Our Story

Built through experience. Rooted in the community.

From professional basketball and the first DJ workshops to music, sport and education programmes across Essex, Urban Education's story stretches back to the early 2000s.

Meet the directors

How it began

From the London Leopards to BaldMC Urban Education.

Founder Navind Oojageer worked for professional basketball club London Leopards as game-day host, known as The BaldMC, and Coaching Co-ordinator. Alongside those roles, he secured Awards for All grants for local schools, funding basketball equipment and coaching.

When the club folded around 2003–2004, several primary schools still had funded coaching sessions outstanding. Navind stepped in and delivered the remaining sessions, ensuring the schools received what had been promised.

The following year, he approached the schools about continuing the coaching through sessions funded by participating pupils. Every school agreed. BaldMC Urban Education was born.

Alongside his basketball work, Navind was already a club DJ and host. A council contact recognised that experience and invited him to deliver DJ workshops. The first council workshop took place at King Edmund School and was featured in a March 2003 newspaper article. Music and basketball education therefore grew alongside one another from the very beginning.

Our journey

More than two decades of projects.

Key moments from the history of the people and projects behind Urban Education.

Early 2000s

Professional sport and school coaching

Navind combines his work at London Leopards with securing grant funding for basketball coaching and equipment in local schools.

2002–2003

DJ workshops enter the picture

Following an invitation from a council contact, Navind delivers his first council DJ workshop at King Edmund School. A March 2003 newspaper cutting documents the project.

Around 2003–2005

BaldMC Urban Education takes shape

After the London Leopards close, Navind completes outstanding coaching commitments and develops independent school basketball sessions.

Over the following years

Music, sport and community programmes

Workshops expand across schools, youth services and community settings, including DJing, lyric writing, recording, music production and sport.

2016

My Town spoken word project

Young people in Basildon explore contemporary spoken word and classic literature, culminating in a performance at Basildon Library. The project receives local press coverage.

Today

Urban Education CIC

The experience built through BaldMC Urban Education continues through Urban Education CIC, led by Navind Oojageer, Destry Wright and Misha Alphonse. Alongside commissioned workshops, the CIC is developing the ability to apply directly for funding and create its own community programmes.

Some early dates are approximate and reflect the team's recollections and surviving press archive. Urban Education CIC was established later than the original BaldMC Urban Education work.

The people behind the projects

Meet the directors.

Music and sport practitioners working alongside an experienced education and safeguarding specialist.

Navind Oojageer

Founder & Director · Music, sport and youth engagement

Navind founded BaldMC Urban Education following his work with the London Leopards Basketball Club. He secured school coaching grants, fulfilled outstanding programmes when the club closed and built an independent coaching service.

His experience as a DJ and host also led to the first council DJ workshops. Having represented the United Kingdom in a men's All Nations basketball competition, Navind brings sporting and creative experience to youth programmes developed over more than two decades.

Destry Wright

Director · Music production and creative workshops

Destry joined as a DJ tutor and quickly showed a talent for engaging young people, becoming a full-time member of the team.

An active club DJ and one half of Rugged n Baldy with Navind, he also runs Mixbros recording studio, producing, engineering and mastering music for artists. He undertakes supply teaching and leads Urban Education's music production sessions, alongside DJ, lyric-writing and recording workshops.

Misha Alphonse

Director · Safeguarding, SEND and education

Misha is a qualified teacher with specialist SEND training and runs More Than A Tutor, which supports learners including home-educated children, young people with SEND and those in alternative provision.

As Urban Education CIC's Safeguarding Lead and SEND specialist, she supports safe, inclusive programmes adapted to individual needs, helping young people participate and build confidence.

Our work in action

Explore the projects behind the story.

From Trouble & Strife to My Town, our project archive shares recordings, films and examples of what young people have created.

Explore our projects

Work with us

Bring a workshop to your organisation.

We work with schools, youth services, local authorities and community organisations.

Get in touch