Mental health
How this music therapy program is helping youth turn their lives around
Apr 17, 2024
Due to stigma and non-culturally informed programming in mental health care, racialized and marginalized youth have often been underserved, leading to continued concerns and over-representation in the justice system. Fernie Youth Services’ Beat Builders is an urban music therapy program for youth in the Greater Toronto Area who are at-risk of or involved in the justice system. Beat Builders seeks to revolutionize music therapy by using it and urban music culture as a doorway to clinical support. Through the program, youth have a unique opportunity to work through trauma and improve their well-being while obtaining digital skills and technology experience essential to gaining employment in the music industry.
With support from TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, Fernie Youth Services is expanding Beat Builders to help more youth like Levi and Azzaro.
Levi’s story
Levi and his mother immigrated to Canada from Trinidad and Tobago for more opportunities. Transitioning to life in a new country wasn’t easy for them. “This last year has been very challenging for us, especially for Levi,” said Jessie, Levi’s mother.
Trying to fit in among his new surroundings, Levi found himself hanging out with the wrong crowd and making poor decisions. These negative influences put him at risk of being involved in the justice system at just 16-years old. Fortunately, that’s when he got connected with Fernie Youth Services’ Beat Builders program.
“I’m so grateful,” said Jessie, Levi’s mother. “I saw a child withering and now he has a bright future ahead of him.”
Azzaro’s story
Beat Builders has given Azzaro a sense of community and belonging that he has never felt before.
“Growing up with a lack of resources, violence, poverty, it affected me a lot,” said Azzaro, Beat Builders participant. “I spent three years in jail, lost opportunities and lost people I care about. I’ve lost so much to a point where I felt like I didn’t have anything to live for.”
Before Beat Builders, Azzaro was constantly giving up on himself. With a new outlook on life, he’s now focusing on using the tools he gained from the program to make better life decisions and becoming the person he wants to be.
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