We are proud to announce one of our latest grant recipients - The Snowdrop Project.
The Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation has provided funding to support The Snowdrop Project in starting a music group to support their clients.
Snowdrop works with people who have been trafficked, moved from one place to another for the purpose of exploiting them.
Men are notoriously more reluctant than women to ask for help, are less likely to see themselves as being exploited and often disappear from services all together. However, they remain isolated, sometimes homeless and destitute, often struggling with their health and finances, and frequently lacking in meaningful activity. All this can add strain to pre-existing mental health struggles and is detrimental to wellbeing.
Snowdrop has found that inviting men to community-based activities such as a music group can provide a reason to get out, a sense of purpose and much needed connection with others. Community activities can also become a pathway into more in depth support, such as casework or therapy.
Currently Snowdrop has a couple of men who are very competent guitar players and are supported by their amazing teacher Nick. The grant from the Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation is being spent to complement donations of instruments and time and skills, filling gaps and promoting sustainability. It has meant Snowdrop has been able to buy decent equipment that conveys a sense of dignity, respect and valuing of the players.
In the future they would also like to provide music lessons to develop skills, bridge the cultural gaps and develop a sense of group activity.
Even with a support worker accompanying them, getting to the music group at all is a remarkable achievement given the distrust, anxiety and chronic pain people can suffer. The group is a safe place and the men eventually come under their own steam.
“The teacher is awesome – musically amazing but also very compassionate with the guys and patient with their sometimes erratic behaviour that echoes their previous trauma. Music is a fabulous way of managing your emotions, of connecting with others despite language barriers and for witnessing the healing power of playing together. It’s wonderful to hear the guys utterly absorbed in learning and playing, appreciating each other’s skills yes, but also cherishing each other’s company, their willingness to share and opportunities to be utterly in the flow, doing what matters despite the pain. This is a priceless affirmation of the importance of being able to provide such a space, assisted so generously by the Power of Music’s grant. Thank you.”
- David Bell, Male Project Development
To find out more about the Snowdrop Project and how you can get involved visit their website here.
Could you benefit from a grant from the Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation? Visit our Grants page to find out more and apply.
