The only way is up!

Posted: 22 January 2010

As the gap between rich and poor widens, DJ & Producer Dan Axon explains how music can help transfrom the lives of young people in the most challenging circumstances.

The gap between rich and poor is wider now than it has been for the past 40 years, according to the National Equality Panel report.  The current Government has made tackling inequality a priority and while some policies have reduced inequality, large gaps still exist. This is precisely where Youth Music funded projects have helped provide vital lifelines to disadvantaged young people.

Projects such as Upfaders, which received support through Youth Music's Open Programme funding, gives young people in difficult circumstances the chance to do something unique and positive and provides opportunities for real progression routes. The project exemplifies the power of music to transform young lives for the better. Dan Axon who created the project tells us about how the project works, what it has achieved so far and his hopes for the future:

“Upfaders is an innovative music production and performance project that I created and run for Youth Music in York. The project provides a rich musical journey for disadvantaged young people aged 13-18 who might not otherwise get involved in music.

Upfaders runs in 16 week cycles, each preceded by an outreach programme.  Open sessions are held in areas of the city where hard-to-reach young people will access them. They get to try their hand on the decks or on the mic and find out more about the project. The most suitable participants are then enrolled onto the 16 week programme where they use the latest industry tools and techniques to produce their own music which is then cut onto vinyl.  Performance routines are subsequently created and perfected for an end-of-cycle gig.

Many of the participants involved are currently experiencing a 'bad patch'. This can be for a variety of reasons including economic/social situation, offending, health, and confidence issues. Upfaders is challenging but achievable and the confidence and direction gains are really noticeable. By working in a new group of peers with clear targets and rewarding activities, young people have the chance to shed their baggage and get absorbed in something wholly positive and new. Participants leave the project with a wealth of new skills and experience, some new friends with a shared positive interest, an Arts Award qualification and a copy of the record with their track on it - how many people can say they've cut their own 12"?!!!!

“It was buzzin’, would like to do more gigs, more sessions, just keep doing it!”  
 (young person referred by Youth Offending Team)

We get referrals from our many partners around the city including YOT, YPS, YS, CAMHS, and support participants through and beyond each project by creating individual development plans and making visits to other local music training providers, where participants can continue their new-found passion.

At the end of our first 16 week cycle we held our initial Upfaders gig which was an exciting collaboration with international visual artists performing 'light graffiti' with the new "Tagtool" as a response to the Upfaders' performance. Hundreds of local people of all ages gathered on a cold November evening in a city park to witness a dazzling mix of live visuals projected onto the city walls by acclaimed visual artists and knock-out performances from Upfaders new-found musical talent."

Check out the results for yourself on the video below:

illuminating_york_09_gabba vs. tagtool from jörx on Vimeo.

"Other highlights of the project have included comments from York Youth Offending who were staggered by the level of engagement and achievement of their 'highest profile offenders" - these young people were a pleasure to work with and I would challenge anyone to spot who these individuals were in our first group - the power of music to motivate, to empower and to intoxicate was really clear.

"It was fantastic! I learned loads. I'd like to do some more."
(Young Female, In-patient at York CAMHS)

Once the project cycle is complete, we continue to work with all our participants - we're all about ongoing development, assisting however we can and take young people to visit local music training providers, making them aware of their opportunities.

“The workshops give them a chance to try something new, learn new skills and engage positively with their peers. It provides them with a very real and tangible boost to their confidence and allows them to explore a new interest/hobby - many have expressed a very keen interest in pursuing the activity further and join the longer-term programme."
(Clinical Psychiatrist at York CAMHS following session for in-patient girls with eating disorders)

Upfaders is now well known locally and the requests for taster sessions and referrals are flooding in. Partners have commented that they have never seen the young people they work with so motivated, or their clubs so busy! Youth Clubs that were previously dead or plagued with trouble are now literally jumping to the sound of local young people doing their thing.

Demand has far exceeded what we are currently able to supply. The short term vision is to continue to develop the project beyond its current funding term and to increase its capacity and reach. I'm currently discussing a project with a local Young Offenders Institute - "Upfaders Inside"! Longer term, I'm working towards a dedicated, full-time venue for this project that will allow us to run multiple music projects and allow us to come closer to meeting the huge demand from young people. This is a tried and tested model which I have developed over the last two years and I would love to set up Upfaders projects in other cities.”

Dan's personal account of the Upfaders project demonstrates the positive impact of high quality and structured music-making activities on young people facing difficult circumstances whether for economic reasons or otheriwse. Despite the enormous inequalities of wealth, income and opportunity we face in the UK, the future could hold more uncertainty with the current Government financial situation and strain on public spending, there is the possibiliy of further cuts to youth and education services.

Our belief is that projects such as Upfaders are vital in overcoming the challenges that young people face in communities across the country and can only help lead to a brighter more prosperous future.

For more information on the Upfaders project email info@upfaders.org.uk

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