StarJam
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StarJam creates opportunities for young people with disabilities to experience personal achievement and to enhance their self belief. The young people, known as Jammers, realize this through participating in unique kinds of performance activities, stage productions and other creative pursuits. StarJam has produced shows with casts of up to 100 children; despite this the demand has continued to outstrip the availability of places to perform.
StarJam has produced eight major shows, performed at more than a dozen special performances for corporates and fundraising events, and taken a number of young people on ‘jamming’ trips to the USA. Numbers have grown from 12 young people to more than 400. Within five years the organization has gained reputation for its smooth and efficient operations and a high level of professionalism. More than 60 celebrities, ranging from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Julie Andrews and Tom Cruise to Danny DeVito have gladly given their time to participate.
"I was invited to perform a cameo role in one of StarJam's productions in 2005. Though I had been fully briefed on the nature of the show, I was astounded nevertheless by the energy and quality of the children’s performances – and moved by the whole occasion. As Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, I congratulate the members of StarJam on their creativity and dedication, and on all they have achieved to date."
Rt Hon Helen Clark, Prime Minister
StarJam's vision is a world where people with disabilities are not only successfully and fully integrated into our communities but are prized, respected and sought after for their unique talents and gifts, providing society with confidence, compassion and inspiration.
StarJam created its Talent Expansion Programme in 2006, offering workshops across various performing arts disciplines. The young people enrolled in the programme perform in the annual Go On Shine Show at the end of the year.
Benefits experienced by the Jammers (young people with disabilities)
Jammers and their families are extremely enthusiastic about the benefits they are enjoying after attending a term of CoolJam workshops. For many it has been a life changing experience. It has been documented that for many of the young people who enrol in the CoolJam workshops, this opportunity leads to a significant increase in confidence and self belief.
StarJam provides a safe, nurturing and supportive environment for young people to demonstrate their talent. Jammers and their parents have said that Starjam creates a haven for young people with disabilities to meet and make friends; the young people feel free to explore their talents in an environment where there are no risks and the toxicity of society is absent; participants are welcomed into the wider StarJam family, which fosters a culture of acceptance, encouragement, team spirit, and a sense of belonging; participants learn from each other as much as from the tutor, up-skilling and encouraging each other in the environment of group success.
Because all young people are welcomed and accepted for who they are their confidence often increases very quickly and this makes the Jammers feel profoundly accepting of themselves and their situation. Often for the first time, both Jammers and their families see a future, and get the taste for success, which frequently leads to new pursuits. Parents comment that the workshops remove the stress of constantly having to deal with the difficulties and the social pressures their children face; their family gets a great boost to morale; and they take great interest in watching the children grow in confidence, self belief, capability and their interest in new horizons.
Meeting other parents at StarJam events creates an opportunity for parents to share unique experiences, establish new friends facing similar societal pressures and helps to break down the isolation. For families the workshops offer new and unique opportunities to young family members with disabilities and enhances their resilience to the world. The progressive improvement by the children shifts the parents and caregivers perspectives of what is possible for their children. Families report that there is more joy in their lives.
Experience has also found that for many young people the speed in which their life changes is quite miraculous. The CoolJam workshops have not only boosted self-confidence but also lifted vocabulary.
Winning a donation from Sovereign will help us achieve:
The programme consists of weekly CoolJam workshops, which focus on various creative pursuits including singing, dancing and music. We are now running workshops in Whangarei and have started rolling out CoolJam workshops nationwide. It costs StarJam $80 per Jammer to attend one workshop or $640 for one year of workshops.
Our details:
| Registration No: | CC10557 |
| Region: | Northland, Auckland, Central Auckland, South Auckland, North Auckland, West Auckland, East Auckland |
| Category: | Children's disability support, Children's sports, recreation and arts |
| Contact Person: | Julie Bartlett (CEO & Founder) |
| Address: | StarJam PO Box 15 700 Greenlane Auckland 1546 |
| Telephone: | (09) 624 4555 or (021) 782 752 |
| Email: | julie@starjam.org |
| Website: | www.starjam.org |
| No. helped nationally: | over 400 now and over 2000 within 4 years |
| No. helped per project: | between 150 - 600 |
| Existing sponsors or funders: | The budget for the Talent Expansion Programme for the 08/09 year is $383,000. We have so far received funding from the following sources: Sir Ernest Davies Trust, ASB Community Trust, JR McKenzie Innovation Fund, Brenda Lewis Charitable Trust, Logan Campbell Estate, J A Redwood |
