Youth Music funds training for mental health-informed singing

UK charity Music for Good has secured funding from the National Foundation for Youth Music to develop and roll out a programme of trauma and mental health-informed singing training for singing teachers and music leaders.

Working with national singing organisation Sing Up and the Sing Up Foundation, the training and resources will focus on trauma and mental health-informed theory and practice and will be rolled out via local music education hubs in England in 2022. A mixture of face-to-face and online, the training will be available nationally to teachers and facilitators of singing with children and young people.

Music for Good Director and Practitioner Emily Foulkes will be joined by psychotherapists and other specialists to refine and training and resources already developed as part of her Masters reserarch.

Foulkes said, ‘Particularly at this time, as we are emerging into life post-lock down, we know that mental health challenges are prevalent and mainstream services are likely to be under tremendous pressure. Equipping singing and music practitioners with skills and understanding in trauma and mental health could have a significant impact, especially as singing is fast becoming recognised for its potential to promote wellbeing.’

The Sing Up Foundation was set up in 2018 with a mission to produce, promote and create opportunities for children and young people to improve their mental health and wellbeing through singing. With its commitment to this mission and the expertise of Sing Up, this new initiative is an opportunity to disseminate training and resources to a wide audience and ultimately improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people through singing.

Celi Barberia, Head of the Sing Up Foundation, said, ‘Time and again, research has proved the impact that singing can have on health and wellbeing and we’re excited to help support teachers and leaders to incorporate this mental health-informed learning in their practice. This work with Music for Good will support leaders today and also create resources and opportunities that will have long-lasting impact’. 

Music for Good

Sing Up Foundation

Get involved

In order to help inform the training, a short survey is available for singing teachers and practitioners to complete. The survey also provides an opportunity for leaders to express their interest in the training and sign up for updates.