Benefits of music making for young people who are vulnerably housed

As part of the Soundwaves in Action project, Daisi are running a music project with young people in Devon who are in vulnerably housed and at risk of homelessness.  We are working with three partner organisations – the YMCA, The Esther Community and Young Devon to set up music making opportunities for the young people who are short-terms residents in these supported housing projects and hostels. The young people living in these hostels are between 16 and 25 and face a range of challenges circumstances, including leaving the care system, family breakdown and mental health issues.

As well as providing safe housing for these young people, the partner organisations support them access education and employment and gain the skills to live independently. The music projects have involved music leaders going and working with the young people in the hostel sitting rooms and kitchens, in the early evening, weekly, in 6 – 12 week blocks. The musical genres and styles are built around the young people’s interests and sessions have included music production, singing, instrumental sessions, rapping and songwriting.

The projects are ongoing, but our evaluation so far is showing that the music work is particularly effective in:

Helping forming positive relationships between young residents, and with staff

Staff and residents have really enjoyed having music taking place in the hostels. They have commented that it was a great way of bringing the young people together to do something enjoyable, constructive and positive, which made the hostels feel more like a community than just a functional place to live. They have also given staff and residents a new way of interacting, through helping these vulnerable residents open up and express themselves through their music, and their creativity.

“Great to bring us (the community of Esther) together for something other than drugs,” Young participant, Esther Community

“At least three participants have written lyrics directly about their life experiences, and in two of those cases this has been about a particular and difficult problem they have been struggling with, verbalising things the case worker has not heard previously and will now be able to use - these young people have been given a voice.” Clare Fisher, Evaluator

Developing self-confidence

The young participants, the music leaders and the hostel staff have all noticed that confidence has improved through the music activities. Many of the young people have very low self-esteem and confidence, and haven’t had experience of putting themselves forward for new experiences, and joining in at all was impossible at the start of the projects. Through careful and nurturing music leading, young people have participated, tried new things, taken creative risks, and performed in front of their peers and sometimes an audience. Their own awareness of their improved confidence is particularly positive.

“Going from not being about to sing and perform in front of anyone, to writing and recording song was a big step, which was great.” J, young participant, YMCA

“One of our young people who has severe mental health issues joined in and loved every minute of it!! This was such a big achievement for him to take part as he has no social skills.” Kerry Skipper, Young Devon Housing worker

Developing self-efficacy

The creative sessions have enabled the young people to make choices and decisions, take risks within their music making, in a safe, supported environment. As the weeks have gone by, the young people have become more able to express their views and make creative decisions, ask questions and say what they want to do. This self-efficacy has improved within the creative process, and for some young people they have been able to transfer these skills to other parts of their lives also.

“Since taking part in the second series A has been able to use lyric writing to express a particular problem he had been battling with to the extent that he feels he has 'dealt with it' through that process: his key worker commented that since that he has been able to focus on achieving other simple tasks like form filling and keeping appointments - he had been unable to do that previously” Clare Fisher, Evaluator

It has been really rewarding seeing the progress that some of these vulnerably housed young people have made through participating in the music projects.  As the work continues we look forward to deepening the evaluation of the benefits of this work, and producing some case studies of individual young people's journeys!