Press releases

NewVIc and Stratford Circus lead creative jobs boost for east London

Sixteen previously unemployed young people from across east London are starting new jobs in theatre, dance, music, new media and creative education thanks to an innovative partnership between Stratford Circus, Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc) and New Deal of the Mind (NDotM) working with cultural organisations Circus Media, East London Dance, Theatre Venture and Urban Development.

The new recruits include Maria DeLa Cruz, who hopes to be a teacher in the future.  As an assistant to Stratford Circus’s Education programme she is gaining valuable experience of working with young children, supporting the Saturday Creative Club for 2- 8 year olds.  Temi Suberu from Hackney is working as a Media Production Assistant in NewVIc’s creative arts department. Using skills gained during her degree in television production Temi is filming and editing college events.  Anthony Sweeney, from Newham, studied dance at UEL and is now assisting the delivery of East London Dance’s Big Dance campaign, which has performances and participation opportunities taking place all over London. 

Mauhsin Hussain, also from Newham, is an Events Assistant for Stratford Circus. He has run his own events in the past and hopes to be managing his own venue one day.   He had been out of work for several months and has found it really tough to find a job.  ‘I think this is a great scheme.  Instead of people just signing on, more organisations should run this scheme so that people can sign on to jobs. It’s made me really happy. One more week of signing on at the job centre and I think I would have become really depressed.  This is something to put on my CV, it gives me a reason to get up in the morning.  I’m getting the opportunity to do loads of things and I’m bagging all the experiences I can.  It’s really growing my confidence.’

The posts, which cover technical, production, education and performance roles, are funded through the Department of Work and Pensions and are part of a job creation programme targeting the arts and creative industries spearheaded by NDotM whose chief executive Martin Bright said, “Sixteen local  people are now starting careers in the arts in proper jobs and these new posts will build on the excellent work Stratford Circus and NewVIc already do.  The creative sector is vital to the UK’s economic recovery and if we don’t support artists and creative entrepreneurs, we could lose a whole generation of talent to the recession.”

Eddie Playfair, principal of NewVIc said, “We’re already really impressed by the commitment and potential of these young people. In a recession the only rational thing to do is to create opportunities like this to develop people’s talents, make sure that they are working on useful projects and applying their skills to meeting genuine community needs.  I really hope the new government’s review of welfare to work will recognise the immense value of schemes like this especially in places like east London which has higher unemployment.”

The new employees come from Newham, Tower Hamlets, Barnet and Hackney and were recruited through local Job Centres.

New Deal of the Mind