Why Young People Stop Singing (And What We Can Do About It) — A Live Webinar Special

What does it take to create spaces where young people can truly be themselves? In this special episode, we share highlights from our live webinar launching ‘Being Seen, Being Heard, Feeling Connected’ — the Sing Up Foundation’s new publication exploring how singing and vocal work can support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Professor Graham Welch (UCL Institute of Education), Benjamin Turner (Spit Game / Rap Club UK) and chair Katherine Zeserson discuss the Foundation’s connection theory, the ‘Do, Know, Be’ framework for practitioners, and what youth culture in 2026 really looks like — from ‘success culture’ and ‘humiliation culture’ to the survival strategy Benjamin calls ‘Bov culture’: the performance of not caring. They explore why the voice is one of the most powerful ‘unedited’ creative tools available to young people, why disengagement is often adaptation rather than apathy, and the difference between youth leadership and youth ownership. Plus brand new research showing that what matters isn’t singing well — it’s singing together. 📖 Download ‘Being Seen, Being Heard, Feeling Connected’ free at https://bit.ly/SUFNewPublication 📅 Join our next live webinar in July — focusing on the ‘Do, Know, Be’ framework and what practitioners need to deliver this work well. Details at singupfoundation.org CHAPTERS 0:00 Benjamin Turner on 'bov' culture 0:35 Introduction 2:18 The publication: Being Seen, Being Heard, Feeling Connected 2:52 Connection theory and the Do, Know, Be framework 5:25 The panel: Benjamin Turner and Professor Graham Welch 6:12 Benjamin: success culture, humiliation culture and ‘Bov culture’ 8:20 The ‘world of the edit’ and the voice as unedited creativity 10:39 Graham: singing, wellbeing and what the research tells us 14:47 New research: it’s not singing well, it’s singing together 15:37 Katherine leads the panel: does the music itself matter? 23:46 Audience questions: wellbeing, engagement and trauma-informed practice 33:02 Social cost, excellence and youth ownership 43:30 What’s next: the challenge, the research and future webinars 44:47 Baz and Celi reflect LINKS 📖 Download ‘Being Seen, Being Heard, Feeling Connected’: singupfoundation.org 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4sGPpL3 🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4rDUeUI 🎤 Listen on Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/4bNjbrU 🎵 More about the Sing Up Foundation: singupfoundation.org #SingingForMentalHealth #MusicEducation #YouthMentalHealth #SingUpFoundation #InspiringVoicesPodcast #GrahamWelch #ChildrensMentalHealth #CreativeMusicMaking #YouthVoice #SingingAndWellbeing