Our impact

Why we do what we do

There are over 17,000 children and young people in Norfolk with a disability or identified additional needs. Around 12,000 adults have a learning disability. An estimated 16,400 people are living with dementia in the county. In a recent report, leading disability charity Scope identified that “on average, disabled people face extra costs of £570 a month related to their impairment or condition”.

Day-to-day life for families living with disability is incredibly complex both in terms of medical/care needs and managing what might be otherwise considered as basic family logistics.  In a rural county it can be even more difficult to access mainstream services. Our model – of flexible, community based, accessible activities – helps to bring services closer to people living with additional needs and enhancing their feelings of integration and independence.

2023 In numbers:

FOCUS ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH REFERRAL PORTAL

In a survey conducted in 2023 on behalf of Musical Keys by the Norman Lamb Coalition, 90% of respondents rated Musical Keys services 10/10. The remaining 10% rated us 9/10. Some comments gathered from participants include:

• “It's helped me find new coping mechanisms and showed me to have some fun again”

• “Helped me regain my love of music, and to find better outlets for my negative thinking.”

• “It has helped him with conveying what he likes and doesn’t like, communicating and participating with a familiar person who is interested in him which in turn, helps his self esteem and confidence. “

As a result of taking part in the Musical Keys' sessions, 100% of participants who used our online referral portal fed back that their mental health/wellbeing had improved either “a little” or “a lot”.

Our service users tell our story best of all

“Musical Keys was the first place I accessed following my daughter’s diagnosis, and I found a very friendly, warm group, not only offering music and movement to my baby but also support and inclusion for the first time.

My daughter is registered blind and with going to Musical Keys regularly helped her to develop social skills. When you are blind any noise is startling and unsettling, but music and instruments in a safe environment helps children prepare for the outside world. The support I received from staff and parents was a lifeline. You often feel very alone and isolated, but they gave me a sense of worth and I felt I belonged.”

- Parent, Norwich Monday group

‘‘We have seen magic happen at Musical Keys! My son is mostly non verbal ; he has learning disabilities and is autistic. He attends the Friday group at the forum. During the pandemic he also took part in online sessions which he loved – despite resisting screen contact with any other service. He always looks so happy when he knows he will be doing “music with Oscar”. It is a complete joy to see him join in all the sessions with real gusto and remain so focussed and engaged. We are particularly amazed at how hard he works at articulating sounds in this dynamic situation and as a result we have see a marked improvement in his vocalisation in daily life. Thank you Musical Keys.’’

- Parent of Library group participant.

“Musical Keys is a desperately needed resource for parents of children with special needs. Apart from the practical value of being an information sharing network, the opportunity to be with other parents who will understand the pressure of one’s situation and have experienced it themselves – simply to know that you are not alone – has been a major lifeline to many parents I have met.’’

- Parent, Norwich

Norfolk Arts and Wellbeing programme

Creative Arts East undertook a major arts and wellbeing research project, focused on four Norfolk-based organisations including Musical Keys, from 2013-2016. It aimed to identify barriers to participation and to help develop creative interventions for vulnerable people. They found that by taking part in the activities:

• 63% felt happier

• 73% said the activity supported them to feel less isolated

• 62% said their experience helped to raise or maintain their confidence

• 69% said they would like to do more arts or cultural activity

Find out more at www.61percent.uk

Focus on Jumpstart

Jumpstart was a two-year project funded by People’s Health Trust, using arts and creativity to build confidence and independence among a group of 49 vulnerable adults.

The sessions were a genuine collaboration with participants shaping the content and outcomes:

“Initially the group was very experimental but over time a ‘sound’ began to form and the group focused on working towards a full track. This offered a real sense of achievement and a sense of being part of something, bigger than themselves.” - St Martin’s Housing Manager

It delivered on its objectives:

• 70% of participants said they felt more connected to their local community

• 90% felt confident contributing ideas to the group

• 80% said they met new people they previously did not know or connect with

“there’s an improvement in the emotional language of the group, they’re perfectly comfortable telling each other how they feel or why they’re writing that piece of music.”

And it helped Musical Keys to learn and develop new insights too:

“We learned that rehabilitation or significant progress in individuals can take many years and the incremental stages of improvement can be very small.”

a final word from our service users