Education & Integrated Health

Musicking

Contemporary literature describes health musicking as “the appraisal and appropriation of the health affordances of the arena, agenda, agents, activities, and artefacts of a music practice” (Balsnes, 2014). This means the benefits of music come from participation engagement and even people not playing or performing can benefit if the musical experience is structured effectively. The focus is not on the quality of production or level of performance, but of the collective quality of the overall experience that includes physical, social and emotional elements.

Musicking is enjoying music with other people, learning skills and expressing emotions in healthy ways. It requires the conscious creation of opportunities in various settings where this can take place successfully.
Through structured rehearsals and performances, youth and project staff in the Field Band enhance their musical and dance skills. This leads to increased confidence, discipline, healthy self-expression and coping mechanisms in band members and staff, and improves social inclusion within our bands and communities. As a result, more people have access to the benefits of Musicking.

Field Band Education

FBF Education focuses on active learner involvement and shared responsibility for the process of growing and learning academically, socially and individually within a group context.

With a holistic and integrated approach to education, FBF Education undertakes to:

  • Build and instil social values throughout the education portfolio and the FBF,
  • Treat students as individuals within a shared environment and group-setting where each is mindful of their own choices, actions, and how they impact the whole organization,
  • Ensure that our education curriculum is relevant to FBF operations and the personal development of youth,
  • Give members and staff shared responsibility and tools for lifelong learning.

Music Matters. PULSE!

Music Matters PULSE is a joint project with the Norwegian Band Federation (NMF) that focuses on how music can be used to develop lifeskills and promote wellbeing in bands in South Africa and Norway. Supported by the Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation (Norec), the partnership offers an exchange of personnel and sharing of knowledge that aims to build each organization’s capacity to service their respective communities.

Preparing empowered, healthy and self-confident young people who are opportunity-ready and who contribute towards creating a more inclusive society.

In 2021, the FBF and NMF celebrate 20 years of mutually beneficial partnership supported by Norec. Through musicking, lifeskills, social inclusion and bringing people together, this partnership has enabled us to be stronger together. Music Matters because it has a unique way of teaching us how to be together in different and better ways, especially in the unprecedented circumstances of COVID-19. The physical distancing and social isolation due to COVID-19 has been difficult, but our 20 years of partnership have taught us physical distancing does not necessarily equal social distancing or disconnection. Our social connection through this partnership remains strong and, in our experience, we are strongest together.

To learn more, explore our 20th Anniversary Impact Exhibition or visit the PULSE blog.