AudioActive’s SHIFT programme
Using music as a gateway for change
Published
Funded and evaluated by the Youth Endowment Fund, SHIFT is a six-month music mentoring programme supporting young people who have offended, or are at risk of offending. Delivered across six sites in East and West Sussex, the programme run by AudioActive pairs young people with trained music mentors – active artists and youth workers – to build trust, break down barriers and support positive change.
Music is the starting point, not the end goal. Through consistent one-to-one mentoring, SHIFT aims to help young people strengthen their sense of identity, improve behaviour and relationships, and support their wellbeing — all with the aim of reducing offending.
On average, mentoring programmes have a moderate impact on reducing children and young people’s involvement in violence and crime. There is limited evidence of the impact of arts-based programmes on offending, but combining mentoring with music-making could enhance young people’s social and emotional skills and encourage them to engage. Through a rigorous evaluation with the Youth Endowment Fund, AudioActive is helping to build the evidence base in this area.
Learn more about SHIFT from the team at AudioActive
SHIFT has evolved
Originally a 12-week programme, SHIFT was extended to be delivered over a 6-month period as part of the Youth Endowment Fund–funded evaluation. This longer timeframe aims to allow mentors to provide more consistent, meaningful support and respond better to the complex needs of young people.
Strong relationships start from the very first contact.
SHIFT’s onboarding process is designed to set young people up for success. First impressions matter, particularly for young people who may not have experienced consistent or trusted adult relationships before. SHIFT prioritises openness and honesty from day one – being clear about the programme’s purpose and intentions, while aiming to create a welcoming, respectful space to begin building trust.
YEF has funded a rigorous evaluation of AudioActive that will assess its impact on children’s self-reported offending behaviour, alongside a range of other outcomes. The evaluation will report in Summer 2027.