That’s a rap!

A teenager from Lincoln has produced a taste of what's to come when the new YMCA facility, The Showroom, is completed.

Sixteen-year-old Simon Ley has laid down a rap track while attending the E2E programme at the YMCA, and wants to share it with the myplace community.His self-penned track is entitled ‘The myplace Rap' and is about how Simon feels young people are wrongly stereotyped in society.

He said: "Lots of people think young people just go round smashing things up and causing trouble but that's not true. We are not all out to cause trouble, and lots of us get arrested for no reason at all." Simon wrote the track whilst in class at the YMCA Training Centre, and has performed it at Lincoln's annual ‘Y Factor' event.

The Showroom project, led by Lincolnshire YMCA, has received a myplace grant of nearly £5m and will feature indoor and outdoor games areas, performing arts space, a recording studio, gym, climbing wall, cyber café and car simulator where visitors can learn about safer driving.Onsite support will also be available, including sexual health advice, life skills training and accredited courses. The centre will aim to reach isolated young people aged 13-19 such as those with disabilities and who have been excluded from mainstream education.

Simon thinks the YMCA has set an example for services for young people.

"It is a really good place to go if young people want to better themselves. They can get involved with music, drama, sport, anything really. There is also lots of support available for people on issues such as drugs and safe sex. The YMCA does some really good work."

Simon is now looking to pursue a career in the music business and hopes to follow in the footsteps of heroes such as Dizzee Rascal and Jaz-Z.