On The Level: Brixton Voices

On The Level: Brixton Voices is a year-long creative wellbeing programme led by Reprezent Radio, based at Pop Brixton. It will support 150 young people aged 16 to 25 from Brixton, focusing on those from Black, Asian and other ethnic-minority backgrounds, LGBTQ+ communities, low-income families, care-experienced and neurodivergent young people. The project will improve their mental health by building confidence, connection and access to creative opportunity — turning creative expression into a sustainable pathway for wellbeing and work.

Total funding requested: £50,000

From January to December 2026, Reprezent will run free weekly sessions from our Pop Brixton studios using our On The Level framework, co-designed with young people, youth workers and mental-health professionals. Each 3-hour session combines structured wellbeing practice with creative production.

Each session includes:

• Group check-in and reflection led by youth workers and mental-health specialists to build trust, safety and emotional literacy

• Creative masterclass with Reprezent producers in radio, podcasting, storytelling, music and editing

• Team-based production time to develop and record original content

• Group playback and reflection to connect creative practice to self-awareness, resilience and mental health goals

The 12-month journey:

• Foundation (Months 1–3): confidence, communication, teamwork and mental-health awareness

• Production (Months 4–8): hands-on creative and technical skills

• Broadcast (Months 9–10): producing and presenting three radio and podcast series on mental health and life in Brixton

• Leadership (Months 11–12): mentoring peers, running community listening events and planning next steps

All sessions are free, with travel and food provided.

Reprezent already has a waiting list of over 3,500 young people from Lambeth and Southwark who want to access creative opportunities. We will recruit directly from this group and through peer-to-peer outreach, local schools, colleges, youth hubs and Jobcentres. Our 41,000 social media followers, mostly in South London, provide a direct digital link to the young audience we serve. Sessions are flexible, accessible and identity-safe, with travel support, hot meals and a drop-in policy to remove barriers.

The young people we work with often experience isolation, low confidence, and anxiety about their future. Brixton Voices uses creativity as an entry point to mental health support. The structure of regular group sessions and reflection helps them build belonging and routine. Sharing their stories publicly reduces stigma, and seeing their work broadcast strengthens self-esteem. Over time, participants learn to manage stress, express emotions, and trust others key markers of better mental wellbeing.

Creative training also opens real opportunity. Reprezent connects young people to professional mentors and work placements through our partnerships with BBC, Kiss FM and Apple Music. This link between wellbeing and opportunity creates lasting impact: 80% of participants in our previous programmes report improved confidence and mental health, and 90% progress into education, training or paid creative work.

The £50,000 grant will fund creative mentors, youth workers, mental-health practitioners, production costs, and participant support such as food and travel. It will enable Reprezent to operate Pop Brixton as a year-round Creative Wellbeing Hub, a safe and inspiring space for young people to create, connect and grow.

Reprezent has supported over 5,000 young Londoners since 2015 and shaped the careers of every presenter on BBC Radio 1’s Friday lineup, as well as Stormzy and Munya Chawawa. Our On The Level model, tested with Youth Music, the NHS and Mind, has proven that creativity can build confidence, belonging and lasting mental wellbeing. Brixton Voices brings that impact home to the young people who need it most.