It follows Youth Music’s Sound of the Next Generation report, external, a survey the charity does every five years, with its latest one asking 2,100 young people about their lives and attitudes towards music.
“Top of the tree as their favourite thing in their lives is music,” says Matt.
“But there was also a contrasting [finding] about access to music getting more limited, particularly access to making music and creating and composing your own music.”
Girls and people from the North of England are particularly affected according to the report which highlights the cost of music education as a major block.
Meanwhile, research from the YMCA, external suggests that since 2011, about half of England’s youth clubs have closed – rising to 60% in Wales.
The Local Government Association adds that, in that same time, government funding for youth clubs has declined by 73% in real terms.
Shadey says it was “the last phase of youth clubs” when he was growing up, describing the centres as little more than a warm space.
“We felt this was ending, things were closing down, derelict buildings, old PlayStation games, nothing being updated.
“That’s not enough to keep a young person engaged. They want to learn and grow and be a part of something.”
