Lewisham Music picks up the ‘Youth Initiative of the Year Award’ at the Music Mark Awards 2023.
We managed to pick up the ‘Youth Initiative of the Year Award’ at this year’s Music Mark Awards for our youth-led podcast series, Front Line Young Minds which explores the connection between music and young people’s mental health.
It was a great privilege being nominated for the award alongside so many other amazing organisations and initiatives, but to be able to pick up the award highlights just how important the project was, and the phenomenal work the Young Producers team put into it.
It was an EPIC journey through the year-long project, one of great wisdom, discovery, and insights from our legendary team of Young Producers – BIG UPS to Toni-Ann Gurdon, Samuel Sikiru, Charlotte Davis, and Tendo Ntege – a truly inspirational team! Not to mention all the amazing guests we’ve had.
SHOUT OUT to Yasmin Ali and Josh Oladipo – our gnarly mentors behind the scenes, and not forgetting Keith Sykes for overseeing the whole thing.
We caught up with Young Producers, Toni-Ann and Samuel…
“I am elated to know the Front Line Young Minds podcast has won an award!”
“Since I first interacted with Lewisham Music a year ago my life has transformed in ways I could never foresee! I have built up so many skills and found a nurturing space for my creative vision. Working with the other Young Producers has inspired me. The support from them, the tutors and the project leaders has been immense. I am eternally grateful and hope to pass on the torch of knowledge.”
“I hope that the Front Line Young Minds podcast brings hope to youth, demonstrating we are more than a statistic, more than a stereotype, amongst our peers we can be seen in all our stages of expression and evolution through the raw candid interviews and heartfelt discussions, to the laughter and joy. I hope they are taken on a sonic journey of acceptance and continued discovery.”
“I am very grateful to receive this award, myself alongside the other producers on this podcast spent a lot of time on this project and I hope young people can listen and be inspired.”
Here are a few snaps of us showing the award around its new home and the team in action…
A bit more about the project…
Lewisham Music collaborated with specialist equality charity ‘brap’ to co-create an 18 month EDI development programme including connected strands of workforce training and consultation, research and youth voice.
Following this work Lewisham Music trained, mentored and employed a team of ‘Young Producers’ aged 16-25 as part of London Borough of Culture 2022. The Young Producers created a peer-led ‘action research’ programme exploring the connection between music and young people’s mental health. Their research led to entirely youth-led podcast series called ‘Front Line Young Minds’. Each episode focused on issues affecting young people and featured the views of music industry professionals, young creatives, music organisations, and teachers.
Content researched and presented through the podcast included: music and identity, women in the music industry, the role of music in influencing actions, the energies of music, and music genres and violence.
Young people presented their findings to local and national decision-makers at City Hall, The Music & Education Drama Expo and Sound Connections.
Young people’s voices should be driving our actions. It’s time for change.
Listen to Front Line Young Minds
Head to the link below to listen to the series.
