Drum Therapy Project expands to more children’s homes

The success of the Drum Therapy Project which was initially initiated in six children’s home, managed by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), has been expanded to include more homes.

The initiative, a partnership between the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) and the CPFSA, was conceptualised following the discovery of the first case of the coronavirus in the island in March of last year, which led to schools being closed and restrictions being placed on gatherings and movement. Some six homes across the island were the first to benefit.

Jonelle Llewellyn, research associate at the VPA, said the children reported that the sessions were uplifting; the caregivers said it was beneficial for the wards, and they have even used drumming as an academic teaching tool.

Doreen Haye, caregiver of the Homestead Place of Safety in Stony Hill, St Andrew, said the Drum Therapy Project has been very therapeutic for the girls at that home.

“They are excited and thrilled about beating the drums. Many of them wake up in the mornings with excitement and ask if I was ready to start the drumming lessons,” she said, exuding with excitement.

The success of that phase, Llewellyn said, is what has led to the plans for a second phase, this time to involve an additional seven homes, to include: the SOS Children’s Village in St Andrew, West Haven Children’s Home in Montego Bay, Salvation Army Hanbury Children’s Home in Manchester, the Mount Olivet Boys’ Home in Manchester, the Summerfield Child Care Facility in Clarendon, Clifton Boys’ Home in Westmoreland, and Salvation Army-Windsor Lodge Home in Manchester.

Llewellyn said the implementation of the second phase has been affected by the community spread of the COVID-19 across the island. She said they, however, have been finding creative ways, such as recorded training videos and feedback through instant-message sharing to complete training for caregivers so the programme can continue. She said the intention is that the programme will be sustained after implementation.

Meanwhile, the VPA North East Chapter has been using the initiative at the community level where persons have been trained in Steer Town in St Ann with the intention of a full roll-out later on in that community.

Approximately $2 million in funding was received from the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education Fund for the second phase of the project. In the meantime, CND$3,000 was raised through a GoFundMe account launched for phase one of the programme.