Encouraging Creativity Amongst Young Londoners

Creative Opportunities is a social enterprise that facilitates and encourages creativity amongst young Londoners; supporting them to develop skills, make connections and lead change. Its mission is to teach young people transferable skills relevant to their interests and guide them to successfully navigate their chosen pathways. Its vision is for all young people to use their creativity, skills and knowledge to advocate for their own rights, challenge oppression and create positive change in their communities.

Since the organisation was founded in 2014, Creative Opportunities has worked with over 800 young people on a range of employability, social action and creative programmes which develop soft skills such as confidence, problem solving and communication; and hard skills and technical proficiencies in areas like filmmaking, audio engineering and public speaking. Its user-led programmes empower young people to develop creative processes, freethinking and technical knowledge under the guidance of industry professionals. Creative Opportunities encourages the young people with whom it works to be ambitious, building their resilience to risks and challenges.

The grant from the Mohn Westlake Foundation will be used to develop the capacity of the organisation, help it become sustainable and increase its impact, so that Creative Opportunities can reach a greater number of young people.

A Literacy Charity That Believes In The Power Of Words To Take Children Places

Doorstep Library is a literacy charity that believes in the power of words to take children places, not just in their imagination, but in their lives.  The charity wants to see a world where all children can thrive in homes in which books are celebrated and a love of reading is embraced.

With one in four 11-year-olds leaving primary school unable to read or write properly, Doorstep Library recruits and trains volunteers to go into some of the most disadvantaged areas of London to help introduce young children (aged 0-11 years) to the pleasure of reading. As its service is uniquely home-based, the charity’s projects not only improve literacy and confidence in children, but increase family well-being and bonding through the joy of sharing stories. With the support of the Mohn Westlake Foundation, Doorstep Library is investing in a Marketing Assistant to attract and recruit new volunteers, enabling the charity to bring the joy of reading and its many benefits to even more children across London.

Supporting Young People From Disadvantaged Backgrounds Through Football

Football Beyond Borders uses football as an engagement tool to support young people from low income backgrounds. The charity believes that football is the most powerful way to inspire young people to achieve their goals and make their voices heard, by giving them the opportunity to develop the skills, attitude and character to succeed in all aspects of their lives. Football Beyond Borders specifically targets young people at risk of school exclusions. They do this through providing long-term interventions in schools, as well as evening and holiday programmes, to re-engage students with their education and help them develop the social and emotional competencies necessary to transition into adulthood.

The Mohn Westlake Foundation’s grant will enable Football Beyond Borders to deliver additional programmes in school holidays and improve the efficiency of its core programmes by creating a Youth Hub. On top of football coaching, the hub will deliver programmes in career development, digital and media skills, social action campaigning, finding paths away from gang activity and overcoming `learning-lag'. This ultimately will prevent more school exclusions and reduce the numbers of young people facing social exclusion in disadvantaged areas of London.