A new publication from the Sing Up Foundation, launched on 13 May to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, explores how singing and vocal work can play a vital role in supporting children and young people’s mental health.
Being Seen, Being Heard, Feeling Connected is the first publication to bring together practice, research and lived experience on singing for young people’s mental health. It draws on over 50 sources, including practitioner insights, research, case studies and young people’s lived experiences, presenting a case for singing as more than a creative activity, positioning it as a powerful tool for connection, expression and recovery.
At the heart of the publication is a simple but powerful idea: many mental health challenges are rooted in disconnection — from self, from others, and from a sense of belonging. Singing, the publication suggests, can help rebuild these connections across multiple levels — emotional, social and physiological — when delivered in the right conditions.
The publication introduces Connection Theory, a new framework that maps how singing restores connection across multiple dimensions of a young person’s life, and develops the DO, KNOW, BE practitioner framework, exploring the musical skills, mental health knowledge and relational capacity this work demands.
Vocal leader Jane Wheeler, speaking on the Sing Up Foundation’s Inspiring Voices podcast, described what she consistently observes in young people through singing: “It’s a way of being acknowledged and recognised and seen, and to be accepted for your sound and your voice.”
Music practitioner Chris Morris, working with young people through Yorkshire Youth & Music, put it differently: “A lot of these young people have a deep mistrust of language… what people say. But music, banging a drum, and eye contact while you’re banging a drum, or shouting, or singing some lyrics… it’s a different thing.”
However, the publication is clear: singing is not a quick fix. Its impact depends on skilled practitioners, safe environments, and sustained engagement over time.
Baz Chapman, Joint Head of the Sing Up Foundation and lead author, said: “Practitioners are already stepping into the gap left by overstretched mental health services, using singing to support vulnerable young people. This publication maps that vital work. It shows us that with the right conditions and a properly supported workforce, collective singing and vocal work can be a powerful complement for those struggling with their mental health.”
The publication positions singing not as a replacement for clinical services, but as a complementary approach that can extend reach, engage those who may not access traditional support and help relieve pressure on overstretched systems.
Being Seen, Being Heard, Feeling Connected was launched on 13 May with a webinar and panel discussion featuring Prof. Graham Welch (Institute of Education, UCL), Benjamin Turner (Rap Club), Baz Chapman (Sing Up Foundation), facilitated by Katherine Zeserson (Chair, Sing Up). A recording of the webinar will be available on the Sing Up Foundation website soon.
The publication is available to download now at bit.ly/SUFNewPublication