SOUTH CITY SINGERS - ESOL Choir
Herbert St. Adult Education Centre, Dublin 2
Fostering Connectedness and Belonging - Fulfil the need to improve connectedness and belonging in further and higher education settings in line with the HSE's Mental Health Promotion plan.
The plan to develop the choir was based on anecdotal evidence. Choral singing can enhance learners' well-being by fostering strong relationships, reducing stress, and fulfilling emotional needs. Engaging in a communal setting has also been shown to significantly benefit mental health. As a result, the primary objective of the initiative was identified clearly, as well as the associated aims of the initiative.
Some challenges arose which are listed below, which would be useful to be aware of for others who may consider setting up their own choir.
Challenges:
The 'what' was fully evaluated: the benefits of engagement with the ESOL choir were clearly evident, and tutors are using this experience/knowledge to further develop the initiative. Learners have been fully engaged and so therefore are happy with the initiative.
When people from different countries meet to sing together, they experience the connection between cultures and they learn from each other.
Celebrating diverse cultures through shared musical experiences fosters intercultural connections and emotional understanding.
By embracing different cultures and languages through music, participants engage in a truly enriching and unifying experience.
