Trauma-Informed Singing with Young People: Need to Know, Nice to Know, Too Much to Know?

Trauma-informed singing and songwriting with young people whose mental health needs extra support: what do you need to know about the young people in the room before a session, what can only be found out once you're in there, and what is better not known at all? In this live conversation from Sing Up Foundation, Baz Chapman and Celi Barberia are joined by spoken word artist and community practitioner Yasmin Ali (Y.A. Poet, ‪@YAPoet-oy9js‬) and Dr Phil Mullen, who has spent more than 40 years making music with socially excluded children and young people. Together they explore how practitioners using singing, songwriting, rap and spoken word can work safely and creatively with young people who may be struggling with their mental health. Topics include: • What to ask before a session, from known triggers to young people who may withdraw quietly • When a diagnosis helps, and when labels get in the way • Holding space and quick check-ins • Working on the edge – and why practitioners aren't there as detectives or therapists • Getting it wrong, and how to repair • Safeguarding and when to pass a concern on • Inclusive practice with large groups, classes and choirs • Looking after your own wellbeing as a practitioner This is one of a series of live conversations accompanying Sing Up Foundation's Being Seen, Being Heard, Feeling Connected. Its online hub is a finalist for Outstanding Music Education Resource at the Music & Drama Education Awards 2027. 📖 Explore the Being Seen, Being Heard, Feeling Connected hub: https://www.singupfoundation.org/news... 🛡️ Safe Spaces guide, commissioned from Blue Cabin (‪@wearebluecabin‬): https://www.singupfoundation.org/abou... 🎧 Inspiring Voices podcast – full episodes: https://bit.ly/4iSvsPS 🔔 Join us live next time – sign up to hear about our next live conversation: https://www.singupfoundation.org/subs... SPEAKERS Yasmin Ali (Y.A. Poet) – spoken word artist, lyricist and community practitioner working with Lewisham Music and Alchemy at Goldsmiths; founder of Blossom Young Mums Dr Phil Mullen – music practitioner, trainer and author of Challenging Voices: Music Making with Children Excluded from School Hosts: Baz Chapman and Celi Barberia, Joint Heads of Sing Up Foundation With contributions from the live audience, including Emma Rowland-Elsen (Sing Out Strong and Choirwise), Andrew Langford (British Association for Music Therapy) and Janine Magnin (Association of Teachers of Singing). CHAPTERS 0:00 Welcome: what do you need to know? 3:02 Opening thoughts from Yasmin and Phil 6:19 What to ask before a session 8:44 Diagnoses, labels and meeting the individual 10:14 Holding space and check-ins 16:54 Working on the edge 23:36 Getting it wrong: repair, repair, repair 28:38 Safeguarding: when to pass it on 33:19 Singing with large groups 37:54 Connection and practitioner wellbeing 44:16 Audience question: inclusion as standard practice 54:20 Thanks and what's next Sing Up Foundation is a UK registered charity (No. 1172438) championing singing for children and young people's mental health and wellbeing. #TraumaInformed #MusicEducation #YouthMentalHealth #CommunityMusic #SingingForWellbeing #SingUpFoundation #SingForConnection