WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
ABOUTUS
The Express Yourself music project has been running since 2014. The project is a joint partnership between USG entertainment and children’s services in the boroughs of Kingston and Richmond.
The project is aimed at vulnerable young people; children in need, children in care, at risk of offending or offending. USG has also ran a project funded by Brent Council called stay connected. This was a 12 week project, held at a local radio station and USG’s recording studio. Throughout the 12 weeks, the young people worked on creating a Compilation album.
Many of these young people have suffered traumas in their life. Talking therapy is often difficult for them to engage with. As fans of hip-hop music, the young people use this medium to express themselves. This is a cathartic process for them; one which sets them on a positive trajectory. In the sessions, the young people create songs centred on topics of relevance to them. This encompasses a multitude of skills, including lyricism and musicality. The creativity does not stop here; the young people have recorded the music in audio and video format.
In 2016, the express yourself music project was a runner up for the prestigious John Hawkins award at the youth justice board (YJB) convention. This award recognises promising interventions aimed at reducing offending. In 2016 and 2019, a group of young people performed at the International youth arts festival at the Rose Theatre in Kingston, which was attended by Prince Edward.
Squingy
Director USG Entertainment
https://twitter.com/Squingyusg
