“When you love what you do, something aligns and you get even more energy,” says Anisa Haghdadi, the 26-year-old founder of Beatfreeks. Running the Birmingham-based “youth engagement agency” is an enormous task: last year around 3,000 people aged 16 to 25 took part in projects initiated by them. “We help brands and organisations to better understand and reach young people, and we help young people develop their skills and confidence through creativity,” she says, admitting that it’s not always easy to summarise the myriad projects organised by or affiliated to Beatfreeks. “So many organisations are coming to us saying: ‘Our institution is dying, and we’re desperate to engage with diverse young people.’”
The Royal Shakespeare Company, Bite the Ballot and the Heritage Lottery Fund have all worked with Beatfreeks to learn how they can appeal more to young people from diverse backgrounds. In exchange these institutions offer paid work, training and opportunities ranging from spaces for artists to a Radio 1 “scratchbeat” spoken-word performance.
Haghdadi, who set up her first social enterprise, a street dance company, at the age of 15, says her home town of Birmingham faces challenges including high youth unemployment and “tensions in communities”. Beatfreeks, she adds, helps to improve opportunities and engage young people in the creative industries. “Because we’re quite vibrant, loud-mouthed and edgy, we’re lucky that our biggest marketing tool is other people. We’re often being championed by young people, organisations and cultural and civic leaders.”
