Music project for young people in psychiatric wards receives funding boost

A project that runs music workshops for children and young people in detained in psychiatric wards has received a funding boost.

Key Changes has been awarded £46,500 to do workshops with young people aged 13-18 on psychiatric intensive care wards by the National Foundation for Youth Music.

The grant is one of 69 that Youth Music is making worth a total of £3.5 million as part of its support for more than 90,000 children across England. Youth Music supports music projects working with young people in challenging circumstances, from music-making for children in hospital settings, choirs featuring children in care, music mentoring in special schools and lullaby composition projects for young children with development delay. 

Key Changes’ general manager, Peter Leigh, said:  "We are thrilled that Youth Music is supporting this project, which will provide positive activities for young people detained in hospital at a pivotal time in their lives. 

“The work will build on a pilot service delivered on boys' and girls' wards in Woking which has already seen improvements in patients' engagement with therapeutic activities and brightened the mood of the wards.

“Expanding the geographic scope of the project will establish a unique perspective on the impact of music in adolescent in-patient care, and develop a valuable evidence base that can be shared with the health and social care sector."

The activities are designed to contribute to the young peoples' wellbeing and recovery through developing creative, communication, social and technical skills, improving confidence and self-esteem and opening new pathways to musical opportunities in the community after discharge from hospitals.

For more on other projects benefitting from the funding visit www.jfhc.co.uk/music-grants-for-childrens-hospitals/