Meet Jaidon, 23, from London to find out more about life as a rap workshop leader and a youth ambassador. Part of our Bitesize world of work series.
Jaidon:
My name's Jaidon, I'm 23 years old, and I'm a rap workshop leader.
Jaidon:When I first started listening to rap, it was for the musicality of it, so the rhythm, the poetry, but as I started to listen to rap more closely, I started to notice that people were telling stories, people were expressing their political views, and it can be used for a range of things that allow people to completely express themselves. Pursuing rap professionally was always one of my plans but my parents advised me that there are other ways to get into entertaining, without being an entertainer yourself. In college I studied Finance, Psychology, Ethics, and Music. After college, I went on to do an accounting apprenticeship. Towards the end of my accounting apprenticeship, I began to set up Rap Association as a community interest company. In our workshops, we don't just teach rap, we also teach things that you wouldn't normally learn in school. We've done a financial money management workshop, which is where we show people budgeting skills, borrowing techniques.
Seyi, workshop participant:
Hi, my name's Seyi and I'm 16 and this is my first time at the workshop. At the workshop so far I've learnt how to rap better and rhyme and I've also learnt how to budget better. Talking about taxation doesn't always relate to young people but put it with something like rap and they'll begin to engage and writing raps about it, it just, I think it helps a lot.
Jaidon:
I'm very excited for the future of Rap Association. We have quite a few projects that we're working towards in the next year that will incorporate even more education, more entertainment, so we've got big things coming.
As I started to listen to rap more closely, I started to notice that people were telling stories.
During Jaidon's finance apprenticeship he realised accounting wasn’t for him
Combining the skills he learnt in his finance apprenticeship with his passion for rap, he set up his own business running rap workshops for businesses, youth clubs, pupil referral units and outreach groups
He has a day job as a youth ambassador for his local council and is hoping to grow his rap workshop business further.
Jaidon is a rap workshop leader. His role comes under the umbrella of a community arts worker. A community arts worker helps local communities plan and take part in activities like drama, dance, painting and photography.
What to expect if you want to be a community arts worker
- Community arts worker average salary: ÂŁ19,000 to ÂŁ29,000 per year
- Community arts worker typical working hours: 37 to 39 hours per week. You could work evenings, weekends, bank holidays and also attend events and appointments.
What qualifications do you need to be a community arts worker?
You could get into this role via a university course, a college course, an apprenticeship and volunteering.
Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service
This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the for the latest information and all the qualifications needed.
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