Link: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/not-a-dry-eye-as-hard-knocks-takes-town-hall/2007/06/24/1182623741923.html

Want to appreciate creative coaching and mentoring work at its best...
A group of singers, once defined by homelessness and disadvantage, are now known throughout Australia as The Choir of Hard Knocks.

Yesterday, a sell-out crowd of 2000 (me, my 9 year old and good buddies included) gave the choir — made famous by an ABC documentary of the same name — a rock star's welcome as they took to the stage to perform the songs that have taken them to the top of the classical charts and rocketed them into Australia's top 10 albums.

And what an afternoon it was. A delight to be sitting there listening to some (at times surprising) damn fine singing, and to be able to actively support the choir. I don't know about you but when you are in a position of meeting someone you would think homeless, you don't quite know how to support them. Apart from buying the occasional Big Issue, I think I would like to do more but was never sure how. This has given me a tangible way to do so, and taken me on a most enjoyable ride to boot!

My one fear is that it is all wonderful for the choir and its participants on the up, but as we all know, there will be a down. Whilst I'm sure the powers that be have thought about that, I would hate to think that there would be any adverse affects to this fantastic initiative but then you just never know... I guess life is like that anyway. Really it can only be good can't it!

May the choir go forth and spread their story far and wide and add to the truly inspiring OD stories, making the life they work into the best they can.