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To celebrate World Mental Health Week, more than 40 young people explored the connection between music and mental health at a one-day workshop in Dublin’s famous Windmill Lane Studios on Saturday 15^th October. The role that music plays in providing a support or release for young people is critical according to new research from Headstrong.

“Music is one of the top three coping strategies that young people report in the My World research,” according to Dr Barbara Dooley, Director of Research at Headstrong. My World is Ireland’s first national survey of youth mental health and to date more than 15,000 young people have been surveyed. Findings from My World will be launched in early 2012 but the importance of music in young people’s lives is obvious form data collected so far.

Nuala Smith, Think Big Coordinator at Headstrong, said: “Music and emotions are intricately entwined: both performing and listening to music helps us to relax, connect, feel soothed and be inspired in its expression of joy, hope and melancholy. It’s not surprising therefore that many of the projects submitted by young people through the Think Big programme have involved music. We have organised this workshop to kick start a discussion amongst a group of young people on the role that music plays in protecting our mental health.”

The day featured a series of workshops hosted by: Paul Walsh, lead singer with Dublin band Royseven; professional sound engineer Shaun Cadogan; choral singer Rachel Dempsey and Wally, an up-and-coming rapper from Portlaoise. They helped the participants to write and produce a song in the genre of their choice and the day ended with an uplifting performance in the Windmill Lane Studio.

Speaking about the event Lauryn McMahon from Limerick said “usually I would have chosen something along the lines of singing, but I thought I’d do sound engineering to try something different. I was really happy with my choice, I got to see how a recording studio works. I saw how much time and effort goes into recording a song and the different techniques used in the studio. I also got to meet a ton of really cool people from all around the country.”

The performances were recorded and will be released on our YouTube channel and Facebook over the coming weeks.