Liam & Creativity Works

Liam Collins, who is 23 years old and from Croydon, is a 2019 Creativity Works participant. He explains: “I was a Film and Television graduate; getting rejection letters and feeling like I didn’t have a place in the industry.”

Creativity Works is designed to harness the opportunities in London’s creative sector, and help break down the barriers faced by 17-24 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have supported the programme since 2014.

The programme supported 150 Londoners with masterclasses, mentoring, and practical training this year and will provide 100 days of paid freelance work. Berkeley Group volunteers supported the participants with sessions on CV writing and interview skills.

Bob Bamu, a volunteer from Berkeley St Edward, comments: “The session on CVs, cover letters and LinkedIn gave me an opportunity to get up close and personal with the mentees’ aspirations. They spoke about the ideas in their portfolios with such passion. Being able to channel that energy into a structure was a delight for me.”

Liam says: “I saw Creativity Works as an opportunity to get back the confidence I lost, gain new skills and open my eyes to a wider industry. I can confidently say I’ve done all of those things.”

Following the coronavirus outbreak, Mayor’s Fund for London set up My City and Me, a new platform for young people in London and New York to creatively express their feelings on the crisis and how it’s affecting their world. You can see some of their work below.