Elevate, a programme designed for young people, by young people, made up of a collective of young people who use their unique lived experience to drive innovation, shape change and elevate futures, has awarded £83,751 to 31 local young people and community organisations from the first ever round of the Elevate Fund. 

Over the last 10 years our youth programme has involved over 3,000 young people of east London, through projects such as Legacy Youth Board, Youth Voice, Future Me, Future Youth, East Summer School and East Careers week. Elevate is here to involve, connect and inspire young people of east London to the opportunities on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The Elevate Fund was designed by the Elevate Board to distribute grants for the community, with the community to create meaningful change. The Elevate Board collaborates with funders to support projects that help young people and youth organisations from the boroughs of Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.

The Elevate Fund is supported primarily through funding from  Spirit of 2012  with additional funding from East Wick + Sweetwater and support from Foundation for Future London to reach and empower communities across east London.

This collaboration between Elevate and Spirit of 2012  is designed to bring the legacy from the London 2012 Games – past, present and future – to the forefront. Through this project Elevate will aim to ensure the perspective and experience of young east Londoners continues to shape the legacy of the London 2012 Games.

There are three awards in the Elevate fund:

• BREAKTHROUGH AWARDS: Grants between £5,000 and £15,000 for youth led and youth invested organisations
   
• CATALYST FOR CHANGE AWARDS: Grants of £2,000 for organisations and individuals that want to tackle root problems
   
• YOUNG PERSON AWARDS: Grants of up to £500 for 16-25 years olds to reach a specific educational or developmental goal through the purchase of equipment or support)

James Kaguima, Chair of the Elevate Board said: “The breadth of applications and the benefits that they bring to local young people is genuinely inspiring. We know that this Fund can make a huge difference and it’s great to see significant investment being made into local community groups and individual young people.  We are pleased that our funding has been able to make a difference to local communities and in particular young people.”

Ruth Hollis, Chief Executive of Spirit of 2012 said: “At the core of the London 2012 Games legacy, there was the promise to inspire a generation. It is fitting that over a decade later young people are working to ensure that this promise continues to be at the heart of the legacy from the London 2012 Games and for the communities in East London for many years to come. We are grateful to the young people that put their time and passion into the Elevate youth panel, with LLDC, to make this happen.”

BREAKTHROUGH AWARDS

Elevate has awarded Breakthrough Awards to the following four grantees, who are representative of the local boroughs:

Hype & Genius

Hype and Genius will run a project aimed at supporting under-represented young creative entrepreneurs, offering a series of skills workshops culminating in the launch of a community pop-up shop in east London to showcase a range of skills and products.

Hype & Genius is an award-winning social enterprise dedicated to reducing exploitation in the creative industry. They operate in a 360 and holistic way to support creatives in the community but also to make structural change within creative organisations. They run programmes for underrepresented creatives, curate community events, research, lobby and create industry benchmarks. 

Korinna Williams and Lylo Gold, Co-Director of Hype and Genius, said: “We are thrilled to have been successful for the Elevate Fund and to be supporting the next generation of young, creative entrepreneurs! In our commitment to eliminating exploitation from the creative industry, the impact of grants like this, are invaluable. With this project, we intend to support 45 under-represented creative entrepreneurs in training followed by a community pop up shop; giving young people the chance to make money from their creative abilities.”

Fight for Peace International

Life Champions is a project focussed on transforming the lives of young people living in communities affected by crime and violence. Fight for Peace will run combat sport and mentor sessions, training up 13 Boxing, Muay Thai and MMA coaches.

At Fight for Peace, they support young people to reach their full potential. To do this they combine combat sports with a range of essential youth services. They focus on marginalised communities because typically this is where the need for their work is greatest, and where they can have the biggest impact. They have been working in these communities since 2000 and have impacted the lives of thousands of young people at their Academy in east London, and via a national and international network of partners trained in their approach.

Silvino Domingos, Sport for Development Manager for Fight for Peach International, said: "This funding is going to be a game-changer for us. It will enable Fight for Peace to have an even greater impact: our coaches will be trained to mentor and inspire our young people, and our young people will develop the skills that they need to succeed in their lives. Thank you to the Elevate Board for supporting the next generation of Life Champions in Newham."

The Outrunners Charity

The Outrunners Charity will deliver 46 weeks of after-school and holiday activities for young people who face multiple disadvantages in Newham around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Activities will include accessible fitness, movement, running activities, trips and work experience opportunities – all to develop broader interpersonal skills and support them in setting and working towards their goals in education and beyond.

Tyler Williams-Green, CEO of the Outrunners Charity, said: “We’re so excited to have been awarded this grant by Elevate.. This support will mean we can consistently provide fun and free evening and holiday running and movement activities in and around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for young people over the year. Our run clubs are places where young people feel safe, and supported, and also get opportunities that support their progression in other aspects of their lives. Young people locally have such amazing creativity, energy and determination; it’s so important to be able to support them to get moving in their community and towards their goals - at school and beyond.”

The Outrunners want a world where every young person has access to running and movement and all the benefits they can bring. They’re the UK’s biggest youth-focused running charity, supporting over 550 young people last year with running and movement activities year-round. But they’re more than just a running club. They are tackling ‘the inactivity crisis’ by building a community who move together: removing barriers to participation in running; creating pathways to help young people achieve their ambitions in school and beyond; and driving change to make running, and the benefits it delivers, truly inclusive.

The young people the charity works with have incredible drive, energy and creativity but because of economic disadvantage, racism, gender inequality, or difficult home situations, they don’t get the opportunities they need to develop their capabilities, and progress, at school and beyond. This year, the charity will support more young people than ever, including through the flagship schools programme. Using the power of running and movement, their youth workers help young people improve their wellbeing, social and emotional skills, and access the opportunities they need to get moving - and thrive!

The Outrunners Charity is based on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on the borders of Newham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets.

Urban MBA

Urban MBA aims to address the growing digital divide and lack of entrepreneurial opportunities in young, marginalised communities across ast London. Alongside coaching, talks and workshops, They will deliver a comprehensive one-year level 3 accredited course that combines technology education with enterprise skills. They will focus on transformative technologies such as CRISPR Gene Editing, Quantum Computers, Blockchain and Data Jobs.

Kofi Oppong, Founder of Urban MBA, said: "We are thrilled to receive this generous grant from the Elevate fund. This funding will be instrumental in expanding our EdTech Makers Hub, allowing us to reach and empower more aspiring entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds. With these resources, we can enhance our maker spaces, provide cutting-edge tools and materials, and develop innovative curricula focused on EdTech creation. This support will significantly amplify our impact in fostering the next generation of EdTech innovators and business leaders in urban communities."

Urban MBA is a pioneering educational organisation dedicated to bridging the gap between traditional business education and the emerging field of educational technology. At the heart of their mission is the EdTech Makers Hub, a unique space where aspiring entrepreneurs learn to conceptualise, design, and create innovative educational technologies. They focus on hands-on, project-based learning that combines business acumen with technical skills, preparing students to lead in the rapidly evolving EdTech sector. Their approach emphasises practical experience, mentorship, and real-world application, ensuring participants are well-equipped to launch impactful EdTech venture

CATALYST FOR CHANGE AWARD WINNER

10 Catalyst for Change grants were awarded to the following candidates.
East Wick + Sweetwater contributed funding for 5 applicants, indicated below by an asterisk. The funds awarded to the 5 applicants is part of the developer’s community give back – Future Fund to support local young people prosper.

• Anika Protiva
• Ann Kaguima
• Atiyah Qureshi*
• Beyond Art
• Ebony I.N.K CIC*
• Connect 4 Change CIC
• Gladys Iyamore*
• ReSpace Projects*
• The SHAPES (Standard Hub of Artistic, Product, Design and Service)  
• Tribe Studios*

YOUNG PERSON AWARD

The Elevate Fund granted awards to 17 young people based in the local boroughs. Successful applicants will use the award for courses, training, education and equipment to further their education or career goals.

Notes to Editors

About Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Spread across 560 acres of stunning parklands, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is home to beautifully landscaped gardens, historic waterways, famous sporting venues, a vibrant arts and events programme and the ArcelorMittal Orbit visitor attraction.

As the new heart of east London, the Park is still transforming, providing homes, jobs and an unrivalled education and cultural district housing Sadler’s Wells, BBC, V&A East, UAL’s London College of Fashion and UCL East.

The London Legacy Development Corporation promotes and delivers physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the surrounding area by maximising the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

For more information visit our website (QueenElizabethOlympicPark.co.uk), sign up to our e-newsletter (QueenElizabethOlympicPark.co.uk/subscribe), follow us on Twitter (@noordinarypark) and like us on Facebook (facebook.com/QueenElizabethOlympicPark)

About Spirit of 2012

Spirit of 2012 is the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy fund. Spirit awards grants for inclusive arts, sports and volunteering activities in communities that bring people together to improve their wellbeing. The National Lottery Community Fund founded Spirit in 2013 with a £47m endowment to continue and recreate the spirit of pride, positivity and community that inspired people across the UK during the London 2012 Games. Spirit of 2012’s grant holders range from national to small, hyper-local organisations. www.spiritof2012.org.uk

About Foundation for Future London

Foundation for Future London is an independent charity established to connect the local communities of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with the new East Bank and its globally renowned arts, culture and educational partners to ensure equitable opportunities and fair regeneration in East London. They do this through a genuine commitment to an innovative participatory grant-making approach, capacity-building objectives and sustainable development.

Since launching in 2015, the Foundation for Future London has connected people, places and institutions, from street markets and homeless shelters to galleries and auditoriums. The Foundation for Future London is dedicated to creating new creative employment and transformative life chances for people living, working, and studying in East London. https://future.london