Voices Together
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
1 in 68 children are born with Autism. 1 in 6 have some type of developmental disability. Since 2007, Voices Together's leading-edge music therapy model VOICSS® helps with the development of language skills, the identification and expression of emotions and with social engagement. Our goal is to enable our clients to become strong self-advocates, become independent and experience full community participation.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
VOICSS® in Education
This is a program implemented in school classrooms, and motivates students to interact with their peers, as well as utilize language and social/emotional skills in and outside the classroom.
VOICSS® in the Community
This program is a community-based program for all age categories currently located in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill/Carrboro and in Guilford County. Cleints learn to become independent, strong self-advocates and particpate in their community.
VOICSS® in Early Intervention
This program is targeted for 3-5 year olds and motivates each child to expand their language, socialization, and expression of emotions.
VOICSS® Vocational Training
is a program for 14-21 year olds through the NC Department of Vocational Rehabilitiation. Participants focus on work readiness through language, social/emotional skills and self-advoacacy practice.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
1. Voices Together music therapy increases students' verbal language and speech skills.
2. Voices Together promotes learning in classrooms receiving weekly music therapy sessions by working to increase a student's ability to remain seated and engaged in a group setting, and teach positive coping skills students can use that will decreasing the number of emotional or physical outbursts.
3. Voices Together supports the development of student's communication skills by increasing their ability to speak so others can understand them and in their ability to actively listen.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Using a specialized music therapy approach, Board Certified Music Therapists use music as a tool to help improve language and social/emotional skills for every individual to be a contributing member to their community and reach their maximum potential in their lives.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We currently provide VOICSS® programming for adult community groups, schools, early childhood, individuals in individual music therapy sessions, and high school students (as a designated service provider in North Carolina for Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)).
With our partnerships with Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke Social Sciences Research Initiative and other research teams, measured outcomes make this an evidence-based program and established this model as a best practice for work with children diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish non-musical goals. Public school and agency administrators have labeled Voices Together a best practice. The North Carolina Department of Education, The Autism Society of North Carolina, and the ARC of North Carolina have all endorsed Voices Together programming. There is also qualitative and quantitative data that show students participating in weekly 30-minute sessions over a period of six to twelve months have shown great improvement in their academic and social development.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Voices Together
Board of directorsas of 03/08/2024
Philip Buchanan
Pre-Natal Medical Geneticist
Term: 2015 - 2023
Caterri Woodrum
CEO-Autoimmune Encephalitis Alliance, Inc
Term: 2018 - 2023
Yasmine White
Voices Together
Caterri Woodrum
Autoimmune Encephalitis Alliance, Inc
Jan Riggsbee
Philip Buchanan
Anne Lloyd
Wells Fargo Bank
Jennifer Trapani
The Redwoods Group
Linda Foxworth
Terry Shelton
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 09/01/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.