The Mental Health Crisis Facing Young People

The mental health of children and young people in the UK is in crisis. Right now, far too many young people are battling anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. 

In 2023, one in five young people aged 8 to 25 had a probable mental health condition - an alarming statistic that’s been rising steadily since 2017. Last year, our Funding Crisis survey revealed that 93% of our funded partners had experienced an increase in depression and anxiety amongst the children and young people they work with, with 76% reporting an increase in mental health crises. 

Through it all, grassroots music projects offer something essential: connection, expression, and hope.

Mental Health Awareness Week: A Moment for Action

Mental Health Awareness Week, organised by the Mental Health Foundation, is an annual campaign designed to raise awareness of mental health issues and reduce stigma. Since its launch in 2001, it has grown into a national moment of reflection, discussion, and action.

This year’s theme is ‘Community’ - a powerful reminder of the role that shared spaces, supportive relationships, and creative opportunities play in mental wellbeing. For many young people, grassroots music projects are that community.

Music as a Support System: More Than Just a Hobby

Music is more than entertainment - it’s a lifeline. Our research shows that music can:

• Improve mood and regulate emotions.
• Foster self-expression and build confidence.
• Create a sense of belonging and reduce feelings of isolation.

After surviving immense personal hardship, including suicidal ideation and a hospital admission, Mackenzie, a young music leader at Youth Music funded partner, The Music Works, found healing in music. Learning carols on the hospital piano during recovery planted a seed of hope. 

“This not only gave me a sense of relief from my own mind but sewed the beginning seed in my brain that I was capable of achieving something,” Mackenzie recalls. “Reflecting on this time, and even days that are harder than others, I always reach for music, it comforts me, it is memorable, it reminds me of my worth.”

That seed grew into a desire to give back, and after three years at The Music Works, Mackenzie now helps other young people overcome their own mental health challenges through music.

Grassroots Projects Making a Real Difference

“We all know that music has the power to change lives – it has mine,” Mackenzie begins. “However, sometimes young people present with different challenges meaning that music might not be immediately accessible to them.” To combat this, and ensure that every young person has the chance to transform their lives through music, we fund grassroots music organisations that are actively supporting young people’s mental health. These projects offer much-needed spaces where young people feel heard, supported, and inspired.

My Pockets

At My Pockets, a Youth Music funded project in Yorkshire, young people - many of whom have never played an instrument before - discover their voices and build self-worth through collaboration and creativity. Young people work with project leaders to create original music - even those who’ve never picked up an instrument before. The emphasis is on freedom, fun, and experimentation, helping participants break free from everyday pressures and explore their creativity without fear of judgment.

Director Peter Snelling shares: “Making music in a group has a powerful impact on the mental health and wellbeing of young people…In half an hour we go from nothing to making some sort of music. That lifts people. They laugh, mess about, have fun. It doesn’t matter if you make a mistake... Many of our young people talk about feeling free, or feeling calm when taking part.”​

Project participant Calum (14) found unexpected focus and pride through the sessions: 

The project’s inclusive approach ensures there’s a place for everyone - whether that’s drumming, playing extended synth chords, writing lyrics, or just supporting their peers.

“It seems like there is more and more pressure on young people to be a certain way,” Peter adds. “Often, the thing that is valued the most by the project is the thing that they have to suppress in other areas of their lives.”​

The Plugin Project

Run by Quench Arts, this Youth Music funded initiative provides creative music making opportunities to young mental health inpatients aged 12-25 in Birmingham and Coventry. It aims to support individuals who would otherwise be unable to express themselves musically, and to embed continued music provisions in youth inpatient settings. 

One parent said her child - who hadn’t spoken for weeks - began singing again thanks to Plugin. This transformation is a powerful testament to the healing potential of music.

WILD Young Parents

Young parents, especially young mums, are among the most underserved when it comes to mental health support. Youth Music Funded project WILD Young Parents project, Rant Club, was launched in response to this need, particularly following the pandemic.

Using music and spoken word, the project creates a space for participants to express anger, sadness, joy, and hope. The results are striking:
71% of young parents said they needed mental health support.
80% of Rant Club participants reported improved wellbeing.

What Happens If These Projects Disappear?

The loss of grassroots music spaces would be catastrophic. Without them:

• More young people will fall through the cracks of the already overstretched mental health system.
• Communities will lose vital creative hubs.
• Future music talent will be stifled at the source.

And for young people like those Mackenzie mentors - some facing poverty, trauma, or discrimination - the absence of these projects could mean losing the one place they feel heard and valued.

Save Grassroots Youth Music Projects

Grassroots music projects are more than workshops. They are safe havens, launchpads, and lifelines. They allow young people to build confidence, regulate emotions, and feel seen.

We cannot afford to lose them. But without urgent action, young people across the UK could lose access to grassroots youth music projects within a decade. 41% of these vital projects are at risk of closure.

To fight this crisis, we've launched ‘Rescue the Roots’ - a £1 million fundraising campaign to protect the future of the grassroots youth music sector. 

Your donation to Rescue the Roots will help safeguard these essential spaces for thousands of young people across the UK. Every pound you give will be matched - doubling the impact.

Donate now and help protect the future of youth mental health through music.

Mental Health Resources

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can find helpful advice and guides from Young Minds, and useful contacts if you need to speak to someone via Mind.