Starring role for Sussex charity on BBC’s Red Nose Day!

Waves Music Therapy’s Rapper in Residence project supports young people with complex mental health, social, emotional and communication needs in schools across Sussex.

Comic Relief funds thousands of projects every year, both in the UK and across the world, and granted Waves Music Therapy £9800 in 2023.

The Rapper in Residence project sees professional spoken word/ rap artists go into schools with the aim of engaging at-risk young people in positive, creative music making, which provides a platform for communicating feelings through music; building bridges and elevating youth voices.

Comic Relief have chosen the project to feature on the BBC’s Red Nose Day on Friday 15 March 2024, and recently sent a film crew to Sussex to see the project in action.

Waves Music Therapy founder Victoria Hartkemeyer explained: “The film follows two students, Jacob and Riley, as they introduce us to their school, their life, their struggles and eventually to the life-changing rap sessions run by Louie Le Vack, rap artist and producer, and Waves Music Therapist, Anna Macken.

“We are absolutely delighted that our work will be showcased on national television on Red Nose Day. We know this project has been hugely beneficial to the young people involved, and are incredibly grateful to Comic Relief, both for funding the work, and for shining a spotlight on it through this powerful film.”

The young people say: ‘When you’re doing rap, you can be yourself, you can just let people know how you feel. You just rap about anything that you find frustrating or difficult in your life. I’m not struggling with school any more. I have made loads of friends. I actually enjoy school now.’

Waves Music Therapy started in 2013 when founder, Victoria Hartkemeyer, moved to Sussex and realised that there was no music therapy service in our area and much need. She also realised that for most, engaging in music therapy would be prohibitively expensive. So, along with colleague Kirsten Halliday, Victoria started Waves as a small service with the mission that they never turn anyone away.

Waves just celebrated their 10th anniversary and are now a team of 15 music therapists and professional music practitioners including rap artists and songwriters. They continue their mission that music therapy is accessible to all and 88% of their sessions last year were delivered at no cost to the service users.

Every year they reach over 1,300 children, young people and adults with complex additional needs including social, emotional, mental health, trauma, physical, communication and learning needs.

Victoria added: “Music is a powerful way of encouraging communication, connection and play. Music has a way of reaching those most hard to reach, connecting us and improving well-being and quality of life."

You can watch the short film here: https://youtu.be/53yP06drtfc

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