A first-of-its kind youth-led hub has opened in South East London to support young people facing unemployment.
Elevate 100 launched this month in Downham, Lewisham to guide young people aged 16-30 into employment and entrepreneurial pathways.
The group’s Youth Action Board has been central to decision-making since the conception of the project, getting young people involved at every step of the process.
They all have strong connections to Downham and are in tune with what young people want and need locally.
Brandon Treacy, 23, joined the Youth Action Board in 2023 after he graduated and felt unsure about the next steps of his career.
He said: “We were literally involved in everything, we were involved in the look and design of the space, the type of furniture, the colour palette, how we wanted the logo to look.”
“Compared to anything I’ve been involved in before, it’s a big, big ask in terms of leadership.
“Having the responsibility to take hold of something and have a role in leadership which is something that has not really come to me before or that I’ve had the confidence to do.”
Youth unemployment has been a persistent issue in Lewisham for many years.
Only three percent of Lewisham’s jobs are based in Downham and young people have reported difficulty facing limited opportunities and navigating fragmented services.
Around 30% of London youth clubs shut between 2010 and 2019 due to cuts to local authority funding, accoring to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Treacy, who was born and raised in Downham said: “There’s a complete lack of jobs here.
“The space is necessary, there’s nothing like this round here unfortunately. And I think that’s evident in the young people that come into the space.”
Elevate 100’s research found an interest in creative and entrepreneurial work among young people in the area. To reflect this, the space will include a private meeting room, a co-working space and a content creation area.
It operates midweek in Downham Leisure Centre and is working collaboratively with local organisations, signposting young people to their various services.
Hector Yu, a fellow Youth Action Board member, said: “We hope Elevate 100 will be a space where young people from Downham and the surrounding area will find their futures, and how to reach them.”
A recent report from the Office for National Statistics has revealed that at the end of 2024, nearly one million people in the UK aged 16-24 were not in work, education or training between October and December.
This equates to one in seven people in that age range, and is the highest it has been for 11 years.
Brenda Dacres, the Mayor of Lewisham said: “Young people in our borough have unlimited talent and it’s our responsibility to help them achieve their potential.
“Elevate 100 is more than a space – it’s a commitment to the young people of Downham, designed by them and for them.”
Pictured top: Elevate 100 Launch Event (Credit: Lewisham Council)
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