Every Effort Counts: a spotlight on our partnership with Northwick Park Hospital
This week, friends, family, and staff gathered to celebrate the launch of ‘Every Effort Counts’, a new album written and recorded by participants at Northwick Park Hospital on our 143rd music project.
The project was delivered for men who typically face barriers to accessing mental health support services. With support from a team led by Dr Shona Herron, a Senior Clinical Psychologist at CNWL NHS Trust, our music practitioners created a safe and supportive environment for the participants to express themselves freely, drawing on personal stories, experiences and narratives to write their own lyrics and create beats from scratch. Through this process, the group were encouraged to identify unhelpful narratives that exist about themselves, and replace these with new and empowering stories.
At the listening party, the group beamed with pride as their album, ‘Every Effort Counts’ was played to a captive audience and certificates of participation presented to them.
Group members spoke about the positive impact the project had had on their confidence levels, with one participant saying ‘since the project, I have had the confidence to start applying for part-time work.’
100% of the participants said that they felt safe and supported in the environment, with one group member saying ‘in the past I have been made to feel invisible by people, and I’ve been treated badly. But in the group, I felt acknowledged and important and cared for.’
Music practitioners: Marcelle and Aron Kyne
Mixing and mastering: Aron Kyne
Album Artwork: Stee Moglie
Later this month, we are delighted to have our work showcased by Dr Shona Herron at the NHS CNWL Narrative Therapy Conference.
Our work with Northwick Park Hospital extends the work we have been doing with mental health partners in the prison estate, including HMP Woodhill, HMP Bronzefield and HMP Brixton, and continues into the community with the London Pathways Partnership.
Interested in finding out how we can work with you to deliver music-interventions to individuals at risk and improve mental health outcomes? Email us at [email protected].