ABOUT Us
Young people who have been through treatment for cancer and/or live with chronic illness often suffer from loneliness, loss of confidence, lack of motivation & mental health conditions as well as the physical consequences of their conditions & treatment itself.
“The National Cancer Experience Survey shows one in four 16-24s needed, but were not able to get, emotional support at home from community services.” [Young Lives Vs Cancer]
Co Labs has grown organically from Vocal Beats, a participatory music programme for young inpatients at Royal Marsden & Royal Brompton Hospitals. Participants told us that they wanted to develop their creativity to become artists in their own right.
In 2022-2023 we developed ‘Vocal Beats Academy’, in partnership with the Roundhouse, which involved an evening of music & spoken word leading to an EP, created by VB participants. However, through anonymous feedback our young people told us they wanted more opportunities for collaboration, more chances to play music together, & more support when taking next steps in their careers.
Now, we are devising Co Labs as a standalone project with its own identity. Retaining successful elements of VBAcademy & developing further to include weekly jam sessions & structured, individual creative & career support. Crucially, we are involving young people as decision makers at every stage - consulting with our collaborators on design & delivery, so that Co Labs can grow in quality throughout the project.