London Legacy Development Corporation has appointed A New Direction to run the Good Growth Hub on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. 

Opening in April 2021, the hub will offer a range of high-quality career programmes for local young people including London Living Wage-paid internships, support for freelancers, apprenticeships, careers advice and coaching.

Many local residents already have careers via the Park, working in its iconic venues, with leading cultural organisations such as V&A East, Sadler’s Wells, London College of Fashion and Bow Arts through STEP (Shared Training or Employment Programme), or as part of the construction workforce helping to build new homes and workplaces. New developments like East Bank, the culture and education district, promise to bring even more opportunities across a range of sectors. The hub, based at Hackney Bridge, will become a focal point for local people seeking Park-based careers and for employers looking to recruit diverse, local talent.  

The Good Growth Hub will: 

• Deliver growth in the local economy by supporting businesses locally with the skills, networks and connections needed to grow and connecting the talents of east London to the thriving business and innovation district on and around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park; 
• Deliver high quality demand-led training and employability provision that is co-created with employers and local people, that is fit for purpose and meets the needs of all beneficiaries; 
• Increase workforce diversity by connecting under-represented groups to employment and training opportunities on and around the Park.
• Be a beacon of best-practice for inclusive growth by encouraging and supporting employers to deliver fair and inclusive work practices in line with the Mayor’s ‘Good Work Standard’. Developing and ensuring principles such as payment of the LLW as a minimum, and in doing so, providing opportunities to drive positive sectoral change around live challenges and issues. 

 A New Direction will work closely with local partners to deliver activities at the Good Growth Hub that will ensure that the growth on and around the Park is inclusive and that the benefits of economic growth reach the people who live in neighbouring boroughs.  

Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: “Culture and creativity will be at the heart of our economic recovery, and it’s important that we do all we can to allow talented Londoners to build a career in these industries. I’m delighted that the Good Growth Hub will help local people gain access support and training, and enable them to fully benefit from the thousands of jobs that East Bank and businesses in the area are creating.”

Lyn Garner, Chief Executive, London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “There is a huge pool of local talent that the Good Growth Hub will tap into to help local businesses to thrive and to diversify the growing creative, cultural and technology sectors on and around the Park.”

Steve Moffitt, Chief Executive, A New Direction, said: “It’s not always a clear career path into the creative, cultural and tech sector and progress often relies on connections and chance. With the Good Growth Hub, we want to create a better and fairer way to connect east London talent with local businesses.”

Mayor of Hackney, Philip Glanville, said: “Creating more access to jobs, training and skills in Hackney Wick is a priority for Hackney and vital for our residents. As we work to rebuild a fairer more inclusive economy in Hackney, we must respond to this challenge and ensure that local people have the tools and skills they need to realise their potential and enjoy the opportunities available in this growing part of our borough.

“I visited the Good Growth Hub last year to hear how it will be a huge boost to making this happen, and we’re looking forward to working with LLDC and alongside A New Direction so that local people and businesses can benefit from the opportunities right on our doorstep at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.”