Inclusive Growth Grant Projects 25-26
Find out about the eight partnership projects funded by the first ever round of Inclusive Growth Grants. Each project brings together a Queen Mary staff member and a community partner for a project that develops inclusive economic growth in East London.
Inclusive Growth on High Streets: skills, employability and entrepreneurship
Led by Professor Alison Blunt (School of Society and Environment, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) and Professor Alastair Owens, Professor Kavita Datta and Professor Simon Macklin.
This project explores how East London high streets can better support skills, employability and entrepreneurship for young people. The project will deliver two focus groups with young people (aged 18–25), followed by a half‑day partnership event at Newham College bringing together councils, VCS organisations, colleges, SMEs and universities.
Project partners: Newham College
Community‑Led Inclusive Growth: Learning from British Bangladeshi Organisations
Led by Dr Mayra Ruiz-Castro (School of Business and Management, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) and Dr Feride Kumbasar, Bente Fatema and Dr Jingjing Fu.
Led by the Borderlines Research Collective, this project will explore and generate evidence of how community-led organisations in East London conceptualise and sustain inclusive growth. The project will deliver co-design sessions, site visits and interviews, a one‑day Community Knowledge Exchange and Inclusive Growth Showcase at QMUL, a short film, and a case study report.
Project partners: Oitij-jo and BritBangla.
Empowered Employment: University Engagement Extension
Led by Dr Stuart Grieve (School of Society and Environment, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) and Ellen Kennedy (Real DPO).
This project will extend an existing employability programme for Disabled young people by embedding student-led evaluation and research. The project will include a student induction session, three co‑produced employability workshops, and a joint evaluation and reflection session.
Project partners: Real DPO
Co‑designing a Women’s Microenterprise Support Pathway
Led by Zinabu Shaibu (School of Business and Management – Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) in partnership with Prachi Bhardwaj.
This project will work with local women aged 18-45 in Newham and Tower Hamlets facing barriers to unemployment, to design more accessible enterprise support. It will deliver a community listening session, followed by a co‑design workshop with participants and partners to outline a future support model.
Project partners: You Make It
Breaking Barriers: Inspiring Home‑Schooled Students to Aim Higher
Led by Dr Tippu Sheriff (School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering) and Jeasmin Begum (Tower Hamlets Council Education Safeguarding Service).
This project aims to increase girls’ participation in STEM by offering fun, hands‑on science workshops for home‑educated young people in East London. Four full‑day hands‑on science laboratory taster days will take place at Queen Mary and at University of East London, followed by a closing event for students and parents/carers focused on education pathways and careers in STEM.
Project partners: Tower Hamlets Council and Royal Society of Chemistry (Essex and East London Local Section)
Circular Economies Community Land Trusts
Led by Dr Alex Cline (School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering) in partnership with Paul Regan (Chair of the E16 Community Land Trust).
This project supports the E16 Community Land Trust to strengthen community-led housing and public space development through sustainability and circular economy approaches. Community engagement activities will include visits to local initiatives (Turning Points East and Community Energy Newham) and engagement sessions with councillors and local authority officers.
Project partners: E16 Community Land Trust
Living and Working with Osteoarthritis in Tower Hamlets
Led by Dr Suzanne Eldridge (The Blizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry) with Dr Daniela Cici and Dr Ballal Seddique.
Osteoarthritis is a significant but under-recognised driver of economic exclusion. In Tower Hamlets, where deprivation and long-term illness rates are among the highest in the country, osteoarthristis forces working-age residents out of work earlier, limits their independence, and places a disproportionate burden on NHS and social care services. This project will help to lay the groundwork for future doctoral research by centring community voices. It will deliver multilingual community surveys distributed via GP practices and community hubs, and a facilitated “coffee morning” workshop bringing together residents with osteoarthritis, clinicians and employment support services.
Project partners: Tower Hamlets Connect to Work Programme, Local GP practices in Tower Hamlets, Idea Store Bow
East London Youth Skillathon
Led by Nurul Ahmed (Careers Service, Student Experience – Professional Services) and Miranda Siow (My Creative Everyday Limited).
The East London Youth Skillathon is a one‑day confidence‑building employability bootcamp empowering young people to see themselves as active contributors to East London’s growth. Young people will work with local organisations through workshops, panels and creative activities focused on communication, storytelling and visibility. Participants will also co‑create a published creative output showcasing their skills. The Skillathon will be aimed at young people aged 18–25 living or working in East London, and local charities, businesses and community organisations seeking to engage emerging talent.
Project partners: My Creative Everyday Limited / Miranda Siow