The Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust announces new youth support initiatives
The Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust is launching three new initiatives to support young people in London.
The West London organisation set up honour of the late SBTV founder and MBE recipient, who died in 2022 at age 31, announced the new programmes at a Notting Hill event on the two-year anniversary of Edwards’ death, Trench reports.
The Self Belief Launchpad will help 31 young people in London access paid opportunities early in their careers. 18-to-24-year-olds who’ve left their residences will receive permanent housing in West London with The Self Belief Sanctuary, in partnership with youth homelessness charity Centrepoint.
The Self Belief Community Hub aims to fill the gap left by £11 billion in cuts to youth community services over the last decade, according to JESB. The planned Acton centre, currently in the fundraising phase, will serve as a safe space for young and old people and offer catering, after school clubs, goods swaps and a library. The Hub will allow visitors to “explore their creativity, learn from industry-led workshops, as well as developing critical life-skills including finance, nutrition and wellbeing”.
“Jamal was a pioneer, a disruptor and a force for good that opened doors and brought hope to so many”, Jamal’s mother Brenda Edwards said. “We want to create a remarkable legacy for a remarkable human by doing the same for young people across the UK and beyond.”
Learn more about the new initiatives on the JESB website and support them via GoFundMe.
Jamal Edwards was awarded a number of posthumous honours in 2022. Music Industry Trusts Award recognised Edwards for his outstanding contribution to the music industry, and DJ Mag celebrated him for Innovation & Excellence at the Best of British awards 2022.
