Mission:
My Voice Music is a nonprofit organization based in Portland Oregon that engages youth in music and performance in order to promote self-esteem, social skills and emotional expression.
Vision Statement:
My Voice Music will provide under-served youth with experiences in music that are engaging, relevant, and challenging in order to promote the development of social and emotional skills. Anchored on a belief in the power of music, relationship and story, we will be guided by thoughtful resource stewardship and a deep commitment to education through experience.
Values Statement:
Community: We believe that being a part of, and contributing something positive to, our community is transformative and empowering.
Relationship: We believe that positive, long-term relationships provide guidance and create a concept of social accountability.
Education: We believe that when education is paired with a desire for knowledge it creates rich and fulfilled lives that positively affect individuals, as well as, the community at large.
Art: We believe in the ability of the arts to inspire and connect with individuals, and that arts education has the power to equip them with tools for learning.
Trust: We believe successful relationships are built on a foundation of trust. We are committed to maintaining a level of professionalism and transparency that fosters trust in all of our relationships.
Experience: We believe experiences that are engaging, relevant, and challenging can connect with individuals in a unique way and teach skills that can be used for a lifetime.
Theory of Change:
Our philosophy is based on the assumption that youth thrive when they have the opportunity to be seen for their best and not simply for their challenges, and that;
Music is able to connect with people in a unique and universal manner.
Music helps people access and express emotions, as well as create community.
Music experiences can be used to help youth develop social and emotional skills - essential life-skills used to create positive relationships, cope with difficult circumstances, and develop resiliency.
Goal setting and working toward goals helps individuals take pride in themselves and their work.
Once someone learns to play music, they have a positive way to develop friendships and express emotions no matter where they go. (very significant to youth in foster care, residential treatment, experiencing homelessness and other transient situations)
Basically, My Voice Music is like many organizations that provide youth with guidance in a skilled activity such as sports leagues, math clubs and so forth. The difference is we are dedicated to working with youth who have fallen out of the typical realm of community services. We target youth who would otherwise not have these opportunities due to challenges such as living in the foster care system, experiencing mental health issues, exhibiting extreme behaviors, or with limited economic means.
Some quotes from our Students:
"When you said 'try to feel the music', do you mean like the chills? ‘Cause I just got those while singing that song."
"If it wasn't for My Voice Music, I would not be able to express myself in this way. I love music. I use it everyday to cope and stay calm."
"This is the best music class in the world!"
"Music is seriously my life. Thank you for coming here and taking the time to teach me."
Some quotes from our partners:
“I have a poem I keep posted in my office that My Voice Music staff and a very violent youth wrote together. This particular child had extreme difficulty controlling his aggression and MVM was able to help the youth channel his aggression into song writing. When this young man moved from our program he had a recoding of his songs to share with others and had far less aggressive outbursts then previously.” - Beth Putz, MA
“This is a wonderful organization! My Voice Music has come out to our residential treatment program and worked with our youth there -- and the kids absolutely love it. Writing and playing music touches something in them that promotes healing and calm for many kids who are really struggling.” - Kathleen McNamara, MA
"Your program creates such an incredible space for these kids to explore their creative spirits and to feel good about themselves."
- Sara Whitehurst, Christie Care
“My Voice Music was such a positive experience for all involved. It was incredible to be able to take a group that had students ranging from cynical high schoolers to shy middle school girls and find a way to keep them all engaged, learning and having fun. In six weeks this group of kids, many who had never picked up an instrument, learned to play, wrote their own song and performed it to an audience of over 100 people. During that performance, the youth who was the lead singer tapped into an emotion that none of us had seen. Who knows what confidence and new interest that experience will inspire. This was the safe kind of “risk-taking” that teenagers need and thrive from.”
- Louis Cohen, Manager of Programming, Friends of the Children - Portland
Who Do We Serve?
We work youth who would otherwise not have these opportunities due to challenges such as living in the foster care system, experiencing mental health issues, exhibiting extreme behaviors, or coming from families with limited economic means.
My Voice Music partners with non-profit agencies to enhance their ability to reach youth by providing them with engaging and relevent music programs. MVM also runs independent rock camps that are are available to the public on a private referral basis. All of My Voice Music’s services are provided for free, or at a "pay what you can afford" rate, to youth and their families.
Our Music programs range from weekly drum circles and sing-along groups that build community while celebrating the therapeutic aspects of music, to full rock band camps where youth learn to play an instrument, write their own song, record it, and perform it in front of an audience as a band! Our hope is that the youth we work with will learn skills that help them cope with their current situation and create a fulfilling life for their future.
In 2010 alone (are first full year of running programs), My Voice Music; worked with over 250 youth; taught nearly 200 of them to play the guitar, drums, bass, keys and sing; recorded over 50 original songs written by MVM students; facilitated 14 student concerts; brought 13 music programs to youth organizations who previously had no such programs. In 2011 we will work with nearly 500 youth!
