Creativity Australia is excited to announce that so far in 2021 they have awarded seed funding to start Local With One Voice franchises to three organisations which are,
- Western Riverina (NSW)
- Port Stephens (NSW)
- Myrtleford/Beechworth (VIC)
- Avenue Neighbourhood House Blackburn South (VIC)
Local groups, social and not-for-profit businesses wanting to promote social inclusion and tackle loneliness, isolation, depression and disadvantage are invited to apply.
Successful applicants joins a 12-month intensive mentoring program to ensure success. Creativity Australia is on the look-out for more community organisations who are;
- Movers and shakers in their communities
- Aspiring to produce meaningful change and create a more fair and caring society
- Passionate about community wellbeing and the power of the arts – especially singing
All successful Local Franchise awardees are located in areas that are culturally and economically diverse and seek to redress balance between those that have and have-not.
Benefits of Creativity Australia’s With One Voice program
Creativity Australia provides important and crucial interventions for all participants and supports those both directly and indirectly affected by many of life’s challenges.
Most importantly, participating organisations recognise how singing in a group can improve wellbeing, inspire personal growth and transform their local communities.
Applicants must present a local franchise they believe will be successful and sustainable.
A survey found members claiming, “If it wasn’t for the choir, I wouldn’t be alive today,” and also explain that joining the choir has made them feel “empowered, happy and alive.”
Loneliness, often accompanied by depression is earmarked as the global epidemic of our era. Statistics show that two in five individuals feel socially isolated and unheard.
Isolation leads to serious mental and physical health issues and great economic disadvantage.
Creativity Australia therefore aims at building a happier, healthier and more inclusive Australian population through the life changing With One Voice program experience.
Creativity Australia bridges the gap between people experiencing disadvantage and those more fortunate through the neuro scientific benefits of singing as a community in a choir.
Creativity Australia builds supportive networks that help people connect to brighter futures.
Together, we can change the world, one voice at a time. Creativity Australia is a charity founded in 2008 by award-winning social entrepreneur and soprano Tania de Jong AM.
Tania’s TED talk ‘How Singing Together Changes The Brain’, has over 110,000 views. With One Voice programs are being replicated globally through the unique social franchise model.
Creativity Australia innovative With One Voice program is currently operating in Australian states including Victoria, New South Wales, ACT, SA, WA, Tasmania and Queensland.
The choirs unite people aged 9 to 90, from all faiths and walks of life, migrants, people with disabilities, job seekers, executives, seniors, students, refugees and asylum seekers.
Creativity Australia encourages singing
With One Voice choirs are led by professional conductors and meet weekly with supper.
Through the Wish List, participants grant one another wishes such as free music lessons, language and computer tuition, assistance with resumes, mentors and finding jobs.
The With One Voice local community choirs help people connect to whatever they need in life such as friends, mentors, wellbeing, self-esteem, social networks, skills and employment.
Over 3000 wishes have been granted so far! Please be inspired by a short 3-minute video.
Neuroscience proved that singing makes people happier, healthier, smarter, creative and increases neuro plasticity. Music has no barriers of language, background or politics.
Unlike sport, music is non-competitive – the participants are working together to create something greater than themselves as individuals – and the results are transformative.
The choirs transcend borders every week, and in public through regular performances. When we come together to create harmony, participants feel they are together, not different.
There is no more us and them, only us. Through uniting communities in song nationwide, Creativity Australia aims to create positive outcomes for people experiencing mental illness, loneliness, social isolation, disability, disadvantage, unemployment and homelessness.
Swinburne University research explicitly showed that 98% of With One Voice choir participants experienced less stress, while 91% improved social bonds and 66% felt less depressed.
Creativity Australia won the 2016 Melbourne Award for contribution to community by a community organisation and was named in the Anthill Smart 100 Innovations for 5 years.
Creativity Australia welcomes donations and partners
For $10 a week, or $500 a year, people are supported to attend a With One Voice choir.
Creativity Australia seeks partners to increase diverse participation in this transformational work. They are all about community wellbeing, alleviating disadvantage and inclusiveness.
With support, Creativity Australia can continue to create transformations for disadvantaged participants and develop strategies to reach more people and communities in Australia.
Creativity Australia’s With One Voice local franchise
Creativity Australia is passionate about nurturing communities across Australia and internationally to embrace singing together in the spirit of joy, wellbeing and inspiration.
They offer a suite of With One Voice ‘how to’ guide videos, resources and mentoring for individuals, groups and communities looking to start franchises with the innovative model.
Creativity Australia’s goal is to have 40 programs operating nationwide by 2022.
A Conductor Development Program and a With One Voice Start-up Fund will help to provide small grants to enable community leaders to start programs replicating their model.
Creativity Australia’s social impact goal
Creativity Australia seeks to break down the traditional silos of social welfare, build cohesive communities that support one another, rather than relying on top-down services.
They mobilise and multiply community change-makers beyond their capacity with diverse people who will pay it forward and help address the deep issues that impact the society.
Your support is critical to the future of the With One Voice program.
Together, we can change the world… one voice at a time.
