Youth Music Venture Inc (YMV)

Wanna be in a band?

This has been the catchphrase of this unique Registered Charity, which we have been told many times, doesn't exist elsewhere in Australia or in other countries  – and it started here on the Gold Coast!

This has been the secret of YMV’s amazing success – taking young people who may be strumming their guitar, playing drums etc. in isolation, then putting them into bands.

All of a sudden, 5 or 6 young strangers are now in a band and as a consequence, with totally empathetic, encouraging and supportive expert mentoring, they now learn:

• Communication skills.

• How to compromise and understand others’ viewpoints

• How to never let each other down

• How to push through their comfort zones and expand their learning

• How to corroborate in a fun environment, on a totally equal footing, with young people sometimes from totally different socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnic groups, age groups, disadvantaged and disabled!

As a result, their self-esteem goes through the roof, their confidence soars, they communicate better with family, peers and teachers, their education improves and a sense of community is strongly developed.

And while the program is run by international class musician mentors, we always say it is all about music, but it is not about music – as above, teaching young people all life’s skills, using music as the vehicle.