118 young people engaged in a participatory music programme across eight youth justice settings in England and Wales. The research objectives were to [1] investigate meanings and values young offenders attribute to music, their relationships with music, and its significance to their health, wellbeing, lifestyle and social status; [2] observe and understand the creative music process; and [3] evaluate the feasibility of using selected quantitative questionnaires to measure impacts on health, wellbeing and social status. The project concluded that participatory arts programmes are an important resource for youth justice organisations, especially in terms of their potential to harness individuals’ capacities for learning and personal growth.

“It’s amazing to see the transformation. He’s sitting upright and looking around at other people. He’s so much more confident than before … He’s like a new person.”

Music provides a medium that can enable young people to engage their life experiences in creative ways, draw positively from their experiences, achieve real success in learning, engage with their peer group, and develop aspirations and positive feelings about the future.