The FAM (Football and Music) project is targeted at young BAME males using mental health services in Islington, North London. It promotes both physical and mental health through weekly football practice led by trained Arsenal FC coaches, followed by music sessions led by professional musicians and producers in fully-equipped rehearsal and recording studios. The participants have recently written and produced a team song to promote the project and reflect their footballing experiences and aspirations
The project has made a real difference to participants on a number of levels.
It has promoted physical fitness and wellbeing to over 30 young men experiencing severe and enduring mental illnesses through engaging them in culturally relevant leisure interests which are common to them as a group, namely football and music. It has brought together a group of people who are normally isolated from mainstream life and has united both service users and sport and music professionals in positive activities.
The benefits of social inclusion, and physical and creative endeavour, have aided service users’ recovery, through enhancement of their social, emotional and technical skills and facilitated positive changes in behaviour and wellbeing. The distance travelled by project participants is clear: from standing unconfidently on the touchline, group members have gone on to play in a football team, returning weekly to repeat the experience. Those who faced challenges in verbal communication and expression have collaborated on a professionally produced track that celebrates their experiences and have performed it live to audiences at concerts and events.
The service is a partnership of two mental health organisations in Islington. It has brought together Arsenal in the Community’s mental health football project with the Key Changes mental health music charity. Arsenal’s football project encourages and promotes physical well being in service users, through weekly football practice, led by professional coaches with support from specialist mental health services. Key Changes provides music engagement and recovery services for young people and adults experiencing serious mental health problems.
The project is funded by NHS Islington Clinical Commissioning Group. It addresses the wider national Adult Joint Commissioning Strategy, which is concerned with improving physical health for people with mental health problems and reducing stigma and discrimination.
You can find further information on the work of Positive Practice Mental Health http://positivepracticemh.com/