London-based youth-led radio station Reprezent Radio is appealing for financial assistance through a crowdfund campaign aimed at training and nurturing new talent. The station has been hard hit by rising operational costs, and difficulty in accessing government funding in the youth development sector. To date, the fundraising campaign has garnered support from musicians such as Annie Mac and Ezra Collective. Reprezent Radio said that there are 2,500 applicants waiting for assistance, with this figure growing each week due to a lack of finances.
The challenge faced by Reprezent and other organisations like it has been exacerbated by a decade of cuts to youth services, with local authorities cutting spending by 77%, equivalent to a £1bn ($1.36bn) reduction in real terms. This has led to the closure of hundreds of youth clubs and the loss of thousands of highly-skilled youth work jobs. Reprezent Radio is looking to become a registered charity in order to continue operating.
Since it was launched in 2011, Reprezent Radio has supported the careers of up-and-coming artists and presenters from different backgrounds. Reprezent is credited with building the careers of Stormzy and Jamz Supernova, among others, and broadcasting 40 new presenters each week.
CEO Shane Carey said that at the same time as funding declines, 63% of youth organisations are experiencing increased demand for their services. Carey said that Reprezent does not just want to raise money to save itself, but also to raise awareness of the problems faced by organisations like it, and to encourage others to act.
Read the full article from Mixmag here: Read More