01.10.2024

We are Spotlight youth space turns 10 years old

We are Spotlight celebrates a huge milestone – our 10th birthday! 

We’ve been clear in our vision to empower young people in London, from day 1 to day 3650. This marks a decade, of engaging 15,000 young people.

This is a huge moment for all. Our big thank you to everyone. Our staff old and new, volunteers, young people, locals and families, who have been a part the Spotlight community —together, we are Spotlight. 

We can only do the youth work we do as part of the social housing offer of Poplar HARCA. We advocate for a youth offer as part of social housing and our model is a shining example of this working.

Our oustanding achievements:

• Engaging with 15,000 young people (as of 2024)
• Engaging with 1800 young people via preventative outreach work (as of 2024)
• Health Spot –  puts young people in control of their healthcare. Our GP service in a youth space and supported by specially trained youth workers.
• Our Record Label Spotlight Sounds. In collaboration with Sony Music & Apple Music and Spotify, BBC 1Xtra, GRM Daily and Resident Advisor to develop and launch up and coming artists. Including several released singles and two albums.
• The Youth Empowerment Board
• Diploma in Sporting Excellence
• Expanding our service across 4 satellite sites
• Limehouse Boxing Academy has young boxers on team GB, gain sporting qualifications and raise awareness with their KO Racism campaign.
• We’ve hosted dance events like #SpotlightsUp with Urban Interface Dance UK. In collaboration with our resident dance partners IMD Legion, One Youth Dance and Boy Blue ENT.
• Leaders in youth work research: Creative Youth Work Report / HEAL Research study. In collaboration with Queen Mary University
• Our Spotlight film celebrating 5 years
• Our Spotlight Documentary invites young people to Lead Our Future, at our 10 years milestone.

Read more of our outstanding achievements here.

A huge thank you to everyone who partnered with us on the festival.

Line up:

• Ed Weezy
• DJ 44
• GWENSTACY
• THE HITTERS 
• Onosé
• Spotlight Sounds artists

And a huge thank you to our caterers:

• Bagel eats
• Simply Moreish Caribbean Caterers
• Premier Bakes

Finally, our huge thanks to Kelios Amey Docklands and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Holiday Activity Fund,  for contributing towards funding the festival. 

Photography by Rakib Syed.