To help young people grow, develop and learn new skills, we want to offer programmes that will interest and inspire them. After speaking to young people from our participation group we discovered that many were passionate about music. We decided to run a course teaching young people skills from the music industry and helping them develop transferable skills and grow in self-confidence.

The British DJ & MC Academy is a youth arts organisation which, with its portable music studio van, helps young people learn professional and transferable skills and gives them a voice to express themselves. The academy has been running four-week workshops at two of our services for those aged over 16 in London.

Young people have learned how to mix tracks in different music genres by writing their own lyrics, learning to rap and recording vocals. The academy has been a huge success and we have seen some real talent and potential in the young people who have taken part, as well as increased confidence and self-esteem. All the young people involved received certificates acknowledging their achievements, which for some may have been their first recognition of success.

Projects such as this give young people the chance to try new things and equip themselves for independent living.

Krissy Sims, Founder at DJ and MC Academy, said: “We found some incredible rappers at St Christopher’s and look forward to giving out certificates recognising the young people’s hard work and creativity.”

The academy will travel to Bedford in April to start a 10-week programme with the children in our homes there. We are very grateful to Help a Capital Child, The Albert Hunt Trust and The Lynn Foundation for funding the project in London and The Harpur Trust for funding it in Bedford.