Wellbeing service for musicians

The New Zealand Music Foundation’s new Wellbeing Service is an online, on the phone and in-person counselling service, funded by the charity with the help of its supporters and available free of charge to anyone working in the New Zealand music industry unable to access help due to hardship or other circumstances.

A world first, the service offers 24-hour online, on the phone and inperson counselling, specifically tailored to the music community, in order to provide support for those who are experiencing emotional, physical and mental health challenges.

The Wellbeing Service reflects the commitment of the New Zealand Music Foundation in providing proactive assistance to those who make our music happen. It was established in response to the results of the New Zealand Music Community Wellbeing Survey conducted by the charity in July. With more than 1350 participants, initial survey results already paint a detailed picture, showing that many in our music community are experiencing health and wellbeing issues at incidence rates often far in excess of the general population.

Songwriters, composers and performers report having attempted suicide in their lifetime at a rate more than double that of the general population.

Over a third of songwriters, composers and performers report having been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, almost double the incidence in the general population.

Songwriters and composers are two and a half times as likely to have been diagnosed with depression as the general population.

Eighty-four per cent of all those who responded to the survey report experiencing stress in the last year that has impacted on their ability to function day to day.

www.nzmusicfoundation.org.nz/ wellbeing. Email at wellbeing@nzmusicfoundation.org.nz, or phone on 0508 MUSICHELP.