Youth bodies to develop music industry opportunities

Funded through a £3.85m grant over three years from the Big Lottery Fund, the initiative will help create education and work placements run through youth clubs for hundreds of young people across the country.

UK Youth, Youth Scotland, Youth Cymru and Youth Action Northern Ireland have all signed up to the initiative, along with youth support organisations Myplace and Rathbone.

The consortium – which also includes Capital FM, the BRITs, Classic FM, UK Music, The British Music Experience, Abbey Road Studios, SBTV, the Co-Sponsorship Agency and The Eden Project – will fund a series of music events and a national talent competition when it starts in early 2014.

Organisers say the as-yet unnamed programme will provide social skills and motivational activities; promote resilience awareness and ambition; and engage participants in wider society.

Charlotte Hill, chief executive of UK Youth, said: “Millions of young people are passionate about music and, with our partners, we want to use this as a catalyst for them to progress.

“Through our youth club network and the other elements of this project, we will inspire thousands and create tangible opportunities for many of them.”

Peter Ainsworth, chairman of the Big Lottery Fund, added: “The ambitious partnership announced today will bring new and exciting ways of getting young people to be more creative, active and engaged in their communities.

“The consortium will draw on the expertise of some of the UK’s most renowned charities, leading educational institutions, community-based youth engagement organisations, and major music and media businesses.”

Full details of the initiative will be announced later in the year, but organisers have already said that young people involved in the project will be able to take advantage of internships at record companies, work experience at the Brit Awards and mentoring from leading music industry executives.