'I was bullied for loving dance - now I help children to express themselves'

A young man who was once bullied for having a passion for dancing, has supported over 350,000 children through his own dance company, Urban Motion. Jamie, who is now living in Omagh , has been named as the winner of an award from The King’s Trust. He is dedicated to inspiring other young people to reach out in his role as a King’s Trust Young Ambassador.

The 28-year-old recently scooped the MARVEL Young Change Maker Award, which recognises a young person who has turned their life around and used their personal experiences to speak out and inspire others. The King’s Trust and TK Maxx & Homesense Awards recognise young people who have succeeded against the odds, improved their chances in life and had a positive impact on their local community. Speaking about his journey , Jamie said: "The fact that I can now positively impact the lives of so many young people motivates me to keep working hard.



Through teaching dance, I can help children relate to each other - dance helps people connect across communities and come together to express themselves. "Life was tough growing up. We had very little money and I remember sleeping next to the fire to stay warm.

During my teens, my entrepreneurial mindset began to develop, forcing me to get creative to make money. However, as I got older, I began to process everything I had been through and became trapped in a cycle of anger, depression and self-doubt whilst also being bullied for my love of dancing." After leaving school, Jamie started working at a fast-food restaurant.

However, he was determined to follow his dream and left his job in 2019 to start Urban Motion. It was when the pandemic hit in 2020 that he reached out to The Trust for support. He added: "The Enterprise programme helped me adapt my business to ensure it survived.

My mentor, Kate, was a key part of this as she boosted my confidence, kept me accountable and encouraged me. The programme enabled me to push my business further than I’d ever imagined." Jamie’s business has gone from strength to strength, with Urban Motion now teaching hip-hop to over 700 children per week, facilitating birthday parties, after-school programs, and dance-centred PE curriculums.

Urban Motion is also engaged in academic research with Ulster University and University College Dublin, exploring the impact of dance in Ireland. Beyond Urban Motion, Jamie dedicates his time to inspiring young people as a King’s Trust Young Ambassador. "During my time as a Young Ambassador, it’s been a privilege to shout about the work of The Trust, whilst also building my own self-confidence.

From TV appearances, to speaking with senior members of the government about challenges within the youth sector, to meeting members of the Royal family, I rarely turn down an opportunity to get involved. I’ve been a guest speaker on over 10 enterprise courses and have also been mentoring young entrepreneurs." Outside his work at The Trust, Jamie has also delivered charity dance projects abroad.

"In 2023, I flew to Palestine to facilitate dance sessions within refugee camps and schools. I also worked with a dance school in Israel that focused on cross-community relations. Sadly, our time was cut short when the war broke out, but I hope that we were able to make an impact while we were there.

" When asked about plans for Urban Motion in the future, Jamie is aiming high. "To date, we’ve supported over 325,000 children through our classes and initiatives. I’m looking forward to seeing that number grow and impacting the lives of more young people across the world.

" On winning the MARVEL Young Change Maker Award, Jamie said: "I am over the moon to have won the Change Maker Award. There’s still so much I want to achieve in life and I hope I can inspire other young people to aim high as well." Nigel Cook, Vice President, Brand Commercialisation &Retail, Disney Consumer Products EMEA said: "We are incredibly proud to award Jamie as our Young Change Maker for Northern Ireland.

"Jamie’s story and journey has been incredibly inspirational, and will no doubt inspire many other young people fulfill their potential and creating positive change in society, as well as successful futures of their own - everything this award embodies. A huge congratulations, Jamie." Youth charity The King’s Trust gives young people the skills and confidence to get their lives on track.

Three in four young people helped by The King’s Trust in the past five years have moved into work, training or education. For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here..