The choir helping people turn their lives around

In a modest building in Perth, Australia, the sound of "Amazing Grace" fills the air, emanating from the Second Chance Choir. This group provides a vital space for dozens of individuals to sing, connect, and begin healing from years of trauma, violence, and addiction. It's a place where people find not just music, but a community that believes in second chances.

“

I saw a group of women who had lost their voice and I could relate, because I had lost my own voice through trauma and addiction.

Choir founder Jade Lewis conceived the idea in 2009 while working in a women's prison. She observed how many women had "lost their voice" and felt a deep connection, having experienced her own struggles with trauma and addiction. Initially hesitant to work with offenders, Lewis was inspired to help those in their "brokenness," recognizing that their greatest challenges often began after leaving prison, when they struggled to find housing, jobs, and a path forward.

“

But then I got the courage and I began to think, well somebody helped me when I was in my brokenness, then perhaps I should be helping them in their brokenness.

The choir, officially formed in 2022, welcomes everyone, regardless of background. While "Amazing Grace" is a central song, Lewis emphasizes the inclusive nature of the group. "Singing a song and coming together in a non-invasive, non-intrusive environment… you start to meet people that have overcome their own challenges," she said. Members find validation and support, discovering people who believe in them and are willing to offer a second chance.

“

I started to see a lot of their challenges came when they actually finished their time in prison. They found it hard to get homes, jobs, to get on with their life.

Ryan Brownhill, who battled amphetamine addiction from age 15, found the choir through his church after getting clean at 25. He described his life as "very broken, very anxious, very lost, depressed," lacking hope. The choir, he says, gave him "a second chance at life" and the ability to offer hope to others through his singing. Similarly, Valeria Mazza, after two decades of drug addiction stemming from a traumatic childhood, found the choir helped her break a cycle of drugs and crime, preventing her from getting "stuck in the same cycle."

“

Singing a song and coming together in a non-invasive, non-intrusive environment … you start to meet people that have overcome their own challenges.