Sector Spotlight: Soundcastle
Tell us a bit about your organisation ā how it started and what you do
Soundcastle was founded in 2012 with a mission to support mental health, strengthen community well-being and tackle loneliness through the power of collaborative music making. We believe everyone is musical and we help people to find their creative spark through transformational Soundcastle music programmes.
We are working to achieve ripples of positive change in four key areas:
Musical Beacons is our programme for families facing challenging circumstances. Partnering with housing associations, adoption agencies and family hubs, the programme welcomes children and their adults into playful creative spaces where music becomes a tool for connection, communication and joy.
Peopleās Music supports adults on a journey of mental health recovery. Sessions are welcoming and accessible (no experience needed) and are codesigned with mental health practitioners. Every session is about building confidence, self-esteem and belonging, taking steps to feel part of a community once more.
Sparking Change is our annual programme for emerging music leaders (age 18 to 25) facing barriers in the sector. It combines practical and creative sessions to develop professional skills and is supported by a bursary and two paid placements in our music programmes.
Advocacy and Training. The UK arts scene is facing a mental health crisis with suicide rates 69% higher in women and 20% higher in men than the national average. Soundcastle is on a mission to raise awareness and take active steps towards change through sector specific accredited Mental Health First Aid training delivered by highly skilled leaders and MHFA instructors. We advise organisations and champion inclusive, well-being focused practice across the UK.
How Soundcastle is helping the local community in Adur
Shoreham-by-Sea is the original heart of our People’s Music programme. We have been engaged in music making for mental health recovery here since 2016. Every Tuesday we meet at the Shoreham Centre and run three different courses to support people who have become isolated due to their mental health challenges and wish to feel part of the community once more in a safe and inclusive space. We run New Rhythms which is an introduction to collaborative music making course. We explore accessible musical instruments and feel the joy of having jam sessions together. After this we welcome people onto our Singing for Wellbeing course which does exactly what it says on the tin! In the afternoon we run our People’s Music Collective band. This is for people who have come through the other two courses and are feeling ready to try and perform, record and write their own new music. No previous experience is necessary and we find that people are amazed at the musical creativity they had within them that they never knew existed. People attending our courses tell us that they feel more confident, have better self-esteem and start making friendships after many years of isolation. At the heart of everything we do is a belief that music can change lives, not just through performance, but through presence, play, and people.
What are some of your greatest achievements?
We like to celebrate both the musical achievements of our groups and the social impact our programmes are making. Last year the People’s Music Collective launched their latest EP in collaboration with musicians from the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Audio Activeās venue in Worthing. We had a wonderful audience who joined in and we all sang together. It felt like a real celebration of everything the PMC had worked so hard to achieve. in terms of our social impact, we were so delighted last year to gather evidence that showed 99% of community members who attended our Peopleās Music programme felt an increase in their confidence, sense of community connection and enhancement to their well-being. For Soundcastle, this is what it’s all about. āMusic brings such joy and to have a regular source of joy is very special. It helps both my physical and mental health.ā Community member from Shoreham by Sea.
What have you learned about working with people in Adur?
We are reminded constantly through our work that the majority of people are kind, empathetic and wanting to give back to their community. It is heartwarming to see this every single week that we work in Shoreham. Members of our groups look out for each other, check in on each other and contribute wholeheartedly to the energy and rhythm of our music sessions. Some have gone on to become peer trainers and co-deliver the sessions. There is such potential in every person just waiting to be unlocked. We know that there are many people we still have yet to access who are suffering behind closed doors and our message to them is – you are welcome, there is a place for you to belong, and we will see and hear you for all that you are when you arrive at our music sessions. Please come and join us.
What are some of the challenges you face?
The biggest challenge we face, like many small charities, is fundraising. Our work is not flashy or performative. The truly transformative work takes place behind closed doors in the hidden corners of our community. This means itās quite hard for potential donors to stumble across us or see our work! Many of the trusts and foundations that used to fund us have either closed down or are reducing their donations because of restricted funds. We are becoming increasingly reliant on philanthropic donations – they are essential to the continuation of our work, so we always ask anyone who believes that music has the power to change lives to consider donating to Soundcastle so that we continue our work in Shoreham and beyond. As mental health services become increasingly under pressure and some close down completely, it is becoming increasingly important to invest in preventative creative health options such as Soundcastle to prevent people reaching a point of mental health crisis in the first place.
How have you worked with or experienced support from Adur Voluntary Action?
It has been wonderful to engage with Adur Voluntary Action. The team are so well connected and friendly – in community settings, linking up with and signposting to other organisations is such a great value. We are also excited to be on the volunteer register and hope to soon welcome local volunteers to our music programmes.
Whatās next for your organisation?
We are in an exciting new phase of development and over the last few years have launched our Ofqual regulated Level 2 Award in First Aid for Mental Health (RQF). This Mental Health First Aid training day is appropriate for both individuals and organisations. It is a chance to receive this training from experienced practitioners who have a deep understanding of community, education, arts and business settings and understand first-hand the challenges being faced. Every course is delivered by an MHFA instructor who is also an experienced creative and community artist – this means that our training is vibrant and interactive while simultaneously encouraging reflection on really serious topics. We are passionate about creating a kinder society towards mental health as well as building self-awareness and resilience amongst each and every one of us – so we are excited to get this training out to as many people as possible. The proceeds of our training are then fed back into Soundcastle and support our community music programmes, creating even wider social impact.
How can people get involved?
Please do book onto one of our upcoming Mental Health First Aid courses or consider how we might be able to support your organisation with our offer of in-house training. We also welcome volunteers onto our community music programmes and we are actively seeking new trustees, particularly with backgrounds in fundraising and safeguarding. If you yourself are living with mental health challenges and would like to join us in a supportive and inclusive setting, email Hannah@soundcastle.co.uk to find out how you can join one of our music groups. Everyone is welcome.