STEP 9

12-month paid traineeships for young East Londoners to experience a local entry-level role in the creative, cultural, or digital sectors

STEP is designed to match young East Londoners with local entry-level roles so they can gain the experience and insights needed to inform career options, inject creative energy and ideas into committed local employers, and increase pathways into our growing local creative, cultural, and digital sectors.

Participants joining our popular traineeship will be matched with committed local businesses to experience an entry-level role and get paid a London Living Wage (£11.95/ph) or above salary over 12-months. As part of the training programme, you'll be guided through a curriculum as you take part in monthly professional development workshops, connect with a group of like-minded creatives, and are given a budget to boost your portfolio with a collaborative creative project. Those on the programme are also connected with a specialist industry mentor who provides personalised career coaching and continue to support your creative employment journey as you graduate the programme as an alumnus and join our wider creative community.

STEP 9 has 12 unique paid placements in the following focus sectors:

  1. Museums & Galleries
  2. PR and Marketing
  3. Charities
  4. Fashion & Design

  • Who can apply?

    • Aged 18-30 (from application date)
    • Living in the London boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham or Waltham Forest. With priority given to those who also went to school or college in one of these four boroughs.

  • Who's involved?

    Employers offering placements for STEP 9 include:

    Participants will also work closely with the Good Growth Hub's in-house team of friendly youth workers and facilitators as we deliver regular training in partnership with industry experts, including careers and employability workshops, mentoring and coaching and bespoke professional development.

  • Watch behind the scenes

  • Who supports the programme?

    STEP is delivered by the Good Growth Hub – operated by the Employment &

    Skills team of London-based creative youth charity A New Direction. Good Growth Hub and its activities are funded by the London Legacy Development Cooperation (LLDC) with investment from the Foundation for Future London, through the East Bank Partnerships’ New Talent Future Leaders programme.

    Previous programme employment or curriculum facilitation partners include: London College of Fashion, East London Dance, Foundation for Future London, NTS, Artichoke, Rosetta Arts, Pooja Sitpura (Young People’s Programmer, National Theatre) Juliette Larthe (Founder, Prettybird), Thristian (Creative Director, Worldwide FM) Leyla Tahir (Marketing Manager, Tate), Navjot Mangat (Interpretation Manger, V&A East), Catherine Ince (Chief Curator, V&A East) Georgia Catt (Producer, BBC Podcasts), Dramatic Resources, Richard Cross (Programming Manager, Sadler’s Wells), Olivia Twist (Illustrator and UAL Lecturer), Haja Fanta (Creative Producer), among others.

    STEP first launched in 2017 and has had 8 intakes to date. If you'd like to support or partner with the programme, get in touch by emailing goodgrowthhub@anewdirection.org.uk

  • Programme
    STEP
  • Status
    Participants in placements or showcase
  • Dates

    November 2023 – 2024

  • Eligibility

    Aged 18–30, Living & educated in East London

  • Number of Places

    12

Programme participants

Lauren Kwawu
Alicja Jedryka
Em Hutton
Anastasia George
Nana Mills-Robertson
Chanelle Johnson
Soe-Myat Noe
Louis Masterson