A proud moment for UP, recognising the impact of UP CREATIVE and our growing community of young people, educators and industry partners across South London.
We are delighted to share that UP has received the Employer Recognition Award for Outstanding Commitment to Inspiring Future Talent in Creative and Digital at the Youth Futures Celebration and Insights Day.
The award recognises UP’s wider commitment to future talent, with much of our creative and digital careers work being led through UP CREATIVE, one of the key pillars of UP.
The award came as a wonderful surprise. For a small charity with a big ambition, this recognition means a great deal. It celebrates the practical opportunities we have created for young people while strengthening our vision of becoming a leading creative careers hub for South London.
Connecting young people with the world of work
Young people are full of creativity, curiosity and potential, but they also need opportunities to understand how their interests can become meaningful careers. That journey is much easier when education and industry work together.
The need for those connections is urgent. More than one million young people aged 16 to 24 in the UK are not currently in education, employment or training, while many others face barriers such as limited access to professional facilities, industry networks and visible routes into creative work.
The South London Careers Hub exists to strengthen that connection. Delivered by the South London Partnership, it brings business leaders together with schools and colleges, helps young people discover the breadth of opportunities available to them and creates more encounters with employers.
Through UP CREATIVE, we are proud to contribute to that mission by giving young people access to real creative environments, experienced professionals and tangible industry experience. Our education programmes are designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry practice, offering structured workshops, live briefs, mentoring and hands-on training in areas such as filmmaking, digital content creation, virtual production and emerging technologies.
The latest figures published by UP CREATIVE show the scale of that work so far: 288 young people engaged through 16 structured sessions, delivered in partnership with 13 schools and youth organisations across five South London boroughs. The programmes have supported young people aged 14 to 19, and UP CREATIVE reports an average 93% increase in participants’ understanding of and interest in creative career pathways.
Young people who engage with UP CREATIVE benefit from exposure to real-world creative workflows, industry-standard equipment and collaborative environments that mirror professional studios. These experiences not only build technical skills but also develop confidence, communication and problem-solving abilities, which are key attributes for success in the creative and digital sectors.
A first encounter with a studio, a production team or a creative brief can change how a young person sees their future. It can reveal a role they did not know existed, build their confidence and help them recognise that there is a place for their voice and talent in the industry.
Recognising Herty Owusu’s commitment
This achievement belongs to everyone who has supported our work, but we would especially like to celebrate our Creative Lead, Herty Owusu.
Herty’s dedication, creative leadership and commitment to young people have shaped our work over the past few years. An award-winning writer and experienced filmmaker, she brings genuine industry knowledge into every opportunity she helps to create. As General Manager and Executive Producer at UP CREATIVE, she leads work that brings creativity and technology together and helps new ideas reach their full potential.
Under Herty’s leadership, UP CREATIVE has expanded its educational offer, delivering programmes that connect schools, colleges and community groups with industry professionals. These initiatives include immersive workshops, project-based learning experiences and collaborative productions that allow participants to build portfolios and gain meaningful insight into creative careers.
Her passion for filmmaking, storytelling and emerging production methods gives young people something particularly valuable, the chance to see professional creative practice up close and imagine themselves becoming part of it.
Her impact can be seen not only in projects completed or skills taught, but in the confidence, curiosity and ambition of the young people who have taken part.
UP CREATIVE: A creative and digital space for South London
UP CREATIVE is one of the key pillars of UP and is central to our ambition. Based in Croydon, it provides facilities for digital media, content creation, virtual production and upskilling. It is a place where businesses, filmmakers, content creators and emerging talent can meet, experiment and collaborate.
In addition to its production capabilities, UP CREATIVE plays a vital role in education and skills development. The space supports a wide range of learning opportunities, from introductory sessions for young people exploring creative careers to advanced training for those looking to specialise in areas such as virtual production, editing, sound design and digital storytelling.
The hub works closely with educators and industry partners to co-design programmes that reflect current industry needs. This ensures that participants gain relevant, future-focused skills while also understanding the pathways available to them within the creative economy.
That mix matters. Young people gain the greatest value when their experiences are connected to real work, current technology and professionals who understand the demands of the industry. At the same time, businesses benefit from fresh perspectives and the opportunity to meet the next generation of creative talent.
This award encourages us to keep building that bridge. We want South London’s young people to have access to high-quality creative career experiences close to home, and we want the organisations around us to play an active role in making that possible.
Join us in creating what comes next
Recognition is worth celebrating, but it is also a call to continue. We know that lasting impact depends on a strong community of businesses, educators, funders and creative professionals who believe in young people.
There are several ways to become part of this work:
- Become a tenant: Join our business community and benefit from connections that can create regular work experience and collaboration opportunities.
- Partner with us: Sponsor a project, share your expertise or help us enhance the experience we provide to young people.
- Use our creative space: Bring your next production to UP CREATIVE and connect with the emerging talent we are nurturing.
- Support education programmes: Collaborate with us to deliver workshops, training sessions or curriculum-linked experiences that inspire and equip young people for creative careers.
UP is the next chapter of an organisation that has supported start-ups and small businesses since its early years by mentoring, connecting and helping them grow. By bringing that established business community together with the opportunities delivered through UP CREATIVE, we can build a stronger pathway from inspiration to experience and from experience to employment.
We are immensely proud that UP has received this Employer Recognition Award, and deeply grateful to everyone who has contributed to the journey so far, especially those helping UP CREATIVE inspire future talent. Most of all, we are excited about what comes next.
Together, we can make South London a place where future creative and digital talent is discovered, supported and given the opportunity to thrive.
Would you like to support the next generation of creative talent? Join the UP community, partner with us or speak to our team about creating with UP CREATIVE.