COLLABORATE: SAFER SPACES – Networking & Capacity Building Event

We are delighted to invite you to an in-person Networking & Capacity Building Event for COLLABORATE: SAFER SPACES commission, part of the fifth and final year of the Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund programme.

Join us for an interactive networking and capacity building session designed to strengthen existing partnerships and help you find new collaborators as you work towards your COLLABORATE: SAFER SPACES Expression of Interest.

The event will bring together organisations from Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest to:

• Connect, collaborate and co-create with other Foundation for Future London grantees and partners
• Develop key skills through our capacity building workshop on impact reporting
• Meet potential partners and explore cross-sector collaborations
• Build sustainable partnerships that extend beyond the funding programme
• Learn about our co-missioning approach and get application guidance
• Network with Foundation for Future London grantees and partners

PLUS: Special Workshop: One-Page Impact Report Masterclass

Led by Lisa Stepanovic MBE, our Capacity Building Programme Lead, this hands-on session will help you demonstrate your impact so that you can secure funding, source investment and create trust in your brand. In this session, Lisa will show you how to create a one-page impact report that is both creative and concise, with step-by-step guidance, hands-on examples, and a reusable template.

This jargon-free session will cover:

• Why write an impact report
• How to structure an impact report
• Short overview of inputs, outputs, and outcomes
• Importance of proving your impact to stakeholders and beneficiaries
• Editable takeaway one-page impact report template, which you can use to evaluate all your projects!

About Lisa Stepanovic MBE

Lisa is a working-class, award-winning social entrepreneur, experienced businesswoman, activist, and mentor, born and raised in London’s East End. She is best known as the founder of Social Ark. Social Ark builds on Lisa's many years of experience in running her own businesses and supporting hundreds of entrepreneurs on their journey, especially those from working-class backgrounds who often find themselves excluded from mainstream incubator and accelerator programmes.

About our Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund

Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund is an innovative five-year programme that aims to invest £10 million into the local communities of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Waltham Forest, supported by retail destination Westfield Stratford City.

This flagship project will provide new jobs, learning, training and educational programmes through arts, culture, innovation, public realm and creative placemaking.

The programme aims to transform and catalyse the lives and careers of people in East London by putting funding, resources and support straight into local people’s hands

About COLLABORATE: SAFER SPACES Commission

Learn about our COLLABORATE: SAFER SPACES commission

Support resources for applications:

• FAQ live document
• Partner finding form

Join a Collaboration ‘Cuppa’:

• Tuesday 22 July, 10am to 12pm ONLINE
• Wednesday 5 August, 10am to 12pm ONLINE
• Tuesday 12 August, 10am to 12pm ONLINE

More Information About the Event

Capacity: Maximum capacity is 100. Please register your place and up to two other people from your organisation. This event is free and open to individuals, organisations and businesses working and living across the local communities in the London Boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest

Accessibility: A BSL interpreter will be at the event. A quiet space will be provided for relaxation and quieter conversations. Ground floor, step-free access. If you’d like to inform us of any access requirements or have any questions, please contact us at grants@future.london.

Venue: Stratford’s creative landscape continues to grow with the emergence of THE SOURCE — a dynamic cultural hub, the home of Stratford Youth Zone and a café that has become a cornerstone of East London’s artistic and community life since its opening in 2023. Formerly known as Stratford Circus, THE SOURCE has been transformed into a vibrant, inclusive space for young people, artists, local residents, and visitors. Alongside its performance and events programme, THE SOURCE now houses an onsite café, offering a relaxed, welcoming environment for audiences, creatives, and the wider community to meet, work, and connect.

In partnership with the University of East London and London Borough of Newham’s Youth Empowerment Service, THE SOURCE serves as a platform for emerging talent, artistic innovation, and community collaboration.

About Our Venue

THE SOURCE

Stratford’s creative landscape continues to grow with the emergence of THE SOURCE — a dynamic cultural hub, the home of Stratford Youth Zone and a café that has become a cornerstone of East London’s artistic and community life since its opening in 2023. Formerly known as Stratford Circus, THE SOURCE has been transformed into a vibrant, inclusive space for young people, artists, local residents, and visitors.

Alongside its performance and events programme, THE SOURCE now houses an onsite café, offering a relaxed, welcoming environment for audiences, creatives, and the wider community to meet, work, and connect.

In partnership with the University of East London and London Borough of Newham’s Youth Empowerment Service, THE SOURCE serves as a platform for emerging talent, artistic innovation, and community collaboration.

UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON

The University of East London is a public university located in the London Borough of Newham, London, England, with three campuses in Stratford and Docklands. Following the opening of University Square Stratford in September 2013, it has expanded its presence.

Photo: Chris Baker