Mind The Music and University of Essex Evaluation Report

Mind The Music and University of Essex Evaluation Report.

Mind the Music is a programme supporting young people with mental health and wellbeing issues through creative music making. Community Music has always been committed to supporting people from all backgrounds and life situations to be able to take part in music activities, whether learning an instrument at our Music Space Academy sessions after school and on Saturdays, or on our 2-year Foundation  degree in Creative Music Production and Business, run in partnership with the University of Westminster.

There is a rapidly growing mental health crisis in the UK for young people.

The statistics are clear:

. 1 in 8 children have a diagnosable mental health disorder – that’s roughly 3 children in every classroom.

. 1 in 6 young people aged 16-24 has symptoms of a common mental disorder such as depression or an anxiety disorder.

. In total, less than 1% of the total NHS budget is spent on children and young people’s mental health services.

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The positive effects of creative participation for those with mental health challenges are well documented–notably in the 2017 All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts Health and Wellbeing report 'Creative Health - The Arts for Health and Wellbeing'

Community Music respects the value of neurodiversity, especially in the creative industries, and aims to help young people develop their creativity to increase their resilience and self confidence.

Mind the Music provides a creative support system which enables young people to access an outlet for creativity, build their confidence and skills, meet like-minded young people and grow through music making.

The project has provided music workshops for young people in partnership with CAMHS (Child Adolescent Mental Health Services) centres including the Coborn Centre for Adolescent Mental Health and Tower Hamlets CAMHS. We have also worked with SMART (St Mary Abbots Rehabilitation and Training) in Kensington & Chelsea, THEWS (Tower Hamlets Education Wellbeing Service), Hestia, and the Social Prescribing Service, as well as supporting students already enrolled on Community Music courses.

We currently run weekly group music workshops in-person at our studios, which consist of a combination of activities, from music production and making beats, recording instruments and vocals, songwriting, music theory and keyboard skills as well as group music making. 

We also offer one-to-one online music sessions which utilise online music production softwares Soundtrap and VIP Studio Sessions. 

Community Music asked the University of Essex School of Health and Social Care to undertake an independent evaluation of the project in its second and third years, to evidence its effectiveness and demonstrate changes in the self-esteem and resilience of young people.

The report was completed in August 2021.
The Mind The Music programme is funded by Children in Need, The JA Clarke Trust, The East End Community Fund, City Bridge Trust and Youth Music.