Since June 2021, the Youth Empowerment Fund has helped more than 300 young people break down the financial barriers and turn their passions into reality. Hear what young people from Newham have to say about the fund in their own words.
Thanks to Youth Empowerment Fund, I have been able to get a new laptop and have installed star tracker and night sky applications. The night sky and galaxy is fascinating to me. I have not been able to do this on my old laptop as it always froze. The star application helps me when I’m feeling anxious and calms me down. I am very thankful to the Youth Empowerment Fund team for all they done for me.
Male, 14, student
Aspiring: Stargazer
I have friends from different boroughs who don’t have the same support. It makes you glad you’re from Newham. There are lots of people from different backgrounds and ethnicities but the fund puts everyone on the same financial standing and their dreams can come to fruition.
Female, 16, student
Aspiring: Marine Biologist
Due to financial difficulties coming from a single parent household, I’ve doubted how I could come closer to achieving those dreams, but through the help of the Youth Empowerment Fund, I have finally been able to take my first step towards my aspiration of launching my first beauty business. This will aid me in purchasing my kit, equipment and course to learn and start everything in order to become a self-made beauty business owner.
Female, 18, student
Aspiring: Beauty Business Owner
I’m so grateful for this opportunity that the Youth Empowerment Fund has given for young pupils from low income background to fulfil their ambition in future education.
Parent
I just wanted to say a humongous Thank you to everyone involved. With the funding I was able to purchase items to help start up my hair business. As I have always done hair, I wasn’t able to stay consistent or progress as I simply didn’t have the funds. Now that I have received the fund, I was able to bring my vision to life. This has also helped my mental health as I do suffer from depression but have seen that it’s given me hope that my dream is still possible.
Female, 25
Aspiring: Hairdresser
My overall feelings and impressions about the fund is that it is a great opportunity and provides people like myself with an opportunity to get more than they have with money they don’t have.
Female, 22, student
Aspiring: Actress
The Youth Empowerment Fund has been essential in helping me move closer to my goals. It has provided the money I needed for my university travel, which is essential because I have a long commute to lectures. Your support has been amazing. I believe that my positive journey can inspire and encourage other young individuals on their paths to success.
Female, 21, student
Aspiring: Physician Associate
After I finish secondary school, I want to do anything with music – maybe teaching others and performing. The fund has helped me pay for music classes and also funded a guitar and music lessons online.
Female, 13
Aspiring: Musician
I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the invaluable support provided by the Youth Empowerment Fund. The Youth Empowerment Fund has been instrumental in helping me pursue my ambitions more than ever. It has granted me access to the essential resources necessary to kick-start my career in photography. Thanks to the fund, I was able to acquire various items, including a camera, lenses, and more.
Male, 16, student
Aspiring: Photographer
A fantastic opportunity for young people to reach their ambitions.
Parent
The team were very kind, approachable and helpful. I appreciate this help towards my son’s future and goals and this program will help many family’s young children who struggle with money and can’t afford the support to help towards their ambitions. This is an amazing programme and I am so proud of the people who help young children to have an ambition and look positive and work hard towards an ambition. This is a great way to help tomorrow’s generation.
Parent
The Youth Empowerment Fund has helped me greatly in pursuing my ambition by providing me with the necessary funding needed to resit my exams and pursue a degree in law. I will forever be grateful to the Newham youth empowerment team for helping me fulfil my dreams. This is going to make me work even harder to ensure I defeat societal stereotypes about the youth in our borough. I will forever be grateful to you and your team for accepting my application. It honestly feels like a big weight off my shoulders.
Female, 19, student
Aspiring: Solicitor
Anybody eligible for the Youth Empowerment Fund, try your luck. Everybody needs that one edge in life to help them. Despite my studies, the lack of accounting industry experience and practicality was stumping me from obtaining the accounting roles I wanted. This grant has enabled me to enrol on a training course that will allow me to be more employable. Nothing but respect to the team and the initiative.
Male, 23, student
Aspiring: Accountant
I feel surprised by how cooperative and acknowledging the fund is as a whole, and you will always have my respect for attempting to help so many people full of unfulfilled potential.
Male, 16, student
Aspiring: Software Engineer
This funding has really helped me in my education. As a full time forensic student, the funding has provided me with a chance of purchasing advanced technology that is helping me in some of my modules at university. Due to a purchase of a camera it has enabled me to improve on my photography skills, which is essential in my CSI & Photography module. The funding has increased my chances of employment in the forensic science sector and I am truly grateful for this opportunity.
Female, 22, student
Aspiring: Forensic Scientist
My upmost thank you to the YEF team, who dealt with my application and helped me along the way, informing me of the progress. They were very kind and very polite and supported me in receiving the funds and helping my children meet their ambitions. Thank you.
Parent
The Youth Empowerment Fund has helped me toward my ambition by enabling me to afford to pay for my tuition fees for university and focus on my studies without the burden of stress. This has enabled me to pass my first set of exams, and has allowed me to focus on applying for summer internships.
Female, 21, student
Aspiring: Solicitor
I utilised the money from the Youth Empowerment Fund to invest in a MacBook Air that helped me complete assignments and meet deadlines. I managed to achieve a high merit in my fashion business studies and I’m now about to start a fashion marketing undergrad degree.
Female, 16, student
Aspiring: Fashion Designer
The Youth Empowerment Fund has allowed me to continue playing football with boots that fit me which has helped me play better, I am kind of close but not that close to reaching where I want to be and I feel good about the fund because it helps me buy things to be able to get to where I want to be.
Male, 15, student
Aspiring: Premiership Footballer
The application process was simple to complete, allowing plenty of room to talk about our career ambitions and how beneficial the funding could be. I believe this is an incredible opportunity for the young people of Newham who might just need a little help towards growing a step closer to their career goals and I encourage everyone to apply.
Female, 20, student
Aspiring: Pharmacist
The Youth Empowerment Fund has helped us to buy a laptop and tablet so we can do our homework and assessments which are been sent online. We are reaching closer to our ambition as we are now able to do more work on our studies.
Female, 18, student
Aspiring: Physiotherapist
I am immensely grateful for the financial assistance provided to me. The Youth Empowerment Fund is an outstanding initiative for young people in low-income households living in Newham. I firmly believe that a borough that invests in, supports, and grants opportunities to its young people will flourish and thrive. The fund has made a significant difference in my life, and I am thankful to be part and have benefitted of such a remarkable scheme.
Male, 22, student
Aspiring: Financial Services Career
This is an amazing program and I am so proud of the people who help young children to have an ambition. This is a great way to help tomorrow’s generation.
Parent