in prison and on probation. A recent Birmingham City University study investigating the short-, medium-and long-term impact of the project found that participation in a Good Vibrations project acted as a catalyst for positive change. The research found that not only did participants feel more able to communicate with other offenders within the project, they found confidence in their own voice so as to continue to develop their communication and coping skills within prison and as ex-offenders in the community. Furthermore, the project contributed to the development of anger management skills and provided an outlet for selfexpression leading to a feeling of 'being normal'. This article presents the findings of the study, and considers why Good Vibrations inspires positive change. Using a three-dimensional model of Activity Theory, the concept of learning through social music-making is explored in terms of how the individual interacts with the social environment in order to develop skills and how participation in a musical learning activity can lead to a positive change of identity.

Developing A Musical Workshop with Young Inmates at Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centers

“…Spatial structure, temporal structuring, perceptual organization, psychomotor disorders, psychomotricity, and literacy (Martín Domínguez, 2008) are also important issues for a high percentage of people who are detained in prisons. Several studies have reported social and emotional benefits derived from a sense of enjoyment and confidence when making music together (Cohen, 2007(Cohen, , 2009Noecker-Ribaupierre & Woelfl, 2010;Henley et al, 2012). The Flamenco box-drum workshop is used to develop an individual identity through the development of a group identity.…”

“…in 19 participants. Henley et al (2012) used strategies for specific areas of musical development, such as understanding the construction of a melody or composing or improvising, in order to enable participants to develop skills in listening, observation, etc. Results revealed that participants went from individual development to a group development process as they progressed musically.…”

“…Cohen (2009) compared wellbeing in two groups of prison inmates before and after two performances, finding significant differences in emotional stability, sociability, happiness, and joviality when comparing those who participated in the choir and those who did not. Henley, Caulfield, Wilson, and Wilkinson (2012) evaluated the impact of the Good Vibrations Javanese Gamelan Project on individual aspects (personal identity, diversity, motivation, hope, motivation, etc.) and social interaction (peer relationships, sense of belonging, etc.)…”

Forskning og utvikling i kulturskolefeltet: IRIS - den doble regnbuen

“…Improvisasjon er også tema i en studie der aktivitetsteori brukes for å forstå hva som kjennetegner improvisasjon, og hvordan en gruppe musikere improviserer sammen (Burrows, 2004). I en studie som har sett på tre ulike caser, har aktivitetsteori både blitt brukt som et analytisk redskap og videreutviklet gjennom en tredimensjonal modell for å kunne favne den gjensidige påvirk-ningen og forholdet mellom mål for aktiviteten og subjektets identitet (Henley, 2015;Henley, Caulfield, Wilson og Wilkinson, 2012). Denne tredimensjonale modellen har gitt forståelse av forholdet mellom musikalsk laering og personlige og sosiale transformasjoner (Henley 2015;Henley, Caulfield, Wilson og Wilkinson, 2012).…”

“…I en studie som har sett på tre ulike caser, har aktivitetsteori både blitt brukt som et analytisk redskap og videreutviklet gjennom en tredimensjonal modell for å kunne favne den gjensidige påvirk-ningen og forholdet mellom mål for aktiviteten og subjektets identitet (Henley, 2015;Henley, Caulfield, Wilson og Wilkinson, 2012). Denne tredimensjonale modellen har gitt forståelse av forholdet mellom musikalsk laering og personlige og sosiale transformasjoner (Henley 2015;Henley, Caulfield, Wilson og Wilkinson, 2012). Ingen av disse studiene innen musikkfeltet har fokusert eksplisitt på samarbeid og interaksjon mellom to eller flere aktivitetssystemer, som ble sentralt i tredje generasjons aktivitetsteori (Engeström, 2001) og som også er tema i denne teksten.…”