Be Free chairwoman Claire Gordon with Pessimistic Monkeys, last year's Battle of the Bands winner. From left, Hector Danilo, Sofia Mikhailiadis, Tyler-James Ratunigaloa-Edwards, Cameron Dudley, Felix Danilo and Bevan McKenzie. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Be Free chairwoman Claire Gordon with Pessimistic Monkeys, last year's Battle of the Bands winner. From left, Hector Danilo, Sofia Mikhailiadis, Tyler-James Ratunigaloa-Edwards, Cameron Dudley, Felix Danilo and Bevan McKenzie. Photo / Peter de Graaf
A Kerikeri-based youth music and life skills mentoring programme is looking for new leaders to take it to the next level.
Be Free was founded in 2006 by Tony Harrison with the aim of using music to steer youth away from drug addiction.
Since then it has evolved in a free music tuition programme which also delivers a dose of life skills to young Northlanders.
Be Free youth have competed in national competitions such as Smokefreerockquest and forged careers in music.
However, the charitable trust's long-serving chairwoman and secretary are stepping down next month and someone is needed to fill their shoes.
Claire Gordon, who designed the mentoring programme and has chaired Be Free for the past eight years, said it was now well-established but needed someone with energy and fresh ideas to ''take it to the next level''.
Be Free had helped Mid North youth ''grow up strong and resilient'' and had given them coping strategies for life in the real world, she said.
A number of Be Free participants, including Micah van der Touw, Reuben Topzand and Ewen Gordon, had gone on to forge careers in bands or music teaching.
Without the programme they might not have believed they could make a living from music.
Be Free youth have competed in national competitions such as Smokefreerockquest and forged careers in music.
''It gives the kids confidence they can succeed,'' Gordon said.
The group's secretary, Jo Danilo, is also standing down after a four-year stint.
Be Free bands will perform for parents from 5pm on May 11 in the Turner Centre Plaza, Kerikeri, followed by an AGM at which new committee members will be nominated.
The new team will be announced at the Battle of the Teen Bands on June 18, also at the Turner Centre.
The battle, an annual competition open to all Northland youth bands, had been timed to take place between the heats and the Northland final of Smokefreerockquest.
That way bands with a place in the final can use it as a last practice while any that didn't get though could have another try at winning a competition.
So far four Kaitaia bands and one from Kerikeri have entered.
Gordon plans to stay involved in Be Free as a mentor.
