Our 2024 collaboration with Christchurch Men's Prison

Just on the outskirts of Ōtautahi Christchurch City, you’ll find Christchurch Men’s Prison. This is home to approximately 900 members of our community, and the site of one of CSO’s significant Ki te Hapori In the Community Noho Taupua In Residence programmes, Platform.

Platform is a multi-week programme developed in collaboration with Pathway Trust and Ara Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections. It sees a highly specialised and experienced team of CSO musicians sharing music with Tū Ora (the men who opted in to the programme, 12 in 2024), in weekly sessions over eight weeks, culminating in a concert in which the men perform for their whānau and other visitors with the CSO team.

Photo: A still from the final concert of Platform 2024

In each session, CSO musicians work with the men on musical skills like rhythm, reading music, and playing drums, ukuleles, and guitars. The sessions are flexible, allowing the men the freedom to explore what they enjoy, have control over the pace of learning, and have input into the final performance. It is a truly collaborative experience with CSO musicians. The purpose of these sessions is not to simply teach the men to play instruments, but to develop transferable skills they can take out into the world upon their release and help them on their rehabilitation journey.

Photo: CSO Trumpet Barrett Hocking performing at the final concert of Platform 2024

Platform is a meaningful opportunity to enhance confidence, communication and cooperation, develop trusting relationships, learn to express ideas creatively, feel empowered, valued and connected to the outside world, and leave with the sense of joy and achievement that comes from making music with others.

At the final concert, the men dress in their own clothes and take a leading role, introducing the project and each piece of music to the audience. The CSO musicians are dressed casually and sit amongst the men, playing alongside them and offering reassurance. After the concert there is time to sit down and enjoy kai together, reflect on the performance, and mingle with each other’s whānau and CSO musicians. The energy in the room is warm and casual, and there is a strong sense of community and accomplishment. You might think you were in a classroom or a community hall rather than the recreation room of a prison.

Photo: CSO Viola Philippa Lodge preparing for the final concert of Platform 2024

CSO Viola Philippa Lodge said of the weekly sessions: “Platform sessions are a collaborative, musical, community-based, creative space for the men that want to be a part of the group. I joined halfway through this year's project, so my role has been to support the men and encourage them not to be afraid to put themselves out there into that creative space. We worked with the group to develop rhythm, pitch work, aural skills, score reading, and instrumental skills with drums, ukuleles, and guitars. One of Pathway’s beliefs is that people can make positive life changes when given the tools they need. There are life skills that come along with group music-making like teamwork, collaborative learning, discipline through practice, amongst other things.”

The first Platform programme was delivered in 2018 at Christchurch Men’s Prison Youth Unit. At the time, this was a one-week intensive programme implemented over five days, culminating in a concert. The learnings from this allowed the programme to be developed into what it is today, a part of the community-run Navigate Initiative – Pathway Trust’s intensive pre-release reintegration unit within the prison.

Photo: Pathway Trust staff (left-to-right - Emma Wallis, Milly Shilton, Finn Chirnside and Silvan Danuser)

Silvan Danuser, Reintegration Navigator Unit Lead of Pathway Trust, said of CSO’s Platform programme: “Many of the men have never picked up instruments before or been a part of a group performing music together, let alone in front of some of their family members and other visitors. It is a privilege to help organise an initiative where the men get exposed to members of the community giving up their time for an initiative they believe in, learn new skills and be a part of something bigger than themselves. It is in line with reintegration principles such as having to try new things that they may not be comfortable doing, but will result in positive long-term outcomes. I have noticed the men grow in confidence and pride, including being able to invite visitors to see the work they have been doing where they otherwise may not have done so.”

Photo: Pathway Trust staff setting up for post-concert afternoon tea

Platform is one of CSO’s many Ki te Hapori In the Community programmes and it will return in 2025 as part of the Noho Taupua In Residence strand, which allows CSO musicians to travel to existing community spaces across the city, where people with diverse needs can feel comfortable, supported and excited to experience music together on a deeper level over an extended period.

Noho Taupua and our Ki te Hapori work in general exist because CSO understands that music can be created anywhere, but not everyone has the same access to it, and it is CSO’s mission to remove barriers that prevent people from engaging with life-changing, live-music based experiences. This is what makes Platform so special, not only for the men of Christchurch Men’s Prison, but CSO as well. It breaks down stereotypes of symphony orchestra musicians and people in prison, fosters a great sense of joy, inspiration, and connection, and reinforces that an orchestra is about more than just performance.

Photo: A still from the final concert of Platform 2024

CSO Principal Viola Serenity Thurlow reflects on the 2024 programme: “It’s rewarding to be even a small part of the journey that the men are on to making a better life for themselves. We go into this wonderful, respectful space that Pathway created and share our musical skills and knowledge with people who are trying to find new ways of connecting and being inspired. We then have a great time making music together. One of my favourite parts of this work is when the men are back out in the community and come say hi after a concert.”

The impact lives beyond the eight weeks of visits, evidenced by speaking to the men involved in 2024 about what they might take away from the sessions upon their release:

• “It encouraged me to try new things, even if I thought I might not be very good.”
• “People are willing to help as long as you ask”
• “It feels good to be a part of something”

Music has the power to enrich our lives and shape our communities, and everyone deserves access to it, regardless of the barriers they face.

Photo: A still from the final concert of Platform 2024

We look forward to returning to Christchurch Men’s Prison in 2025 for the next iteration of Platform. It is a privilege to work with Pathway Trust and Ara Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections on this special programme.

Next year, we are also looking forward to spending time with the women in the therapeutic unit at Christchurch Women’s Prison.

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This work is just the tip of the iceberg of how we're engaging with our community. To find out more, visit our website, follow us on social media, and help us spread the word that we're In the Community!

If you would like to know more about how you can support Ki te Hapori In the Community, please contact Hannah Wilson: hannah.wilson@cso.co.nz