FOUNDERS

WAYout was founded by Hazel Chandler MBE and her son Michael. It all began when Hazel was making a film in Sierra Leone just after the conflict in 2004. She gave a camera to gang leader, Yumyum, expecting him to sell it but he didn’t. He went on to shoot 100 hours of footage. The camera gave him a voice, a purpose, a way to prove he was somebody. It gave him hope.

Michael went out to Sierra Leone to find out more about what his mother was up to and saw that there were no music studios, barely any instruments except brass and together they formed WAYout in 2008. It was an idea; a dream yet to be tested at a time when the world did not realise the healing powers of creativity and a lot was learnt the hard way. But now, WAYout stands out in terms of experience with gangs, the dispossessed, marginalised and forgotten using the arts to bring hope and show that street youth are not the useless people that they are often perceived to be.

Michael is no longer Chair of Trustees for WAYout. He moved on to UK arts and homelessness charities Cardboard Citizens, Union Chapel and currently CEO of Groundswell.

You can find out more about Hazel, who went on to be awarded an MBE for her work in Sierra Leone, on the trustees page