Creating opportunities for Cambridge's creative talent
Cambridge has a reputation as a pre-eminent seat of learning and home to thriving high-tech compaines. It is also home to an increasing number of gifted young urban music artists, who are being given oportunities to nurture their talents thaks to local youth charity, Romsey Mill.
Romsey Mill's programme is delivered by Karl, Romsey Mill’s music specialist youth development worker, whose experience as a young musician in Cambridge brought into contact with the charity in the first place.
Karl says: “I first got involved with Romsey Mill when I was a young person myself. We used to throw raves in the Barnwell area of Cambridge but the Police didn’t like it so Romsey Mill got involved and helped us put on Open Mic nights – so we could still do our thing, without upsetting people.”
“I went to college and ended up being a labourer. Whilst doing this I then started doing DJ sessions at Romsey Mill as a volunteer and my involvement with Romsey Mill grew from there. I knew I could engage with young people well through music and I relished the opportunity that Romsey Mill gave me to do something positive with what I had."
Karl and the team at Romsey Mill work with over 100 young people though the music programme, making use of 3 studios - one at Romsey Mill Centre. The music programme is part of the charity's wider youth development work - which is youth led, using activities and interests that the young people are passionate about to be able to support them.
Despite the perception of Cambridge being affluent and full of high-achievers, for many young people in the city it's a very different story. Disadvantaged children and young people achieve less well at school than almost anywhere in the country, and are nearly 3 times more likely to become NEET than those from less deprived families. The latest government Social Mobility Index shows that Cambridge is a social mobility coldspot, meaning that it is one of the worst performing places in the UK (319th out of 324 local authorities) in terms of the opportunities young people from poorer backgrounds have to succeed.
The young people who are part of Romsey Mill's music programme come from challenging family backgrounds, are at risk of school exclusion, have social work support, or are known to the police for risk taking behaviour and other challenging issues.
Romsey Mill's music programme aims to provide young people experiencing challenging circumstances, and who are interested in music, with increased skill levels in music making and a significant sense of achievement.
The programme has developed oportunities to write, record and perform their material, helpng to develop their musical and/or digital talent - in the belief that this will help give them the confidence and resilience to create positive changes in their own sense of well-being, employment and engagement with education and society.
The increased confidence of the young people has been seen in several performances at Cambridge venue The Junction - in showcase events, called Rapademic, and also as support to international rap-artist Criolo, last April.
And Karl says that it is not only the young people who are benefitting from the programme: "I love hearing young people’s stories. They don’t always talk about their lives in other situations but they open up a lot more when they write lyrics. I love watching them get better and becoming more confident and seeing them grow through music. I love helping them realise that they can do well in music even if they haven’t done well in school, and can believe in themselves.”
He adds: “I love my work especially because I’m from this community, and now have the opportunity to help impact young people’s lives here in Cambridge.”