Youth Platform is central to everything we do at Peckham Platform. Young people play an active role in co-creating our programme of commissions, events, and projects.

This means that:

• Young people take part in co-leading and co-creating our public art commissions, installations, and community events alongside professional artists, curators, and community organisers
• Their voices shape the direction of our programme, ensuring that our activities are relevant and responsive to the needs and aspirations of local youth
• They have the chance to collaborate with established artists and community leaders, gaining valuable professional experience and skills

This approach makes Youth Platform a living, breathing part of Peckham Platform’s core mission to engage, empower, and amplify the voices of young people in the cultural sector.

We work with local youth organisations to support young people facing the greatest barriers to opportunity, helping them build confidence, develop new skills, and explore their future potential in the creative industries and beyond.

How does Youth Platform work?

Youth Platform is shaped of three key strands designed to provide young people with meaningful, long-term opportunities. These strands are deeply embedded in Peckham Platform’s co-creating ethos, ensuring young people’s voices and experiences shape the projects and programmes we deliver across our community.

Creative Access Programmes (CAPs)

Creative Access Programmes (CAPs) are intensive, hands-on workshops designed to introduce young people to the world of creative industries, build confidence, and develop essential skills for future careers. CAPs are delivered in collaboration with schools and youth organisations and are co-led by young people.

• Delivered through local partnerships with schools, youth groups, and community organisations
• Young people gain Digital Badges or Arts Awards as part of their participation
• Focus on building skills in areas like visual art, performance, digital media and creative health

Progression opportunities

We build relationships with young people that support their progression towards the futures they want to build. We embed opportunities across our programme that enable young people to build career ready skills through collaboration with artists, creatives, and professionals:

• Co-Creators work with an artist(s) to embed their voices and creative ideas across each of our co-commissions
• Co-Producers support all areas of curation, production, and delivery for our programme
• Youth Board Members take a lead on our organisational governance and decision-making

Work placements

We provide real-world experience through paid work placements. These placements offer young people the chance to apply their skills in practical settings while gaining insight into potential career paths in the arts, cultural management, and more.

• Opportunities in producing, event production, marketing, outreach, and more
• Partnerships with local cultural organisations and initiatives
• All participants receive Digital Badges as recognition for their contributions

Who we work with

We work in partnership with local schools, youth groups, and community organisations that already support young people facing barriers to education and employment. Through these partnerships, we ensure we reach young people who will benefit from taking part in Southwark.

We currently collaborate with:

• Southwark Youth Justice Service 
• Southwark London Refugee Association
• Local secondary schools and SEND schools (e.g., Highshore SEND School, Harris Girls Academy)

How to get involved

Youth Platform is built on strong partnerships with local organisations. If you’re a youth organisation, school, or community group working with young people in Southwark, we invite you to connect with us to explore how we can work together.

Contact us:  levi@peckhamplatform.com