How young leaders shaping the future at Olympic Park

Not because it sounds good, but because we believe everybody deserves a chance to reach their full potential, regardless of their demographic or social background.

That’s why we’ve created multiple youth initiatives that support young people with their careers, connecting them to learning opportunities and experiences on the Park from world-class institutions like BBC, UCL and London College of Fashion.

These include East Careers Week, for Year 9 -13 students; East Summer School, for individuals aged 12-17; and Elevate, which empowers 14-30 year-olds in east London to challenge systems that they otherwise wouldn’t get a say on.

Elevate members directly influence decisions that shape the future of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and we’re pleased to announce that a new chair and vice chair have recently been appointed to the Elevate Board.

Renea Henry-Kemp says the Queen Elizabeth Park is committed to supporting young people (Image: LLDC)

Chair Bhav Ghedia and vice-chair Tyler Ebanja were selected by their peers to lead the board in its next phase – providing young people with the opportunity to challenge processes through lived experience, local influence and equitable change.

Born and raised in east London, Bhav’s interests span architecture and design, community engagement, arts and culture and civic participation.

She is particularly interested in how governance and decision-making can act as catalysts for more inclusive and equitable growth.

Tyler, who is also an east Londoner, is an architectural designer with an MA in Architecture and Urban Design.

She has since founded CommonGround Architecture & Design, focused on community-led design approaches.

Bhav and Tyler begin their roles on the board at a pivotal time for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Following the launch of our Framework for Inclusive Growth, which Elevate had a role in shaping, the youth board will help us to ensure that equity and access are embedded into every aspect of Park life.

So what does this look like in practice? Elevate’s achievements include the development of the Future Me Future Youth Conference which has connected hundreds of young people to employers, partners, and career pathways.

Members have also contributed to the Women’s Safety Charter which directly influenced women's safety policy across East London.

Over the next six months, Elevate members will be working with V&A East Museum and V&A East Storehouse.

They will be exploring options for breathing new life into the galleries, presenting fresh perspectives on collections, and discussing how art can engage with current problems.

Opening on April 18 with The Music is Black exhibition at V&A East Museum joins V&A East Storehouse as a free cultural destination created with young people and rooted in East London’s heritage.

Elevate has already cemented itself as part of that legacy, and we can’t wait to see what they do next.

• Renea Henry-Kemp is Inclusive Growth manager at London Legacy Development Corporation.