It’s been an incredible year for the Newham Youth Partnership, as the collective uniting youth organisations across the London borough of Newham has gone from strength to strength.

Following last year’s relaunch, the Newham Youth Partnership (NYP) began 2025 with 40 organisations and is ending the year with over 60 registered members. We could not be prouder of the skill, collaboration, and commitment each organisation has shown.

This partnership of grassroots community groups are also joined by national public sector bodies such as Newham Council, the NHS, and Waltham Forest College, which all create a stronger, more skilled, and well-connected youth sector in Newham. 

Hearing from NYP member Kemi Bamishaye at Distinctive Solutions CIC, she shared: “What we value most about the NYP is its role as a connector. It brings together organisations at different stages of maturity, creates visibility for grassroots work, and amplifies the voices of those working closest to young people.”

Stronger collaboration would not have been possible if the NYP did not start the conversation, connected these organisations with one another, and assisted with the direct delivery of the work. 

2025 also saw new leadership guide the collective. While we said farewell to Rachel Henry, we welcomed the incredibly personable Josh Thomas as Newham Youth Partnership Manager. Reflecting on the partnership, he shared: “Young people thrive when they are seen, heard, and supported. Our role is to remove barriers, connect opportunities, and ensure young people and youth organisations in Newham have the space to grow.” He touches on an important aspect of the partnership, which is the centralisation of youth voice. This is achieved through youth leadership group, Future Light, who ensure that real community change is shaped by the people who live it and know it best.

In April, Future Light delivered a life skills event to fellow young people and organisations across Newham, demonstrating incredible drive and leadership. Young member Promise Fayose played a key role in delivering the event, sharing: “It was a huge milestone for me personally. I’ve learned how important it is for me to step into more leadership.”

Future Light also saw member Temmy transition from attending workshops led by YouPress to facilitating her own poetry sessions for various youth groups throughout the year.

Reflecting on this opportunity, she shared that participation in workshops and leading others gave her a great sense of pride, not just in her own self confidence which has grown, but in the collective impact Future Light had on the community. 

Collaboration and connection is at the heart of the NYP. Whether that’s through recruiting young members to be part of a steering group for Shine (an NHS sexual health service), or assisting the Osmani Trust to run the Young Entrepreneurs Summer Programme. 

Opportunities such as these are an incredible space for young people to develop confidence and future skills. The Lift as We Climb workshops, funded by the Exit Foundation and Youth Empowerment, is a triumphant example of this, focusing on CV writing, interview skills, and public speaking. 

As NYP member Shelina Rahman, from Beckton Globe Youth Zone, shared: “These workshops were targeted to meet the needs of our young people, and to support their health, wellbeing, staying safe, and boost their confidence and self-esteem.”

Throughout the year, NYP also facilitated training to upskill organisations within the collective. NYP members We Belong, Compost, and YourStance, all offered a fantastic chance for other members in the collective to learn from one another and ultimately better support young people throughout the borough. 

The NYP also offered bid writing support throughout the year, where Income Generation Support Sarah Capewell assisted over 30 organisations to access funding. Her incredible talent is in the way that she understands not one size fits all, and assists each organisation on the grounds of their unique infrastructure and goals. 

The Newham Youth Partnership does not look like it’ll be slowing down anytime soon, as 2026 sees big plans ahead. Josh shared that he hoped Future Light would access even greater opportunities in leadership, where they were able to strategise and deal with more systemic issues throughout the borough. 

This collective is driven by excellence, actively amplifying youth voices and powerfully reshaping the borough’s future for all generations to come. Bring on the new year, we are eagerly waiting for what’s next.

Want to find out more or get involved with the NYP? Drop Josh an email at josh@fightforpeace.net, follow the NYP on LinkedInand Instagram, or check out their website.