Community news
Fight for Peace Transforms Academy Hub with People Powered Places Funding
Local youth organisation Fight for Peace has re-designed the central hub of their Royal Docks based Academy, thanks to funding from Newham’s People Powered Places programme.
The project aimed to transform Fight for Peace’s hub, originally constructed in 2019 to integrate the Academy's various sections, into a more welcoming, receptive, and comfortable environment for young people, parents, and visitors.
A team of eight young people and staff worked together to plan the re-vamp. James Morgan, Head of Operations, explains that young people had long desired a more suitable hub space, making this project a prime opportunity. Collaboration between youth and staff resulted in a space that represents collective needs across the organisation.
One of the main aims of the project was to build connection and comfort. To this end, a new sofa and eight cube stools were purchased and installed in the space, alongside a large table with room for ten people, and smaller coffee tables for young people to gather, play games, catch up and build relationships.
Entertainment was another key factor in the planning of the space. The steering group purchased a large flat screen TV for showcasing combat sports, music, and event promotions. They also added a foosball table, complementing the existing table tennis setup from the hub’s previous set-up.
Finally, efforts were made to ensure the space remained true to the Fight for Peace brand. The furniture colours were chosen to reflect the organisation’s primary and secondary brand colours, and the entire hub was given a fresh coat of paint to rejuvenate it.
It’s really nice to see how our ideas were turned into a reality in the new hub
Ashlei, member of Fight for Peace's youth leadership group.
“I am very grateful to have been a part of the hub redesign as I can see how it has impacted Fight for Peace positively as a whole,” said Ashlei, who is part of the Youth Power youth leadership group at Fight for Peace. “It’s also really nice to see how our ideas were turned into a reality in the new hub.”
Aziza, another young person on the project’s steering group commented: “My voice was heard and listened to. When some of my ideas were shown into the final piece of the hub I felt important and taken seriously. It gave me a chance to feel more involved with Fight for Peace.”
The hub redesign was one of 120 projects funded by Newham’s People Powered Places programme, with extra funding from the Royal Docks Team to support initiatives across Custom House, Canning Town, Beckton and the Royal Docks.
The launch of the new hub coincided with Fight for Peace’s 2024 Annual Awards, a fitting ceremony for young people to test out what the enhanced new space had to offer. Watch this space for some further improvements planned over the coming months including a mural behind the reception desk.
