Autistic Youth Choir Launches in Sutton

Autistic Youth Choir Launches in Sutton

Working in partnership to help young people access music is essential to help us move towards our vision of helping all young people in the borough to make, be inspired by and celebrate the music they love. By actively looking for partnerships, we can create new and exciting opportunities for young people to get involved with.

Sutton Music Trust has teamed up with the Cognus Autism Team to launch a new choir aimed at Autistic children and young people in Sutton. The idea of the Sutton Autistic Youth Choir (SAYC) is to create a choir adapted to meet the needs of Autistic singers and create a comfortable environment for them to enjoy singing as a group.

Eleven children aged 8-13 participated in this initial project, kindly supported by Wallington Library. After a successful trial, Sutton Music Trust plan to continue the project into the 2023-2024 Academic Year.

A group of children smiling and posing in a rehearsal

Watch our Autistic Youth Choir in action here:

“I like that all autistic people can be involved. There is a special fundamental need for an Autistic Youth Choir. I like that the sessions are not too overstimulating or tiring for me.”

“The sessions are definitely ‘autistic friendly’.”

“AYC is a space that allows autistic children to meet other autistic children and build a relationship. It also gives autistic children the opportunity to be themselves in an autistic-friendly environment, having a great experience and improving their talents.”

“AYC removes barriers that have previously stopped autistic children from accessing group music-making. I have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the children and the power of music enriching their lives in such a short time. The development of the individuals over only six weeks has been astonishing, and the benefit it brings to the children is so valuable.”

Children smiling sitting on green chairs at a rehearsal

Get involved!

To register your child for the Autistic Youth Choir in the 2023-2024 Academic Year, please email suttonmusictrust@cognus.org.uk

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