Young Urban Arts Foundation teams up with Sony Music UK

Music giant throws its support behind the YUAF.

“The youth are the future so we have to give them enough attention and support, so that they don’t make the same mistakes as the generation before. This is especially important in underprivileged areas, and why it’s important to me. I come from the same background as these kids” – RayBLK

Just ahead of Notting Hill Carnival, the Young Urban Arts Foundation has partnered with Sony Music UK, who have given their full support to raise awareness for the strides it is taking to improve the lives and mental wellbeing of vulnerable young people in London and around the UK.

YUAF has an overarching aim of keeping young people safe, away from to the risk of being groomed and keeping them focused on positive activities. Over the five week summer break, six days per week, in communities across the capital – many of which are often affected by serious violence and child exploitation – YUAF’s touring Outreach Media Bus containing iMac’s, mixers, sound boards and vocal recording facilities, has been visiting these areas to teach young people the art of sound production, lyric writing and vocal skills, raising aspirations and confidence, and steering them away from the influence from those encouraging crime and activities not serving their best potential, with which many areas have become so familiar.

‘Music is certainly a vehicle for change’. YUAF note, adding, ‘It has helped to turn many people’s lives around, both ordinary and famous.’ Multi-award-winning artist RayBLK – who yesterday attended one event as a guest for YUAF,  helping to deliver a creative session alongside YUAF’s talented facilitators – openly speaks about how music put her onto a better path. In fact, Stormzy’s cousin first witnessed a gun at the age of 14. She was at a party when two boys began to row about the volume of the music. The shouting got louder before one of the pulled a weapon.

Notting Hill Carnival may be an incredible celebration of Caribbean culture, but it is also a celebration that is more often than not overlooked – and overshadowed for some – by instances of violence and aggression. Last year alone it was reported that 30 officers were injured, and 36 offensive weapons were seized by police. But no-one is reporting on what the root cause of serious violence is or what measures are being taken to combat this, and none of these reports are offering a solution. Rather, they are engraving a continuing history of racial profiling into the event, and this has to stop.

“The holiday periods and after school hours are when young people are most at risk. Having our media bus enables us to really make a difference on the ground. We want to change the perceptions and labels of the younger generation. What is not being highlighted enough is that any young person, victim or perpetrator in serious violence, are all traumatised in some way, or living in fear. There are not enough support services addressing these issues. The key to change, is supporting them to improve and address their mental wellbeing. This is the root, there is not enough help and far too much profiling. I would like to thank Sony Music UK for taking the action to support us. The YUAF Summer Tour, wouldn’t have happened without their support, and essentially lives have been saved as a result” – Kerry O’Brien, YUAF’s CEO

To date, YUAF has helped over 17,500 young people to make better life choices, and with more sustainable funding and partners, it aims to do a whole lot more.