Newham Council is partnering with the Recorder until March 2022 to celebrate Year of the Young Person - marking the achievements of young people and highlighting the services and support aimed at them.

Newham Council said its youth empowerment fund has helped more than 100 young residents by providing financial support for them to pursue their dreams and realise their full potential.

The fund can contribute to the cost of resources, training or equipment that young people need to be able to learn and develop skills in the things they are passionate about, the authority explained.

Law student Golddy Gamor, 22, said: “After completing my undergraduate law degree, the next step in my legal journey was to complete my legal practice course and qualify as a solicitor.”

Although Golddy was able to access student finance, a government loan that helped her cover some of the course costs, she could not afford the remaining fees.

She added: “I was fortunate enough to discover and apply for the youth empowerment fund and subsequently receive funding to help pay for the course.

“Without the youth empowerment fund, I would have been placed in a very financially difficult situation and may have had to reconsider continuing my legal studies.”

Esther Deborah, 20, also applied to the fund to support her studies.

Esther used the grant to purchase a high quality camera so she could improve her photography skills to pass the crime scene investigation and photography module of her forensic science degree.

She said: “The funding has increased my chances of employment in the forensic science sector and I am truly grateful for this opportunity.”

The fund also helped a 16-year-old to follow in the footsteps of her sporting heroes, tennis stars Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal.

It assisted her in covering some of the costs of training and playing competitively in tennis tournaments.

Another recipient of the fund was a 22-year-old civil engineering student who said the financial support he has received will help him “become an influential civil engineer who can make a real impact on the Newham community”.

And Mansoor Wamala, 19, who dreams of becoming a pilot, said: “With this fund, I have been able to pay off my flying fees.

“I would like to thank the youth empowerment fund for the trust they put in me and I encourage everyone to seek out this support.

"If you have a dream, don’t settle. Seek out these opportunities that will make your dream a reality.”

For further information on the youth empowerment fund or to apply, visit: https://www.newham.gov.uk/children-families/youth-empowerment-fund.