Jon Roberts, a resident at Patrick House hostel in Southampton, found that the power of music helped him on the road to a new life. He’s just one of the clients who enjoyed jamming in weekly sesssions held in the music room there.
Jon arrived at Patrick House when his relationship with his family broke down as a result of drug and alcohol misuse. During his time with us we provided support to help Jon beat his addictions and turn a corner in his life. The regular music sessions reignited Jon’s passion for playing instruments (he holds several musical qualifications from school and college). As a result he felt more confident about himself and his future, and started work with a local music company that could signal the start of a new career in the music industry.
“The music room is a really good idea as when everyone is in there the atmosphere is amazing. Everyone is chilling out and having a jam session. The guys who come down and run the music sessions are genuinely nice to be around, they’re good teachers and listeners” says Jon.
The weekly music sessions are run by local music company SoCo. They offer clients the chance to learn how to play instruments including keyboards, guitars and bongos and encourage everyone involved to play songs together as a band. Clients can also learn how to put music on the computer and jam using an iPad! The musical experience is proving very popular with clients at the hostel and has had a marked impact on helping those involved to feel good about themselves in order to look forward to a new, independent life that doesn’t involve homelessness.