Join Bands, Not Gangs is a registered non-profit from Cape Town, South Africa, that uses music as a means to fight gangsterism in at-risk neighbourhoods. Read below about our Prevention-Intervention model...
Our Vision
Our Mission Field
Schools in at-risk communities, street gangs and grassroots music programs.
Working alongside others
We make a point of collaborating with fellow non-profits and community leaders to maximize our impact.
PREVENTION focuses on getting 8-14 year old kids into grassroots music programs that offer 1-2 lessons per week after school to the neighbourhood children. Lessons are taught by local teachers in local venues, making it optimally accessible and sustainable for the children.
INTERVENTION focuses on working directly with street gangs. By using music lessons as a tool, Join Bands, Not Gangs approaches and then offers rival street gangs the opportunity to participate in music lessons, thereby creating an opportunity to build friendships with the local gangsters. By using this approach to peace, we believe, over time, we can create a common denominator between rivals, in that they all participate in music. Counseling services by qualified counselors are also sometimes offered as part of our lessons package, so that facilitated group discussions form part of lesson time.
We, therefore “intervene” in the current gang situation, in a respectful and positive, relationship-focused manner, encouraging changed attitudes over the long run.