At Cobham and Reiby Youth Justice Centres, the music room isn’t just a classroom – it’s a sanctuary. For Ben, an ACMF teaching musician and qualified Music Therapist, the work isn’t measured in perfect notes, but in the slow, steady build of trust – knowing he will be there week in week out. This creates the “anchor” and routine to build and learn discipline and persistence through music.
The Architecture of Trust: Consistency First
In an environment where life can feel unpredictable, the most powerful tool Ben has is showing up. Every week, without fail, the music program is there. This consistency is the foundation of everything we do. It’s through this reliable presence that barriers come down, allowing young people at risk to engage in a way they rarely do elsewhere.
A Safe Space to Fail
In the yard, a missed basketball shot might lead to “mocking” or jeers. But in the music room, the culture is different. Ben has fostered an environment where failing is part of the process.
- The Discipline of Practice: Students learn that getting better requires a routine.
- Peer Mentoring: There is a unique shift in dynamic where more experienced students step up to teach newer ones, replacing “ribbing/mocking” with genuine teamwork.
- The Breakthrough: That moment of realisation – “I can actually do this” – is often the first time these youth have felt a true sense of accomplishment.
Finding Joy in the Unexpected
The impact of this work often catches even the facility staff by surprise. Recently, after a new drum kit arrived at Reiby, a young girl’s reaction when she walked in and saw it resonated beyond the classroom. The Principal, walking past, stopped in his tracks. He turned to Ben and remarked that he had never seen or heard that kind of pure joy from her before.
It is these small, explosive moments of breakthrough that prove why music is a vital rehabilitative tool. It reaches parts of a young person that other subjects, activities or conversation sometimes cannot.
Featured Research: The Science of Music in Justice
Want to dive deeper into the research behind our work? A study published in Music Education Research (2024) specifically examined the ACMF’s impact within Australian youth detention centres.
The research highlights how music acts as a “space of asylum,” providing young people with a vital respite from the pressures of incarceration while fostering the agency and creativity needed to imagine a different future.
Read the full study: Supporting musical affordances for desistance and resistance in youth justice settings
