Delivered by Young Urban Arts Foundation
In 2022, the Foundation for Future London has awarded a grant to Young Urban Arts Foundation for its project “YUAF Futures” for young people in Hackney and Tower Hamlets through our Medium Grant Scheme.
YUAF Futures was created for young people aged 16-19 years primarily from communities challenged by inequality (BAME, LGBTQI, disabled youth). The project aims to provide young people with opportunities to progress into desirable workplaces/employment and/or help them gain a qualification, skill, or training that leads to improved possibilities and increases diversity and inclusion in workplaces.
The Medium Grant Scheme is part of our Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, funded by Westfield Stratford City.
The project meets three of our scheme’s key themes, Employment Opportunities, Learning Opportunities and Young People.
YUAF Futures was created for young people aged 16-19 years primarily from communities challenged by inequality (BAME, LGBTQI, disabled youth). We aim to provide them with opportunities to progress into desirable workplaces/employment and/or help them gain a qualification, skill, or training that leads to improved possibilities and increases diversity and inclusion in workplaces.
This project enables young people to explore their chosen career choices. Through experience and training, they discover more about the reality of those fields, enabling them to make more informed choices about their future based on experiential learning.
YUAF Futures is unique because it is tailored to the individual needs of each young person. Beneficiaries are consulted throughout their time in the programme, beginning on enrollment day. Some cohorts have similar interests and goals and are grouped into activities, and some are mentored one-to-one, depending on their needs.
“I’ve learnt so much doing Futures, including networking with people, sharing ideas, gaining knowledge on Graphic Design and knowing how to work as a freelancer. I haven’t been in a space like that before. I’ve gained motivation from seeing them work and I now understand you have to have a strong work ethic [to work in a creative industry] and because of Futures, I now feel like I can achieve my goals.”- GK
The program includes opportunities to participate in 25 to 30 activities for each cohort and relies heavily on volunteers and pro bono time from industry experts and professionals. The entire YUAF team and trustees actively use their professional and personal networks to secure work experience, masterclasses, one-to-one mentoring, creative workshops, internships and shadowing professionals in the workplace. Some of our partners include: Ditto Management, Sony Music UK, Universal Production, Tileyard Impact, Subtle Radio, MusicJobs, D-Lab, AEI Group, Elevated PR and WhyNow Radio.
To take part, please email jess@yuaf.org.uk or phone 0795 752 3576.
For more information, see yuaf.org/yuafpathways.
Transforming lives and careers of people in East London
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