Youth Work, Creative Careers and the Launch of CondéFuture London
Following the launch of the United Kingdom's first government youth strategy in two decades, Shannon Ghannam, Director of Development and Programming at Peter Marlow Foundation reflects on what she has learnt about youth work and the role arts organisations can play in supporting this vital work.
I first met Sian Slater, Founder of SEEit Working Trust, in 2023 after we had both received project grants from the Foundation for Future London, based in the East Bank area of Stratford. Sian described herself as a “systems change innovator” and had developed community-based research (funded by Arts Council England and Foundation for Future London) to understand how to support more meaningful cultural engagement in marginalised communities - highlighting the overlooked role youth workers can play in helping arts organisations and the creative industries reach, engage with and support a wider group of young people - especially those who face barriers to participation.
My first question to her was simple: “How do you define a youth worker?” After twenty years working in the arts and education, the fact that I didn’t know the answer said a lot about the visibility gap youth work faces.
Recent statistics make this even clearer. Funding for youth work in England fell by more than 60 per cent between 2011 and 2021, dropping from £1,058.2 million to £408.5 million in real terms. During the same period, the number of youth clubs operated by local authorities nearly halved.*
In Up the Youth Club, Emma Warren argues that youth clubs have had a profound yet largely invisible influence on music, sport, culture and society. She writes that we cannot advocate for what we do not understand - and makes a compelling case that youth clubs have long acted as engine rooms for creativity, from producing household names like The Specials and Stormzy to supporting generations of young people with shelter, stimulation and community. Their decline, driven by austerity and cuts, should concern us all.
I first met Sian Slater, Founder of SEEit Working Trust, in 2023 after we had both received project grants from the Foundation for Future London, based in the East Bank area of Stratford. Sian described herself as a “systems change innovator” and had developed community-based research (funded by Arts Council England and Foundation for Future London) to understand how to support more meaningful cultural engagement in marginalised communities - highlighting the overlooked role youth workers can play in helping arts organisations and the creative industries reach, engage with and support a wider group of young people - especially those who face barriers to participation.
My first question to her was simple: “How do you define a youth worker?” After twenty years working in the arts and education, the fact that I didn’t know the answer said a lot about the visibility gap youth work faces.
Recent statistics make this even clearer. Funding for youth work in England fell by more than 60 per cent between 2011 and 2021, dropping from £1,058.2 million to £408.5 million in real terms. During the same period, the number of youth clubs operated by local authorities nearly halved.*
In Up the Youth Club, Emma Warren argues that youth clubs have had a profound yet largely invisible influence on music, sport, culture and society. She writes that we cannot advocate for what we do not understand - and makes a compelling case that youth clubs have long acted as engine rooms for creativity, from producing household names like The Specials and Stormzy to supporting generations of young people with shelter, stimulation and community. Their decline, driven by austerity and cuts, should concern us all.
Against this backdrop, we received a further grant from Foundation for Future London for Sian to “match-make” the Peter Marlow Foundation with a youth work organisation and guide us through her “Rules of Engagement” learning process - working with youth workers in co-designing projects, preparing young people for projects, supporting them during projects and exploring progression pathways post project. Designed to build trust, shared understanding and genuine collaboration, the process aims - on a larger scale - to create a cultural shift, creating a safe space for dialogue and connecting the “mainstream” and the “marginalised”.
Through this work I was introduced to youth workers Kevin Stuart from Taking Shape Association and Derek Akosah from Be Heard As One, based in Hackney and Newham respectively. Derek shared his deeply personal path into youth work:
“When coming out of prison, my goal was to make real change because I blamed myself. We had contributed to the damage that was happening to the youth, and I wanted to change that. We had glamorised the violence and selling drugs. Coming out of prison, I believed that I had to go back into the area and let the young people and others know that we made a mistake. The only people that could rectify it were people like myself who had the lived experience. We had to come back and talk to these young people and help them understand the consequences of their decisions, what happens when you make a bad decision, but explaining that they can change at any time, so never write yourself off, never feel that you can’t do something. I came up with the concept for my organisation Be Heard As One in prison, and it started the day I came out.”
Following the “Rules of Engagement” learning delivered by Sian and Kevin, we co-designed the Manor Park Media project. Over eight sessions, young people from the historically underserved Manor Park area - where Derek grew up - used photography and storytelling tools to explore and share their experiences. The programme developed vocational skills, creative confidence and well-being, and its success laid the groundwork for a second phase: creating a magazine.
That idea sparked a conversation with colleagues at Condé Nast, who were exploring opportunities to pilot their New York–based youth media careers programme, CondéFuture, in London.
Through this work I was introduced to youth workers Kevin Stuart from Taking Shape Association and Derek Akosah from Be Heard As One, based in Hackney and Newham respectively. Derek shared his deeply personal path into youth work:
“When coming out of prison, my goal was to make real change because I blamed myself. We had contributed to the damage that was happening to the youth, and I wanted to change that. We had glamorised the violence and selling drugs. Coming out of prison, I believed that I had to go back into the area and let the young people and others know that we made a mistake. The only people that could rectify it were people like myself who had the lived experience. We had to come back and talk to these young people and help them understand the consequences of their decisions, what happens when you make a bad decision, but explaining that they can change at any time, so never write yourself off, never feel that you can’t do something. I came up with the concept for my organisation Be Heard As One in prison, and it started the day I came out.”
Following the “Rules of Engagement” learning delivered by Sian and Kevin, we co-designed the Manor Park Media project. Over eight sessions, young people from the historically underserved Manor Park area - where Derek grew up - used photography and storytelling tools to explore and share their experiences. The programme developed vocational skills, creative confidence and well-being, and its success laid the groundwork for a second phase: creating a magazine.
That idea sparked a conversation with colleagues at Condé Nast, who were exploring opportunities to pilot their New York–based youth media careers programme, CondéFuture, in London.
Launching CondéFuture London
In summer 2025, we helped launch CondéFuture London, a youth media employment and training programme supported by Taking Shape, Be Heard As One, SEEit Working Trust, Peter Marlow Foundation, with funding from Condé Nast, Foundation for Future London’s Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund.
We recruited twelve young participants, prioritising alumni from Manor Park Media, all interested in arts, media, design and journalism. Hosted at Forest Gate Youth Zone, a vibrant, constantly buzzing youth hub at the heart of the community, the group learned about roles across publishing and worked collaboratively to produce concept editions for Condé Nast brands.
With guidance from Condé Nast mentors, the two groups created articles, photo shoots and mock magazine covers for Vogue and Bon Appétit. On the final day, they presented their editions to the team at Condé Nast’s offices, receiving professional feedback and a first taste of industry practice.
Participants included:
Temitope Blessing Ojo
Rio Hollywood
Amber Stuart
Ruby-Ann Johnson
Sienna Coa
Shaquon Thompson
Olivia - Joy Evans
Amira Laville -Gowdie
Rhania Sengendo Malaika
Mohammad Munawwar Fia
and Ross!
Mohammad reflected:
“The programme exceeded my expectations because I never thought we would go to the Vogue office and present professionally. I learned how to make my words more compelling, as well as improving my photography skills.”
Olivia added:
“I’ve learnt to be more confident with my own abilities and in groups. I gained such a good insight into this field and so many new lessons to remember.”
Since the programme ended, the Condé Nast team has shared several paid internship opportunities with participants and connected with them on LinkedIn to support future career development.
In summer 2025, we helped launch CondéFuture London, a youth media employment and training programme supported by Taking Shape, Be Heard As One, SEEit Working Trust, Peter Marlow Foundation, with funding from Condé Nast, Foundation for Future London’s Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund.
We recruited twelve young participants, prioritising alumni from Manor Park Media, all interested in arts, media, design and journalism. Hosted at Forest Gate Youth Zone, a vibrant, constantly buzzing youth hub at the heart of the community, the group learned about roles across publishing and worked collaboratively to produce concept editions for Condé Nast brands.
With guidance from Condé Nast mentors, the two groups created articles, photo shoots and mock magazine covers for Vogue and Bon Appétit. On the final day, they presented their editions to the team at Condé Nast’s offices, receiving professional feedback and a first taste of industry practice.
Participants included:
Temitope Blessing Ojo
Rio Hollywood
Amber Stuart
Ruby-Ann Johnson
Sienna Coa
Shaquon Thompson
Olivia - Joy Evans
Amira Laville -Gowdie
Rhania Sengendo Malaika
Mohammad Munawwar Fia
and Ross!
Mohammad reflected:
“The programme exceeded my expectations because I never thought we would go to the Vogue office and present professionally. I learned how to make my words more compelling, as well as improving my photography skills.”
Olivia added:
“I’ve learnt to be more confident with my own abilities and in groups. I gained such a good insight into this field and so many new lessons to remember.”
Since the programme ended, the Condé Nast team has shared several paid internship opportunities with participants and connected with them on LinkedIn to support future career development.
What’s Next
We are now working with all partners to plan and fund the next phase for this first cohort, alongside the 2026 programme call-out and additional opportunities through Forest Gate Youth Zone.
At a time when youth work faces significant challenges, this collaboration shows what becomes possible when youth workers, creative industries, arts organisations and local communities work together to co-design education and employment pathways. The young people’s energy, ambition and creativity have made it clear: the future of media, and the future of young people in East London, is bright.
We are now working with all partners to plan and fund the next phase for this first cohort, alongside the 2026 programme call-out and additional opportunities through Forest Gate Youth Zone.
At a time when youth work faces significant challenges, this collaboration shows what becomes possible when youth workers, creative industries, arts organisations and local communities work together to co-design education and employment pathways. The young people’s energy, ambition and creativity have made it clear: the future of media, and the future of young people in East London, is bright.
