For young people attending an Alternative Learning Setting (ALS) in Geraldton, Western Australia, the traditional school environment has often become synonymous with failure. These are young people facing complex challenges, often due to significant disengagement or trauma, and the initial reaction upon entering the classroom is frequently anger.
The SALS provides alternative learning facilities and targeted support programs for students who have been excluded from a public school or who are at risk of exclusion due to Complex and Challenging behaviour.
Brenton Meynell, one of the Australian Children’s Music Foundation’s (ACMF) dedicated teaching musicians, sees the impact of this every week. He notes that the students “often come in angry” and view core subjects like math and English as insurmountable barriers. School has ceased being a place of opportunity; it has become a place of failure.
The Breakthrough: Finding a “Space of Asylum”
ACMF’s program doesn’t start with textbooks; it starts with instruments. To bypass the psychological barriers of traditional schooling, ACMF’s partners with the local PCYC (Police Citizens Youth Club). By utilising a professional recording studio, they take the young people “out of the school environment” and into a creative “space of asylum.”
This shift in setting is everything. “We’re bringing joy back into school and learning,” Brenton explains. “It shows them a different pathway to the subjects they found hard. It ignites a learning passion, and then we show them: ‘You’re doing math and English right now when you read sheet music and structure a song.'”
Music bypasses the old feelings of anxiety and failure, providing a vital space where students can process emotions, build self-determination, and focus. Research confirms that for youth at risk, this sense of self-determination leads to improved emotional regulation and self-esteem.
The Transformation: Two Pathways to a New Future
Once self-belief is activated through musical achievement, the real shifts happen quickly. The ACMF program delivered two powerful, life-changing pathways for these young people in Geraldton:
Case Study 1: The Producer Pathway
One student, initially reserved and struggling within the ALS environment, experienced a “real shift in behaviour” once the music program started. The musical outlet provided the confidence he needed to map out a path for his future. He subsequently left school, joined TAFE music, is now producing, and has continued his study. Music provided a professional, positive, and achievable goal.
Case Study 2: The Lead Drummer
Another student, an Indigenous girl, was typically quiet and withdrawn. Through the encouragement of the small-group setting and the structured discipline of the program, she found her voice as the drummer. She became so skilled and confident she is now leading the band. This achievement was acknowledged by the group as a moment of “positive group achievement,” proving they could work together successfully despite, initial distrust, and providing a deep sense of belonging.
Measurable Impact: Confidence Reaches New Highs
The emotional and behavioural changes are backed by clear metrics. Across the ACMF’s Alternative Learning Setting programs, they consistently see extraordinary results in non-musical domains. Data shows a reported 97% increase in student confidence – a metric that is fundamental to re-engaging youth in education and life.
This is the power of music. Music doesn’t just teach notes; music teaches self-worth, provides pathways, and proves that for every child, regardless of circumstance, music is the most powerful tool for lasting, positive change.
