OUR IMPACT

 
 

Developing and supporting young people’s wellbeing: Exploring Sound Connections and tialt’s research

Our creative music programme supports children and young people across Bromley, Bexley and Lewisham, aimed at helping those who are not engaged in formal music-making and facing challenging circumstances.

During 2021 and 2022 we commissioned Sound Connections and tialt (There Is An Alternative) to research how our programmes affect wellbeing, considering participant’s creativity, motivation, self-efficacy and musical communication before and after taking part in an ArtsTrain activity. 

The purpose of this qualitative research is to support us in reviewing our practice and exploring which elements of our programmes are most effective at improving wellbeing outcomes.

 
“When you’re indulging in music you don’t really think about anything else apart from the music that you’re making. Like you genuinely feel like you’re on top of the world. I was going through quite a lot when I was in ArtsTrain and in those two hours I could just relax and chill and have some time… it definitely [has had] a positive impact on mental wellbeing.”
— ArtsTrain Alumni

We wanted to…

  • Better understand young people’s perceptions around their own wellbeing

  • Explore young people’s creative experiences and how they attribute these experiences to their individual wellbeing

  • Work with Music Leaders to reflect on their practice and identify areas of their work that have impact of different dimensions of individual’s wellbeing

Some 45 ArtsTrain participants and alumni took part in five focus groups with members of Sound Connections’ Wired4Music, a network of young people aged 16–25. Wired4Music members received training in evaluation techniques, and co-devised the questions for the focus groups. The intention was to have young-people led conversations that encouraged ArtsTrain participants to share opinions and views on a peer-to-peer level. 

 
 

After taking part in an ArtsTrain project…

  • Participants said their creativity improved by an average of 24%

  • Self-efficacy and agency improved by an average of 22%

  • Motivation increased overall by 18%

  • Finally, 78% reported that they planned to continue making music over the next six months

Many thanks to Sound Connections and tialt, and to all the young people, alumni and Music Leaders for taking part in this research, helping us to both understand the impact of our programmes and to evolve them for the years to come.