Over the past few years, our Musicians in Residence project has been delivering weekly live music sessions across four supported accommodation setting in Islington for adults living with severe mental health conditions. The evaluation data and feedback — from participants, supported accommodation staff, and our musicians — show the real difference regular music-making has had on participants’ lives.
“The end of term recording session gives the group a real sense of focus and was definitely a highlight of the year. It was a genuine pleasure and privilege to be in a professional recording studio with two residents I have worked with for some time. Both have experienced severe challenges over the years, and to watch them collaborating with professional technicians and musicians to produce their own songs was very special.”
Kevin Bond, Deputy Manager, Aberdeen Park Community intensive rehab unit.
What participants told us about their own wellbeing
In feedback surveys, participants reported wide-ranging improvements to their mental health and wellbeing as a direct result of taking part:
- 100% said their overall mood and emotional wellbeing had improved since taking part — half describing it as a significant improvement
- 100% said the sessions had helped them feel more relaxed, calm, or less stressed
- 83% noticed an improvement in their confidence or self-esteem
- 100% said the sessions had improved their sense of connection with others and reduced feelings of isolation — two-thirds describing this improvement as significant
- 100% felt the sessions had supported their mental health or recovery journey, with half saying this support had been substantial
In their own words, participants spoke about feeling calmer, more confident, and less alone showing how participation supports their emotional regulation and builds resilience:
“Made me happier and less isolated.”
“My mood is calmer. I am more confident. I am not as stressed as I used to be… I am more connected with my inner being.”
“The music session helped me understand that it was all my mind, not people talking to me. It was a relief.”
One participant summed up the broader impact:
“The sessions create a calm and positive environment where I can relax and feel more connected with others… Overall, the music sessions contribute to a better daily routine, emotional support, and a stronger sense of connection and wellbeing.”
Listen to some of the songs created and recorded on the project here:
What supported accommodation staff observed
Supported accommodation staff, who see participants day-to-day, independently reported strikingly consistent results:
- 100% rated the positive impact of the sessions on residents’ mood, on team members’ mood, and on the general atmosphere as 4 or 5 out of 5 — with two-thirds giving the maximum score
- 100% observed a reduction in residents’ anxiety, rated 4 or 5 out of 5
- 100% observed an increase in residents’ confidence and self-belief, rated 4 or 5 out of 5 — two-thirds rating the improvement in self-belief at the very top of the scale
- 100% rated residents’ engagement during sessions at the maximum, 5 out of 5
- Staff observed smiling and appreciative movement (such as toe-tapping) in every session they fed back on, and positive interaction with others or verbal appreciation in two-thirds of sessions
Staff at the supported accommodation also saw consistent, tangible changes in the people they support — increased confidence, stronger engagement, and reduced anxiety were the most commonly noted outcomes. One member of staff described how the sessions had become part of a resident’s routine:
“He will remind staff that there are music sessions on Tuesday — it is now part of his weekly routine.”
Others spoke about residents who don’t usually engage coming out of their shells:
“Several service users look forward to the group, and some definitely appear more confident about expressing their feelings and ideas.”
Staff also valued seeing residents with complex needs engage creatively:
“It was very rewarding to see service users with quite complex mental health issues engage with the musician to create music and express their feelings, ideas and creativity.”
What our musicians saw, week after week
Musicians delivering the sessions documented hundreds of small but meaningful moments of connection and growth — residents who rarely engage choosing to join in, building the confidence to perform songs they’d written themselves, or simply finding a reason to leave their room each week. As one supported accommodation staff member reflected after watching the impact build over several sessions:
“She was really amazed at how he interacted on the day… she had not seen him as vocal as he was for a long time.”
Across the project, recurring themes emerged: participantspicking up instruments for the first time, writing and performing their own songs, and a noticeable lift in group atmosphere and confidence over consecutive weeks.
Looking ahead
Feedback also highlighted the importance of consistency — both staff and participants noted that gaps between sessions can disrupt the routine and confidence that regular sessions help build. We’re committed to maintaining this continuity as the project continues, so that more residents across Islington’s supported accommodation can experience the benefits of making music together.