Summary
A group of young adults from a disadvantaged part of south London have set up and are running a centre that aims to tackle the complex factors that prevent young people from gaining employment locally.
Name
Elevate 100
Provider
Lewisham Council
Elevate 100, located inside Downham Leisure Centre in Lewisham, was designed and built by 17 youth ambassadors, aged 18-25. The hub aims to not only help young people become more employable but improve their health and wellbeing too – the area has high rates of youth unemployment and mental ill health.
Ambassadors were employed by the three project partners – Lewisham Council, Phoenix Community, and Circle Collective – to speak on behalf of “underrepresented groups” and lead research for the project, says Eke Hardy, employment project co-ordinator for Elevate 100.
Ambassadors were also paid the London living wage for the role. Their research found that most people believed Downham lacked a dedicated physical space offering support for young adults.
Last year, three former ambassadors joined the Youth Action Board to play a leading role in shaping and designing the new Elevate 100 hub. Allarna Bishop-Owusu, Brandon Treacy, and Hector Yu, who had previously served as youth ambassadors, put their research into action to deliver the “testing and implementation phase.”
Treacy said his goal is to ensure “young people leave in a better place than when they arrived”.
“Whether that's improved wellbeing, access to training, or securing a job – our main priority is making sure they feel supported,” he says.
The Youth Action Board collaborated with local architects to design the space, and selected Youth Build Ventures as the company for the refurbishment. This company was chosen because it shares Elevate 100's aim of creating a space that supports young people in their journey toward future employment.
The board members participated in painting and building the hub, earning their Construction Skills Certification Scheme qualifications along the way.
The space is filled with plants, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The board made a key marketing decision to design logos and uniforms that are both comfortable and casual.
Hardy said the Youth Action Board came up with the name “Elevate 100” to reflect their hope to “elevate young people's aspirations” during their transition to adulthood.
The hub is a self-contained building within the leisure centre, enabling the Youth Action Board to offer advice and guide people to the appropriate services within the leisure centre.
For example, the centre offers a young men's mental health group, as well as facilities such as a pool, café, and GP practice. The hub provides support and advice to parents using the leisure centre, promoting the range of services.
One of these services includes delivering workshops for young people, providing them with opportunities to connect with employers from outside of Downham.
Recent workshops have focused on business development for aspiring entrepreneurs and an art workshop, where young artists can sell and promote their work, while keeping 100% of the profits. Additionally, young people have been using the hub to “complete schoolwork and receive employment support and guidance, including CV writing, job searching, and work experience”, Hardy adds.
Youth Action Board member Yu said: “We are looking to bring in some specialist travel providers to offer workshops in the future. We have also had a great start to our most recent photography workshop.”
Currently, a young person is gaining work experience with Elevate 100, managing their media sites and handling administrative tasks. Elevate 100 sees their work experience programme as part of the solution to the challenge of young people finding employment after university.
The Youth Futures Foundation is also investigating why the existing support systems for young people transitioning to adulthood seem to be ineflective, working with Elevate 100 to implement a solution.
