Juvenile detention is meant to deter future crimes. Sadly, the opposite is often true. Musicians Making A Difference (MMAD) and Supermassive have launched an inventive idea to build more rehabilitation into young people’s detention. It is designed to uplift and encourage listeners to engage and realise their full potential – and it’s already making a difference.
Futures is an audio-based rehabilitative programme disguised as a hip hop radio station, developed in partnership with Youth Justice NSW exclusively for young people in juvenile detention, to help disrupt cycles of reoffending. The programme can be accessed through in-room audio, classrooms and key social areas, delivering 24/7 audio programming designed to support rehabilitation through music, mentorship and storytelling.
Futures’ rehabilitative initiatives are wrapped cleverly in the music and culture the young audience loves, through innovative shows such as Friday Freestyle, that plays beats for kids to write their own lyrics to as a stealth form of journaling, and Cons and Pros – a talk show that interviews ex-convicts about their life lessons, regrets, and journeys to redemption.
“Music has the power to transform lives for the better,” stated MMAD co-founder, Dominic Brook, who has worked with detainees as young as 11. “Through Futures, the transformation has been powerful – as one psychologist told us, a boy who struggled with reading, writing, and speaking has made huge progress through being part of the Futures crew. One young man even made it into the top 20 for the MMAD Sony Star program, after reaching out to us on his very first day of release. We see this program as not only building skills but also opening up opportunities to create meaningful content around mental health and other important conversations for all young people.”
Youth Justice staff and clients have described Futures as one of their most effective initiatives, and following a 12-month pilot in Cobham Youth Justice Centre, the vision now is to expand the initiative to other detention centres across the state and country, and ultimately, to be run entirely by former detainees.
Minister for Youth Justice, Jihad Dib, commented, “Futures is a remarkable initiative designed to help young people in custody find their voice, develop new skills and build self-esteem. Through programs such as Futures, we can help young people find their voice and empower them to make real and lasting transformation in their lives. It is only by working with young people to find new pathways to the future that we can truly reduce the chances of them re-offending.”
Supermassive co-founder & chief creative officer, Jon Austin, added, “Youth rehabilitation is notoriously challenging, but the same principles of engagement still apply. People are more likely to pay attention when the message takes the shape of the things they love, and plays in the spaces they respect. Futures was built on this premise, and it’s proving effective already. We set out with the hope of getting young people in detention centres listening to an average of one hour a week. The latest reports show they’re listening to an average of 14 hours a week.”
Futures’ sonic identity and idents were produced by audio production house MassiveMusic, with talent and input from young people involved in MMAD’s programs.
Credits:
Client: Musicians Making A Difference
Creative Agency: Supermassive
Sonic Design: MassiveMusic
Brand Design: Darren Col
