Singing on (Social) Prescription

This term we’re joined by Liam Tooze - an Applied Theatre student at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama - who is completing a placement with Starling Arts. In this post, Liam reflects on our Sing for Better Breathing project and the rise of social prescribing.

​​As we approach Christmas, we’ll be reminded of things that make the festive season great. Little things like Advent calendars that mark the turning of the day; bigger things like roasted turkeys (if the UK can find the feather pluckers, of course!); the prospect of a rotund man from the Northern Hemisphere breaking into your house and drinking your milk. I think for me growing up, I was blinded by the prospect of presents and toys, but in hindsight the excitement of being with people, knowing that we’ll be playing games intoxicated by magic in the air, that’s where we find meaning. And it’s not just at this time of the year, it’s where we find meaning in life.  

Presents are a tradition that has come to an end for me, but togetherness, cooking and eating together, playing board games, laughing; these are the moments that make life special. The moments when people think of their neighbours and those around them. This is the best and most beautiful part of human nature.

In that same spirit of togetherness, Social Prescribing is a practice that has been woven into society in order to create a safety net for people whose problems could see them slip through the cracks. GPs and healthcare professionals will meet a large number of patients with symptoms they can't solve medicinally. These might be symptoms related to a physical or mental health problem, or issues such as debt stress, loneliness and isolation. These are social problems that can be solved by prescribing social activities. The arts, and singing in particular, are perfect for supporting this remedy. Through social prescribing, local health services can link with community arts workers to provide a potentially life changing service. So how could singing help? 

One example is Starling Arts’ Sing for Better Breathing group. Working with adults who live with lung or respiratory conditions in the London borough of Barnet, we bring together a group of singers every week online to sing for better lung health.  We all know singing improves our mood, but it can also be a valuable tool for supporting breath control and posture. 

We have been running the group on Zoom since May of this year - initially with the kind support of CommUNITY Barnet and the National Lottery Community Fund - and have been blown away by how the simple act of singing has had such a profound social impact on our participants.

What I’ve personally witnessed in these sessions is something quite special. My screen on a Tuesday morning is greeted with a chorus of smiling faces and bright hellos. We laugh and warm up together physically and vocally (some vocal warm up songs stick in my head throughout the week), the song choices range from classic pop to musical theatre, and our members are invited to take part at a pace that’s comfortable for them and beneficial to their lung health. It's one of the best ways to start the day. 

As we grow the project, we intend to work with local healthcare teams in Barnet who will ‘prescribe’ and suggest the project to patients they encounter who would benefit from the support of the group. Mindful of this, we ask how you might work with your local healthcare providers to sing for social impact? Whether it’s singing with a group with a specific condition (such as reduced lung health) or using singing as a tool to build community and connection (just like I used to as a child at Christmas), our work has the potential to change lives. 

The prospect of community is fragmented in a time when political tribalism and economic inequality divide people. As we continue to live with and understand Covid-19 and the impact it’s had on our lives, there’s never been a better time to create and nurture community, reducing this divide. Looking at the work of social prescribing you can see the potential for a community to connect - through singing or any number of social activities - to know each other and, most importantly, care for each other.      

MORE INFORMATION

Click here for further information on how the NHS plans to use social prescribing.

To find out more information on how to train in Singing for Lung Health (just as Starling Arts’ co-directors Anna and Emily have) check out The Musical Breath.

For more information on singing and social prescription, check out the Free Guide for Choirs and Singing Groups from the Singing for Health Network.

Singing on Subscription? Check out this post from the Starling Arts blog archive.