Art Rezari had spent the majority of his adult life trying to break into the media industry, since completing his education and had applied to MAMA Youth Project three times before embarking on the life changing training.  There was little doubt that rejection was affecting Art’s mental health but despite the negatives, he remained determined.  Thankfully the perseverance, passion for the industry and sheer hard work paid off – just six weeks after being accepted by MAMA Youth and attaining the prestigious alumni status, Art secured a Researcher role at sports entertainment production company, Buzz 16.

“Before MAMA Youth, I was in and out of work, mostly jobs in retail. I was applying for entry level jobs in the film industry but almost nothing was coming my way. It was frustrating not being able to gain any opportunities and get into the film industry. It took such a long time to get any experience at all and even then it didn’t propel my career as I expected it to. I just wanted to be involved in the film industry, I wanted any chance to get a foot in the door. I didn’t really have anything specific in mind which is often part of the problem as I knew there were so many roles in the industry that I had not had a chance to be exposed to and I lacked direction.
Thankfully the Digital Media course gave me the direction I needed. I would recommend the course to others and advise young people with a passion for the industry to not give up, apply to MYP, push yourself out of your comfort zone and see what you can achieve.  

The programme gives you the chance to learn different areas in the industry and gain an insight into what you might want to do in the future as well as the key skills you’ll need, confidence building and all the support you need in every area imaginable.  The training itself was much harder than I expected, which was a good thing as it really pushed me to do my best.  

I found being at MAMA Youth unpredictable at times and because of that you had to be ready for anything which is true of working in the industry in real life. This is what makes this training unique I think, working for a real life production company while you learn and it’s so important as in media or film so many things can go wrong and you need to be flexible and know how to improvise.  MYP teaches you how to be resourceful, reactive, proactive, how to collaborate as well as work with your own initiative – it really does cover everything.

One of the most important things I learned about myself was how I could increase my confidence. It’s easy to lose yourself and not express how you really feel but through the training I gained more confidence and became more certain with myself and this has played a big part in helping me succeed.

I know that having the ongoing support of MAMA Youth can provide a lifeline in the short or long term if and when I should need it.  Gaining an instant industry network and being part of such a huge and successful alumni group is just as invaluable. Having your own professional talent manager who always has your best interests at heart and knowing you can always go back to MYP for advice is amazing.

The personal impact of MAMA Youth on my life and career journey has been massive.  I have a job now through MAMA Youth, I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to get my foot in the door and have fulfilling employment.  My friends and family are thrilled to see what I have achieved and they are happy to see me trying my best. This is why it’s so important that MAMA Youth exists as a charity for young people, for the media industry and for communities because many young people just do not have the money or connections to get that chance, that direction and ultimately that career.

The best part of the training for me was the opportunity to create content for a BAFTA winning production company … the worst part was that it didn’t last longer!”