Resources: Workplace - Communicating through music

The challenge

Children and young people with life-threatening illnesses can feel isolated in hospice and hospital environments, with few opportunities to communicate with their peers outside. But creating opportunities that help them to do so without feeling stigmatised can be difficult.

The solution

Arts organisation Rosetta Life realised the potential of music as a communication tool for young people with life-threatening illnesses after organising a concert two years ago involving adults and children from hospices.

After setting up an online message board for children and young people who had taken part in a joint songmaking project last year, the charity realised that a web site enabling young people to upload sound could go much further in helping them communicate.