Young people will shape a community-led, community-owned creative hub in Barking
A new Creative Youth Hub will give young people aged 16 to 30 somewhere to meet, create and turn their ideas into action. A site has not yet been chosen, but the current search is focused on Barking, where residents identified a need for more flexible space for young people.
The idea came from Spaces+Places, our 18-month exploration with twenty local Neighbourhood Stewards to research and identify what community asset could make the greatest difference in the borough.
Neighbourhood Steward, Bhav Ghedia said:
“We started with over 25 ideas which we debated, refined and in some cases set aside. It wasn’t always easy. It took time, we had to be patient, we had to compromise. But our conversations always came back to young people.We challenged stereotypes and started thinking more along the lines of ‘What if they had somewhere to go; somewhere to connect and create.’ Now that vision is becoming a reality.”
An initial £1.8 million investment
BD Giving is committing £800,000 from its endowment, which was established in 2020 using Neighbourhood Infrastructure Levy funds transferred by London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council. The Blagrave Trust has committed £1 million towards the hub and Good Ancestor Movement has pledged to raise up to £1 million through its community of wealth holders. The partners will also fund staffing, community engagement and building operating costs.
Unlike projects that depend on short-term funding, the aim is to create a permanent community asset that can support generations of young people. It will also connect with other youth organisations and spaces across Barking and Dagenham.
Géraud de Ville de Goyet, Chief Executive of BD Giving, said:
“Creating opportunities for young people requires more than programmes and grants. It also requires places where connections can happen, ideas can develop and communities can build power together.This partnership combined with residents’ vision and long-term investment, will make Barking a magnet for local young changemakers.”
Young people will lead the way
A steering group made up mainly of young people will guide the hub’s development. It will prioritise young people who have experience of deep-rooted inequality or are working to challenge it.
Young people will help make decisions about the building, what happens there and how it is run. Over time, the partners intend to transfer ownership to a democratic community structure, so that the hub is held locally for the benefit of future generations.
Eli Manderson Evans, Chief Executive of The Blagrave Trust, said:
"The Blagrave Trust’s strategy, Leading with Hope, is about backing young people and communities to shape their own futures. We chose Barking and Dagenham because young people here are already leading change and because the foundations for community-led decision making are already laid through the great work at Barking & Dagenham Giving. We know young changemakers need permanent places, not just programmes. This investment is about creating infrastructure that young people can shape, use and eventually own — building community power, creativity and opportunity for generations to come."
Kiki Mager, Director of Resource Mobilisation at Good Ancestor Movement said:
"This partnership is about wealth, land and decision-making power being held in communities for the long term. At Good Ancestor Movement we believe that when philanthropy shifts from funding short-term projects to resourcing community ownership and collective power, we can build an economy where everyone can thrive together."
What happens next
There is much to do and plenty to decide, including where the hub will be, what it will offer and how it will operate.
Over the coming months, we will share opportunities for young people and other residents to help shape the plans. Sign up to our newsletter or follow Barking & Dagenham Giving on social media to receive the latest updates.
