MUSICHELPS GRANTS RECEIPIENTS MARCH 2025
The MusicHelps' Board are pleased to announce the March 2025 Grant Receipients.
HŌHEPA WELLINGTON
Hōhepa Wellington believes that communities reach their full potential when every person is given the opportunity to live a fulfilling life. They provide 24/7 individualised support to intellectually disabled people from across the Wellington region, fostering a deep sense of purpose, connection and belonging with the wider community. They strongly support social inclusion and engagement through activities which bring joy and opportunity to the people who live with us, and the wider disability community.
The March 2025 MusicHelps grant will be used to support Hōhepa Wellington’s Music Therapy programme.
WHANGANUI CREATIVE SPACE TRUST (THE OTHER ORCHESTRA)
The Kaupapa of the Other Orchestra is to provide a safe musical environment in which people of all abilities can express themselves freely and creatively. The project has been running successfully since February 2015 with one three-hour session weekly. Every session is treated as a performance of improvised music and movement, with the participants contributing freely on their own initiative to the ensemble that is led by the facilitator and invited guest musicians. Instruments provided include keyboards, electric and acoustic guitars, drums and percussion, pa and microphone.
MusicHelps are proud to continue their support of The Other Orchestra.
THE CHAMPION CENTRE - CHRISTCHURCH
The Champion Centre provides free, high quality, multi-disciplinary early intervention programmes for Canterbury infants and young children, with disabilities and developmental delays from birth to 6 years of age. The Champion Centre believes that every child, regardless of physical, mental or social capacity has a right to be educated, to learn, grow and realise their potential.
MusicHelps funding will assist with Music Therapist fees to ensure the smooth running of their Musical Play Therapy Programme.
RESPIRATORY SUPPORT NELSON INCORPORATED
Respiratory Support Nelson provides free or very low-cost support services to those suffering from asthma and related respiratory conditions such as COPD in the Nelson Tasman region by improving lifestyles through improved self-management, education and support.
MusicHelps are supporting their Sing Your Lungs Out programme which brings people with respiratory conditions together once a week to sing together. Studies have shown that singing with purpose and passion, even just once a week, can have a very positive impact on lung capacity and diaphragm strength - improving diaphragmatic breathing - and is a fun social activity that improves outcomes for people with respiratory conditions, especially those that may be struggling with more physical exercise.
AUCKLAND PHILHARMONIA TRUST
Thanks to support from MusicHelps, Auckland Philharmonia successfully launched the Early Years pilot programme in collaboration with Nurture People in 2024.Together the APO and MusicHelps delivered weekly music education sessions for tamariki aged 3-5 and ECE teacher training at Kaurilands Kindergarten in West Auckland.
MusicHelps March 2025 Grant contributes towards Auckland Philharmonia’s delivery of the Early Years programme in two Kindergartens/ECEs in 2025.
CREATIVEAT HEART – Blenheim
Creative At Heart offers pathways for children and their wider whānau/community to grow and thrive by engaging in therapeutic creative arts. The programmes support individuals with diverse needs, including physical, intellectual, developmental, behavioural and social challenges, fostering development and connection through creative expression
MusicHelps are supporting Creative At Heart with Music Therapist fees.
RAUKATAURIMUSIC THERAPY TRUST
Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust provides music therapy for around 900 people every week in the Northland, Auckland, and Hawke’s Bay regions. They are the largest employer of music therapists in Aotearoa, and are dedicated to supporting people with disabilities, mental health conditions, and other challenges with the opportunity to find healing, support, growth, wellbeing, empowerment, or simply the space to be themselves through music.
MusicHelpswill continue their relationship with Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust with a Grant towards Music Therapists wages.
LINCOLN HEIGHTS SCHOOL
Lincoln Heights School has implemented a variety of initiatives designed to help the large number of students who require learning support. Specialist teachers, therapists and support staff provide additional programmes for these students, particularly in the academic areas of reading, writing and mathematics. Students with high learning needs learn in four purpose-built classrooms. Teachers work closely with these students’ families to develop well designed learning plans which engage and motivate students.
MusicHelps are providing a grant to assist with Music Therapist Fees.
THE SUPPORTED LIFE STYLE HAURAKI TRUST
The Supported Life Style Hauraki Trust is based in Thames and has been operating since 1994. The Trust provides quality support to people with mixed abilities, disabilities and those who are habilitating from traumatic brain injuries. The Trust encourages quality relationships and interactions with the wider community and helping Life Stylers reach their goals while providing residential, vocational and day placement support. The Trust also encourages and supports those in the community and schools with disabilities to participate in the vocational activities on offer assisting to enhance their lives in what can often be a lonely place once the school bus leaves.
The March 2025 MusicHelps Grant will be applied to the purchase of new instruments and an increase in music tutor hours for The Jam Jar music project.
MINT CHARITABLE TRUST
The MINT Music programmes are for individuals ages 8-40, with an intellectual disability and runs during the school terms. In 2025 MINT will undertake two separate music programmes “Musician Lab” programme: Opportunity for individuals to go deeper with their musicality, offering 1:1 / Learning and Instrument and/or writing or recording a song and Sensory Jam Sessions: A creative place of exploration and expression, with less structure for those with higher support needs or communication challenges, to connect socially through music.
MusicHelps are continuing their support of MINT with a continuation towards teacher fees and new instruments.
THE SHED PROJECT - KĀPITI
The Shed Project aims to improve the lives of differently abled people and the communities where they live by enabling opportunities and inclusion through training and employment. The Sound Minds project was created in 2022 where three participants with mental health challenges who liked to play covers came together to make music.
Run by Susannah Tierney, a second-year music therapy student, MusicHelps are pleased to provide The Shed Project with a selection of music instruments.
KIA HAANGA WHAKAREREKE INCORPORATED - Northland
KiaHaanga Whakarereke (KHW) is a community organisation from Moerewa, Bay of Islands, Northland. Founded in 1997, KHW provides voluntary support to local communities and whanau. Project Bang-a-Gong is a music workshop designed for individuals, exposed to domestic violence. The program uses percussion instruments (drums, bongos etc) to help learners regulate emotions, release emotions, control emotions. Therapeutic tools assist learners as they tell their stories through the instruments. Overall, the goal of Project Bang-a-Gong is to assist learners in reducing violence in the home.
The MusicHelpsGrant will contribute towards Creative Arts Manager Fees
EPIC MUSIC FOUNDATION – Palmerston North
Epic Music provides school-based itinerant music lessons for children from Year 1 onwards, offering keyboard, drums, and guitar. We also run a foundational program for 5- and 6-year-olds, focusing on rhythm, beats, music reading, and group playing skills. Lessons take place during school hours, removing barriers to participation. Their custom-designed tuition books track progress and keep families informed, and students earn wristbands as they progress through milestones.
The MusicHelps Grant will contribute towards Music Teacher Fees
VIRTUOSO STINGS - Porirua
The Virtuoso Strings Charitable Trust provides free music tuition, instruments, and orchestral experiences through an accessible and holistic music education programme. Our aim is to generate social benefit for youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The MusicHelps Grant will be used to purchase or repair of violin & cello cases, strings, tuners, shoulder rests and rosin.
ENLIVEN – Lower Hutt
Enliven is run by the not-for-profit organisation, Presbyterian Support Central (PSC). PSC works with communities to create positive, lasting change. We support vulnerable tamariki, rangatahi, whānau, and kaumātua in every stage of life. Their positive ageing services create age-friendly communities where people are happy and thrive, regard less of their age or ability. Enliven’s homes and villages are places where older people have companionship, choice, variety, fun, meaningful activity, and a sense of purpose.
MusicHelps contributed towards the cost of Music Therapist Fees at Enliven’s Woburn Home in Lower Hutt,Wellington.
THEDEPRESSION RECOVERY TRUST – WHAKAMĀTŪTŪ – Te Aro, Wellington
Whakamātūtū is the first community-based, integrated therapeutic day centre in New Zealand, set up to address the mental health crisis that we are facing in our country. They offer a six-week day programme for people suffering from moderate to severe depression, anxiety, PTSD or other co-existing mental health challenges. The programme integrates a range of evidence-based therapies and activities, including individual and small group psychotherapy; medical and psychiatric care; peer support; whānau support; cultural connection; social work support; music and art therapy; exercise; and social skills training.
The MusicHelps grant contributes towards Music Therapist fees.
