Department of Music Therapy and GS Caltex collaborate to provide music therapy program for at-risk youth in Jeollanam-do
- Date2023.04.20
- 5203
On April 12, the Department of Music Therapy at the Graduate School (Director: Professor Hyun Ju Chong) held an opening ceremony for the music therapy program for youth at risk, “Mah-eum Talk Talk” (Mind Talk) at the GS Caltex Yeoulmaru in Yeosu. The program aims to provide music psychotherapy for adolescents with suspended sentences and protective supervision, in order to address their psychoemotional issues and prevent further crime. The department has been collaborating with the Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office since 2013 to provide music therapy programs for at-risk adolescents. Since 2016, they established a government-industry-academia tri-networking model by partnering with GS Caltex and the Gwangju District Prosecutor's Office to expand the program to seven cities nationwide.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has been conducted online for the past two years. However, this year it will resume in-person programs and is expected to benefit more regions and young people. In the program, music therapists, music therapy graduates, and researchers will conduct music therapy activities such as playing guitars and drums and songwriting for young people under protective supervision and those with suspended sentences in the eastern part of Jeollanam-do Province. At the end of the year, the program will hold a concert where they can perform their musical products and have the opportunity to share their resources and progress in their local community.
The outcomes of the program have been promising. After evaluating the music therapy program conducted by the Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office since 2013, the reconviction rate of juvenile offenders who participated in the music program decreased from approximately 55% to 15.4%, indicating a significant contribution in enhancing their psychological resources and competency and helping them deal with their psychological issues in healthier and safer ways. Therefore, the department plans to expand the program to a more diverse population, including adults, to assist them in adapting and communicating as healthy members of their society.