25.10.2021

Empowering young people through music production on Foreword Noize

Well-known hype man and emcee Aaron Williams is using his creative expertise and talent to engage, support and inspire at risk young people in a new creative intervention, Foreword Noize.

The qualified youth worker and music producer, who splits his time between bossing the stage at festivals around the world and supporting young people to realise their potential will be delivering the programme at Spotlight’s Eastside centre in Bow.

Foreword Noize is a year long pilot. It’s developed by Spotlight youth services in consultation with partner agencies and young people from across Tower Hamlets. It uses a programme of music production and performance development to empower young people who are at risk of or involved in crime; anti-social behaviour or serious youth violence.

Young people will have the opportunity to develop their creative skills such as beat making, song writing, filming, video editing and project planning. They will also develop their transferrable skills. This includes team work, communication, decision making, self-expression, personal awareness and behaviour management.

The project received funding from the Sony Music Group’s Social Global Justice Fund. This funding provides access to specialist equipment, experienced musicians and performers. This level of expertise offers a valuable learning experience for the participants.

Alongside the specialist learning opportunities each participant will also receive one-to-one mentoring and family support through Spotlights team of in-house youth workers, GPs & external partner agencies. The aim of the holistic approach is to increase individual resilience, raise aspirations and reduce individual involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour.

Aaron Williams, Spotlight’s Get Creative Development Officer, said: “I’m extremely excited to be leading a project such as this. Creating equal opportunities for young artists to creatively express themselves is imperative to my role and I believe, with Sony Music Group’s Global Social Justice Fund we can have a huge impact on young people across Tower Hamlets.

Through Foreword Noize we can support aspiring young artists to reach their full potential to become the future leaders in the industry.”

Aaron Williams speaking at the unveiling of a mural of himself. The mural was painted to celebrate him as a hero in the local east London community.

Daniel Rose, Spotlight’s Director added: “We are thrilled to receive this funding to support young people across Tower Hamlets progress and develop. With the current rise in anti-social behaviour and crime related deaths in London we believe it is vital to connect young people with positive role models and opportunities. Sony Music Group’s Global Social Justice Fundwill support us to do this while raising creative ambitions and personal aspirations”.

Sony Music Group’s Global Social Justice Fund, created in June 2020, will support anti-racist initiatives and educational opportunities around the world that foster equal rights. The fund aims to align with community partners and stakeholders to help advance bipartisan solutions in the areas of civic engagement, criminal justice reform and education.