Nancy Bates, a singer-songwriter from Australia, is on a mission to prevent female prisoners from reoffending by sharing the healing benefits of music. Bates started a music program at the Adelaide Women’s Prison, where she teaches songwriting, singing, and ukulele lessons. Inmates use music as a tool to express themselves, share their stories, and connect with one another. The program has been operating for two years, and Bates has seen the transformative impact before her eyes. Bates’ goal is that the women she works with leave prison in a better position than when she found them, ultimately limiting their risk of re-entering the prison system.Â
Image via ABC AU News
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