THE YOUNG URBAN ARTS FOUNDATION LIMITED
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Mission Statement
Young Urban Arts Foundation’s mission is to empower the lives of young people by strengthening well-being and providing access to opportunities that celebrate creativity, culture, and belonging, ensuring they are seen, heard & celebrated.
About This Cause
Young Urban Arts Foundation (YUAF) is a youth charity that connects with and supports young people from marginalised backgrounds in the arts, music, and mental well-being. We create safe spaces for those aged 11–19 to break-free from fears and barriers they face. Established in 2009, we have worked with over 22,000 young people, with evidence proving how we help them strengthen their mental health and wellbeing, discover new skills, and explore new possibilities. Our charity’s programs are designed around prevention and built to drive creativity, such as our multimedia bus workshops, which we take into communities as a safe and exciting space to inspire and build confidence. Our mobile ‘Outreach Media Bus’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5wtXL_Fn9g&t=16s) is equipped with music production suites, a vocal booth, podcasting and DJ space, as well as workshop and one-to-one breakout areas. We also take our facilitators to schools, community centres and youth hubs. Our strong partnerships with community partners enables us to help those most in need by offering one-to-one support, including sessions with our Pathways well-being mentors for additional opportunities for skills development, training and employment. We are one of few organisations in receipt of London Youth’s Gold Quality Mark recognising our work in championing youth voice, diversity and inclusion, and outcomes for young people. In 2021, we won the Innovation & Excellence award at DJ Mag's Best of British awards for our innovative work during the pandemic. In 2022, we were awarded London Youth’s ‘Being There’ award for changing our delivery model during the pandemic and the positive impact it had on young people. Over 60% of our Board have lived experience and come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our staff team is small and agile, enabling us to adapt and respond to young people’s needs in a flexible way. Most are from the Global Majority and have come from disadvantaged backgrounds, so are able to relate and provide a deep understanding of young people’s needs. The team is largely made up of those aged 30 years or under with experience of issues our young people face. They include qualified youth workers and trained artist facilitators who are active in the creative industries (professional lyricists, producers, visual artists, and dancers). YUAF is the brainchild of Kerry O’Brien, BEM, FRSA also known in the music industry as award-winning ‘Lady MC’. Kerry has true lived experiences, faced with both ethnic and socio-economic inequalities that many of our young people face, before black music culture and mentors changed her life. She believes the trauma and hardship she experienced was for her to help others. In 2016, mental health became a priority when Kerry experienced firsthand the impact of suicide with the loss of her father. See a Ted Talk she delivered about her story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_-37twjF7k