The founder of a recording studio and music education business who was expelled from school at 15 has been named one of the most exceptional social entrepreneurs in the UK.
Yasin El Ashrafi grew up on an inner city estate and never met his father who was deported before he was born. Expelled from school at 15, from 16 to 24 Yasin’s “main mission in life was to get high.”
When Yasin’s girlfriend became pregnant it was a turning point and he deleted all the numbers of his drug-crowd. “Not having a dad it was always important that if I had kids I’m going to be the best dad I can be.”
When his son was born with severe cerebral palsy, Yasin realised he needed to be his own boss in order to have the flexibility to care for him. He decided to start his first community interest company and piloted his first music project, which led on to him attaining a teaching qualification, starting more projects teaching music and enterprise skills, and the opportunity to take on a professional recording studio.
Over the last 8 years, Yasin has offered free studio space to unemployed young people to explore their talents. He went on to launch a Community Interest Company, HQ Creative Arts Network, which supports vulnerable and unemployed adults, using music and spoken word creation, music studio recording, events, and performances to combat mental ill-health, addiction issues and low confidence.
The business, a social enterprise, generates its own income streams through commercial studio hire, mastering and artist development services, and gives participants a way of making an income and a sense of purpose, with their activities often leading to employment. Yasin was named Mentor of the Year by The Prince’s Trust in 2018.
A business loan and grant package from Key Fund, a responsible finance provider, helped Yasin set up an additional recording studio to double capacity for his commercial clients, charitable funded projects, and record label HQ Familia. It also secured the recruitment of a full-time general manager.
This week Yasin was named one of just 3 UK finalists for the “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” category in the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards, funded by the Citi Foundation, an annual celebration of Britain’s microentrepreneurs that have accessed “responsible” business finance.
Yasin El Ashrafi said:
“I was overjoyed hearing the news that we have made it to the final in the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards 2020, through my work at HQ, my aim is to help as many creatives as I can to start their own businesses enabling them to start working towards their dreams.”
Jane Austin of Key Fund commented:
“This is great news for Yasin and the team at HQ, celebrating the fact that their recording studio makes such a difference to peoples’ lives. Through their energy, charisma, and thoughtful approach, they do an amazing job of re-engaging young people who feel forgotten. Whatever business challenges come their way, Yasin finds an entrepreneurial way forward.”
The UK’s 5.6 million microenterprises – businesses with 9 or fewer staff – account for 96% of all businesses, and employ over 9 million people. Some would not exist at all without the financial and business support they access from the UK’s ethical “responsible finance” sector, which in 2019 lent £171 million to thousands of credit-worthy businesses and social enterprises rejected by or unable to access finance from mainstream lenders.
“Social entrepreneurs like Yasin play a vital role in strengthening communities throughout the UK by creating jobs, unlocking opportunities, and addressing social and environmental challenges,” said Bob Annibale, Global Director, Citi Inclusive Finance and Community Development.
“The Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards recognise the positive impact they are having on a local and national scale, and these exceptional finalists and the responsible finance providers which supported them all contribute to the economic, social and environmental vibrancy of their communities. We are proud to support the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards and the eighth cohort of finalists in the UK.”
Yasin must now wait until 9 July 2020 when the winners of the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards will be announced.
Read about the other finalists here.