This article describes 'Bouncing Trax', a music project that has been reaching out to south London's disaffected youth. Groups of clients attend classes in music production at the Deptford-based Midi Music Company. Everyone who completes the eight-week programme walks away with a certificate and a CD of his or her work. In a written evaluation the Midi Music team described the clients as being "productive, respectful and attentive" and feedback from those who referred clients was generally very positive.
This article describes 'Bouncing Trax', a music project that has been reaching out to south London's disaffected youth. Groups of clients attend classes in music production at the Deptford-based Midi Music Company. Everyone who completes the eight-week programme walks away with a certificate and a CD of his or her work. In a written evaluation the Midi Music team described the clients as being "productive, respectful and attentive" and feedback from those who referred clients was generally very positive.
Subject terms:
mental health problems, music, self-esteem, social skills, young people, communication skills, community mental health services;
This article describes the development of the ‘Men in Sheds’ project, which Age UK Cheshire launched in pilot form in early 2009 in the village of Hartford, near Northwich. Thanks to a 3-year £493,000 Big Lottery fund grant, 3 new projects opened early in 2011 in Chester, Crewe, and Ellesmere Port, and others outside of Cheshire are in the pipeline. The project is aimed at isolated older men, a section of the population that often misses out when daytime activities in the community are planned. It was prompted by the realisation that many lifelong learning classes aimed at older people are women-dominated. The project aims to help men meet up and socialise in an informal atmosphere. Activities vary according to the men’s inclinations, and have included renovating a canal narrowboat and making a telephone box for a children’s nursery. Although the focus is not specifically on dealing with mental health problems, a number of the members do have a mental health diagnosis such as long-term depression.
This article describes the development of the ‘Men in Sheds’ project, which Age UK Cheshire launched in pilot form in early 2009 in the village of Hartford, near Northwich. Thanks to a 3-year £493,000 Big Lottery fund grant, 3 new projects opened early in 2011 in Chester, Crewe, and Ellesmere Port, and others outside of Cheshire are in the pipeline. The project is aimed at isolated older men, a section of the population that often misses out when daytime activities in the community are planned. It was prompted by the realisation that many lifelong learning classes aimed at older people are women-dominated. The project aims to help men meet up and socialise in an informal atmosphere. Activities vary according to the men’s inclinations, and have included renovating a canal narrowboat and making a telephone box for a children’s nursery. Although the focus is not specifically on dealing with mental health problems, a number of the members do have a mental health diagnosis such as long-term depression.
Subject terms:
leisure activities, loneliness, men, mental health problems, older people, wellbeing, community mental health services, depression;