For a young person (aged 25 or below) who has demonstrated great leadership skills. This might be a participant who has now joined the workforce, or a young musician who has been an integral part of the project.
A huge congratulations to all the nominees shortlisted for our Young Leader Award. We’ve been so inspired by each of the nominees’ stories, and their passion for teaching and supporting others. Find out more about them below.
Havsa Oumar (winner)
Positive Youth Foundation – Changing Trax (Coventry)
Havsa's nominator says,“Havsa has been a phenomenal young leader, both as an inspirational performer but also as a motivator to her peers. At 17, Havsa made her musical debut with PYF by storming an Open Mic evening and receiving a standing ovation after performing a tricky Beyoncé track.
“Havsa has encountered her fair share of personal challenges, and overcome a number of barriers. She has always combatted this by focussing on the positives, and on supporting others. Her attitude is one of leading by example, if she can bite the bullet and give it a go, it may encourage others to do the same. She has been a huge advocate for young people supporting the City of Culture 2021 movement.
“Havsa is also a constant inspiration to her peers through her dedication to her faith. Since participating in the Changing Trax programme, Havsa has continued to be motivated to inspire emerging generations. After completing her first year successfully at the University of Greenwich studying Forensic Science with Criminology, she has taken the bold decision to defer her degree for a year. Her motivation was to continue to support young people to achieve and overcome personal issues. Now aged 21, she has recently joined the PYF team as the new Female Inclusion Officer, responsible for supporting young people to achieve their fullest potential.”
Dan Greenwood
Arts for Health (Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust) - Up Tempo (Stafford)
Dan's nominator says, “Dan joined the Up Tempo as a mental health service user. He had been taken ill in London while he was trying to pursue a career in music. He was admitted to a Psychiatric Unit there for a period and then transferred back to Shropshire."
"After being discharged back into the community, he was encouraged to join the Up Tempo project that was being run by Arts for Health in partnership with The Hive in Shropshire.
"It took Dan some time to engage in the sessions - although an accomplished musician, he found it hard to be enthusiastic and to be motivated; soon though he began to regain some of his creativity and interest and was a vibrant and supportive member of the group - encouraging others and becoming truly involved.
"Since this time, he has become really well, and has re-joined the project as a volunteer, he is writing music again and has also applied for jobs in the area. He gives his time to different music charities in the region and has supported Arts for Health at conferences where he has contributed to presentations about the value of music within mental health - being very honest about his journey.
"He is a valuable assistant with Up Tempo in our inpatient setting and it is a joy to see such a transformation and turn-around of someone who was so ill and is now a driving force within the project – supporting those with similar problems, and making his own way with his career.
"Dan now works for Stafford-based charity Make Some Noise, mostly with looked after children in a home setting and is involved with other music projects too.”
Follow Dan: Facebook
Naeim Alnajjar AKA Madz
Music Action International – Harmonise/Everyday People/Syria Summer Camp (Manchester)
“Naeim is a young beatboxer from Damascus, Syria, who had to flee the war in his country aged 14. When he came to the UK, he spoke no English, and hated school as no-one there understood him. He’s been street homeless and suicidal.”
“He found that beat-boxing was a way to make himself feel better and to connect with other people in a positive way. He taught himself beatboxing via YouTube and last year reached the UK beatboxing championships final 16.
“Naeim started with Music Action International as a performer and participant in Everyday People, a creative programme with teenage refugee and asylum seekers here without family.
“He progressed to become a trainee, and is now a co-facilitator teaching ‘Beatboxing and Compassion’ (his words) in primary schools, with Everyday People LDN (teenage refugees) and in Crisis Choirs, our creative programme for adult asylum seekers attending drop-ins.
“Participants and audience love his performances and find him an inspiring and kind-hearted facilitator, especially as he has experienced the ‘dark tunnel’ that young refugees go through both in their home countries and through their experiences in the UK.
“His performances and compositions are stunning and he deserves some recognition of his amazing contribution to young people’s lives.”
Follow Music Action International: Facebook Twitter Instagram
ABRSM
Established in 1889, ABRSM is passionate about music and music education. Our mission is to inspire musical achievement and we do this globally in partnership with four Royal Schools of Music. We want everyone to have the opportunity to fulfil their musical potential and believe that active involvement with music leads to unique, positive experiences with life-long benefits. Because of this we are working to create opportunities for more people to discover, explore and make progress with music. As a charity, our donations, scholarships and sponsorship programmes provide financial support for organisations and individuals around the world, and through partnership and collaboration, we are sharing knowledge, carrying out research, advocating for music education and developing innovative projects and resources to support music teaching and learning.
