Afterbeat is of course troubled by the consequences of the Corona, but accepts and supports our government in all the choices they make to protect people and the future of a healthy United Kingdom.

Unfortunately, this means that we cannot plan for a school tour for the time being. Schools are closed and are focused on student’s home schooling. Also, the Dutch Square and the Zion Festivals we are involved in the youth program cannot take place this year. Afterbeat has therefore decided to focus more on laying the foundation of the Scottish charity for this moment. We are updating all data, creating a new website, new logo and a revision of our working method and vision. The new logo can already be seen at the top of the website.

Just before the crisis, there were opportunities to start school projects in Estonia and India as we already do in the Netherlands and in Scotland in collaboration with The Message Trust. Unfortunately, these plans have also been postponed to a date to be determined.

Our CEO & director Alko Stoel is currently setting up the Afterbeat Foundation in Scotland. It will be a Scottish SCIO Charity, which means that, like our ANBI status, it serves a general community purpose. This does not mean that the collaboration with The Message ends. We both have the desire to continue working together in the future. The work will soon be in the name of our Afterbeat foundation and it will also offer more opportunities to think further outside the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In addition, Afterbeat will be much more focused on EDM (Electronic Dance Music). Dance becomes our trademark.

Talent development & social topics

Young people are looking for their identity. They struggle with questions such as: ‘who am I?’, ‘why am I here’, ‘what can I do?’ and ‘what do I want?’ In their living environment such as family, school, group of friends, church, clubs, they are expected to fit into social norms and behave appropriately. Because every culture and environment have it’s own role expectations, young people may experience confusion, which can lead to behavioural problems, inferiority and depression, amongst other things. If they also cannot meet ideal images that their environment demands, they can also try to shape their identity in another, often extreme, way. This can be done, for example, by connecting with radical groups or with peers where drugs, alcohol or sex are central. Afterbeat wants to adjust their working method more to focus on these current topics for young people. In the UK, classes are more focused on these topics and less on the music in collaboration with The Message. Afterbeat also wants to find a way to use the artists to connect more with this problem and the role that the Christian faith can play in this.