Award Category: Best Community Program
The Best Community Program celebrates mainstream community-based organisations whose programs showcase inclusive practices. NDIS Providers or disability organisations are eligible to nominate only if they are supporting the mainstream community organisation to establish their program.
Finalist Details
The Cram Foundation, a leading provider of complex disability support in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions, partnered with the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music (WollCon) to deliver a transformative Music Therapy Program for participants who are often excluded from standard programs because of their level of disability. What ensued was a journey that enabled everyone to explore their creative expression in a way that was possible for them.
The program offers personalised, weekly in-home music therapy sessions. These sessions include a variety of activities such as individual and group music-making, performance preparation and creative musical expression using both traditional instruments and digital music technology.
Participants have reported reduced anxiety and increased emotional well-being, social skills and community engagement along with improved mental health. The Cram Foundation and WollCon have become more inclusive, raising awareness of disability challenges. The program has transformed lives and built a supportive, empathetic community, promoting a model of inclusion others can follow.
