This programme is designed to train creative individuals aged 16-30 to develop their skills and talents in order to access the creative industry. The programme is coordinated in partnership with eight expert workshop facilitators who will be sharing their skills and experience over the course of the twelve-week programme. What does the programme involve? Some of the areas that this programme will explore are: Social Mobility  Personal & Professional Development Time Management & Organisational Skills Development Confidence & Decision-Making Emotional Intelligence Development Body Language & Public Speaking Skills Development Preparation for Work Life / Culture Understanding how to deal with difficult clients  Networking Skills Development Leadership & Life Skills Development Tax and Book Keeping.  How long is the programme? The programme is completely  FREE  and will take place over 12 weeks at our offices in Newham. How do I apply? Click the link to apply now!

Community Dinner started in 2007, and since then became our annual event. Community dinner is our annual event that we host during the last 10 days of Ramadan, a special month in the Islamic religion.

Socially Conscious music has become a rarity in today’s climate The Collective is a unique opportunity designed to support young aspiring musicians to develop their talent and produce socially conscious music relevant to the world we live in today. It is focused on young people who face barriers in accessing diverse music-making opportunities due to where they live around the country. What will the programme involve and why should I apply? This unique programme is designed to support aspiring musicians to develop their talents and to produce socially conscious music. The programme will have training sessions, including: Vocal training Lyric Writing Music Production Confidence and Performance Techniques Each training sessions will be led by a Music Leader who is a specialist in their subject area. There will also be an Arts Award Facilitator present at all sessions to lead the group work, enabling the artists to complete and be awarded with a Bronze Arts Award at the end of the programme. We are looking to recruit 15 talented artists who will work towards the creation of original music (some as collectives, some as soloists) that are inspired by social issues and topics in London communities. The selected artists will also have the opportunity to work in a recording studio to record their tracks and produce a collective album – to be published online for streaming. After the training sessions, artists will have an opportunity in the studio – where they will take part in rehearsal sessions before we host a live performance, showcasing all the original music created during the programme. Artists who show particular commitment and promise will be invited to discuss being managed by You Press for future performances as freelance artists. How long is the programme? The Artist Development Programme will take place over 15 weeks. The training sessions will take place online (via digital workshops / webinars) and offline at Paddington Arts on every Tuesday or Wednesday from 6pm to 9pm (subject to government guidelines on social distancing). The programme has a small participation fee of £10 per session (which adds up to £150 in total). If this is a barrier for you to apply, please tick the box (in the application form) that says ‘Applying for a Sponsored Place’. How do I apply? The Collective programme is back! Register here to express your interest and we’ll be in touch.

Last year we had a special visit by Tom McFarland from Jungle, thanks to our funder; Youth Music. Tom shared his journey, stories and experiences with our young musicians on The Collective music programme!  We are grateful to Tom for inspiring and motivating our young musicians to be authentic and passionate about their music, but most importantly to be committed to their talents. *Video credit: Harvir Lehal

Voices of Black Opera aims to address the misperception among the public about black people and Opera. Cathy Hassan, Producer & Director joined Farah from You Press for a Q&A, followed by a special performance by British composer and musician Juwon Ogungbe. Juwon Ogungbe: is an all-round musician – Singer, Composer, Instrumentalist and Educator. His singing career encompasses music from several cultures, including Classical and Contemporary Art Music, African Music genres, Jazz and Popular Music. In 2007 Juwon sang the songs of Ignatius Sancho – the first Black composer to have his music published for a BBC London/British Library concert. The recording of this performance is still available on the BBC website – the first ever recording of Sancho’s songs to be archived online. Cathy Hassan is a London based photographer, filmmaker, producer and creative director with language degrees in French, Italian & Spanish. She graduated from the University of London and went on to study Photography and Film, uncovering a rich visual language that has become her trademark. Cathy runs production company (Burrogrande Productions & Films). Farah Mohammoud is the founder and CEO of You Press. He is a passionate social entrepreneur, with over six years’ experience of training people, managing volunteers and turning a social action campaign into an award-winning social enterprise called You Press. For more info on this year's Black History Month event in collaboration with Paddington Central visit: https://www.paddingtoncentral.com/eve ... Filmmakers: Chris Dias & Amando Da Costa

Charlie Phillips is British cultural icon and one of the most important photographers of his time. He began his journey as a photographer by taking pictures of his friends and developing them in his bathtub. As his career progressed, he had his work featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Life, Italian Vogue and at numerous galleries including Tate Britain, V&A and the Museum of the City of New York This special online screening of A Photographer's Odyssey, offers a look into the extraordinary life of Charlie Phillips. The short film highlights Charlie’s iconic images, his outstanding contribution to Black British culture, and his seminal street photography on Paddington, Notting Hill and Portobello. The interview with Charlie was conducted by a talented young poet called Sagal Farah. Filmmaker: Chris Dias

None other than Mel C from the Spice Girls visited You Press back in November 2019! Check out this video filmed by Vivid Squad and made by Harvir Lehal to find out what we got up to.. Thank you again to Youth Music for organising this visit.

We collaborated with the Young Westminster Foundation and its ambassadors to assist the charity in supporting the development of young people who are living, studying and working in Westminster. We facilitated workshops to train the Young Ambassadors in expressing themselves about major issues within the community through art. As a result, the ambassadors delivered a spoken word performance at Madame Tussaud London to showcase the rampant social issues prevalent in Westminster. “I love that I was able to express myself through different forms of art.” In the month of Ramadan, You Press hosted its annual Community Dinner at Queen Victoria Seaman’s Rest, a homeless shelter at the East India Docks. The Young Ambassadors dedicated their time to volunteer at the event, serving food and socialising with the residents. “As a Young Ambassador, I’ve learned the importance of the current issues surrounding society.” We also held workshops to assist the Young Ambassadors in planning a Social Action Campaign against youth unemployment by organising an apprenticeship fair in November 2018. The ambassadors contacted various employers, organised the stall arrangement and invited other young people to network at the event. We chose St Andrews Youth Club as the venue for the fair and named the event #ChooseYourApprenticeship. The fair connected young people with various organisations that offered opportunities to further education. “I’ve improved my ability to work alongside others, as well as assess my weaknesses and areas for improvement.” At the start of 2019, we began focusing on the individual Young Ambassadors themselves. We scheduled one-to-one meetings with them to discuss their personal development plans, identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT), and set goals to accomplish by the end of the year. “The workshops gave me the opportunity to tap into my creative side.”

‘Fly Between the Lines’ is a creative project by You Press that engages young people across Westminster, Camden, and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. Through storytelling and poetry, it explores social issues impacting youth in these areas. The project’s creative writing program involved workshops where young participants expressed themselves artistically, supported by facilitators who provided exercises to help them craft conscious, impactful pieces. Project Aims The project aimed to give young people a voice, allowing them to explore storytelling and poetry. It not only fostered social inclusiveness but also boosted confidence, empowering participants to share their messages with a wider audience. By the end, young writers were encouraged to continue their artistic journeys and contribute to social cohesion within their communities. Group Values The project established five core values: 1. Perseverance to Achieve 2. Respect 3. Openness 4. Teamwork 5. Fun Themes Explored Participants discussed themes such as: Power, survival, and family Dignity, respect, and acceptance Overcoming challenges like bullying and isolation Conflict, identity, and belonging Each theme inspired characters and scenarios for stories, allowing young writers to explore issues meaningful to them and their communities. About You Press You Press is a London-based social enterprise run by creative artists and volunteers. It supports young writers and poets, empowering them to share their words and art with the world. The organization works to challenge stereotypes, tackle social issues, and promote community cohesion through creative arts and writing. As an organization, You Press is pioneering, specialist, and empowering, with a team that is passionate, cooperative, and professional. Meet the Team Farah Mohammoud - Project Coordinator: A social entrepreneur with six years of experience, he turned a social action campaign into an award-winning social enterprise. Samir Sattar - Project Manager: A writer and journalist with a passion for content creation and editing. Jemilea Wisdom-Baako - Project Facilitator: A British-Jamaican poet and founder of Writerz and Scribez CIC, she uses art as a tool for social change. Anna Hickman - Project Illustrator: A graphic designer with an interest in social causes, specializing in branding and web design. Deanna Tuitt - Project Volunteer: A creative writing graduate who loves creating characters and worlds. Amando Da Costa - Project Filmmaker: An independent filmmaker with experience in promotional material and short films. Katherine Mejia - Project Volunteer: An aspiring engineer who enjoys expressing her creativity through art. Deimante Stankute - Project Photographer: A photographer and videographer passionate about capturing unique perspectives.

This project is for young people aged 16-30 to develop their public speaking skills and confidence. Coordinated in partnership with expert workshop facilitators, the training will run for 10 weeks, starting on the 15th of November What will the training cover? Some of the areas that this programme will explore are: Understanding why so many people fear public speaking; Identifying different types of public speaking scenarios; Preparing a speech or presentation; Adapting your speech to different audiences; Holding audience attention; Reflecting on a speech and responding to feedback. Throughout the course of the training, you will have opportunities to practice your public speaking skills in a safe and friendly environment, supported by our expert facilitators. How long is the programme? The programme is completely FREE and will take place over 10 weeks both online and in person. We will be starting the training on the 15th of November. How do I apply? This training is for young people living, working or studying in West London who are aged 16-30. Not sure if you can take part? Send us an email (to the address below) with your enquiry, your name and a contact number and we will get back to you. hal@youpress.org.uk

In 2019 we hosted our third annual community dinner during the last 10 days of Ramadan (Friday 31st May 2019, 7.30pm - 10.30pm) for the homeless residents at Queen Victoria Seamen's Rest (QVSR). The event supported community cohesion at a homeless shelter. Talented artists and volunteers helped to distribute the food to the residents and other guests.   A whole variety of food had been served to the homeless residing at the shelter and the night saw live performances from three talented singers to accompany the gathering. *Video by Harvir Lehal

“Crazy” is a common word that is very much embedded in the English language without much awareness of how its use reflects and reinforces prevailing views of mental health… … and is therefore a great starting point for us to discuss mental health and the stigma that surrounds it. ABOUT THIS EVENT An evening of art, music and poetry around topics related to mental health This vibrant event will include a range of poetry, spoken word and music performances centred around topics related to mental health, as well as open mic slots for guests who wish to express their views and experiences. Discover more Including a panel discussion with mental health experts We will also be hosting a panel discussion with a range of professionals in the field of mental health to discuss issues such as mental health stigma, mental ill-health, self-care and the importance of art and community for mental wellbeing. Tickets & Open Mic Slots A limited number of tickets for open mic slots is available to purchase online, and there may be space to sign up on the night but we cannot guarantee. We recommend purchasing show tickets online to guarantee entry as there will be limited tickets available on the door.