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Free studio sessions
Two hours free in a professional studio with a technician, for music recording, podcasts, video or photography, booked with partner studios across London.
You leave with a track, showreel or photo set you can show.
Free for young Londoners aged 18 to 25
Talent is everywhere in London. Opportunity isn't.
Pathways Hub makes sure money never decides who gets a creative career. Free studio time, real sets, training and mentors, and back-up through whatever life throws at you.
- £0cost to every young person
- 2 hrsfree professional studio sessions
- 100%of any surplus goes back into the programme
PhotographyPodcastsMusicVideoTrainingWork experienceMentoringPortfoliosCV helpHousing supportSexual healthMental health referralsCreative Lab
PhotographyPodcastsMusicVideoTrainingWork experienceMentoringPortfoliosCV helpHousing supportSexual healthMental health referralsCreative Lab
Why we exist
Young creatives can't afford the room, so they sign away their rights.
Studio space in London can cost around £170 an hour. On minimum wage (£12.71 an hour, aged 21+), that's more than 13 hours of work for one hour in the studio. Many young people can't pay a producer either, so they sign bad deals, give away what they've made, or get taken advantage of by people promising them a break.
Pathways Hub is the answer: a safe space where young people create for free and own what they make, with help for the things that knock careers off course, like housing, health, money and mental health.
It started with our founder, Deborah Molimo. Through her production company she helped young creatives find housing, supported them through crisis and personally paid for a mental health specialist. Pathways Hub turns that care into a funded service for every young person we work with.
What we do
Everything you need to get in, and stay in.
Every service is free to the young person. No catch.
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Work experience in the field
Get hands-on on real film, TV and photography shoots. Lunch, dinner and travel are covered.
You leave with a named supervisor, a screen credit and a written reference.
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Training and masterclasses
Taught by working creatives. Craft: camera, editing, podcasting, music production, presenting. Business: pricing, invoicing, contracts, personal brand, getting paid on time.
You leave with practical skills and know your work is worth paying for.
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Portfolios and CVs
Turn your sessions, credits and projects into a portfolio that gets you noticed, and a CV that opens doors to training, jobs and funding.
You leave with portfolio-ready work and a CV you're proud of.
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Mentoring and referrals
Three to six months one-to-one with a working creative in your field. If you need it, we refer you to a mental health specialist.
You leave with someone in your corner who knows the way through.
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Backstage support
Help and referral for housing (council and housing applications), sexual health (NHS services), money (budgeting, benefits, freelancer tax basics) and mental health (sessions with a registered therapist, plus NHS referral).
You leave with stability, so life doesn't end your career.
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The Creative Lab
A free drop-in space with computers, editing software, recording kit and Wi-Fi. Book a slot and turn up to edit, upload, apply and finish your work.
You leave with the kit you don't own, to finish your work. Venue to be announced.
Backstage support is guidance and signposting. We point young people to the right qualified services; we don't give legal, financial or medical advice ourselves. Work experience is learning, not a job: no set duties or required hours.
Who it's for
Aged 18 to 25 and live, study or work in London? This is for you.
We put first the young people with the most in the way:
- Low-income households
- Care leavers
- Not in education, employment or training
- Referred by colleges, youth services, job centres and councils
You can also refer yourself. Just get in touch.
Get involved- 01
Reach out
Refer yourself, or get referred by your college, youth worker, job centre or council.
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Plan your path
We get to know you, what you make and where you want to go, and what support you need along the way.
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Create
Book studio time, drop into the Creative Lab, join workshops and get out on real shoots.
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Step up
Leave with a portfolio, credits, a reference and a mentor, ready for training, paid work or funding.
Impact
What we're setting out to achieve in Year 1
Year 1 targets These are our commitments, not results yet. We'll report what we achieve.
120young people reached
184free studio sessions delivered
20young people on work experience
12free workshops and masterclasses
30young people matched with a mentor
70%of participants from priority groups
90%leaving with portfolio-ready work
80%reporting more confidence
15moving into training, paid work or funding
How we'll prove it
Booking records, before-and-after confidence surveys, a three-month follow-up with every participant, and three to five case studies a year, shared with consent. Results go in our annual CIC34 community interest report.
Stories
In their own words
Real stories from young people we've supported, shared with their written consent.
[Testimonial to come]
[Testimonial to come]
[Testimonial to come]
Partner with us
Back the next generation of London's creative talent.
Most young creatives in London are expected to work for free to get started. We give them free studio time, real sets, training and mentors, and back them through whatever life throws at them, so talent, not money, decides who makes it.
Fund the programme
Grant funding pays for studio sessions, mentoring, workshops and backstage support. We match our budget to the lines you fund and report clearly against our targets.
Commission places
Buy blocks of studio sessions and work experience for young people in your borough, especially care leavers and young people not in education, employment or training.
Sponsor sessions or kit
Put your name to a block of free studio sessions, or equip the Creative Lab with laptops, software and recording kit.
Open your doors
Host sessions at community rates, offer a space for the Creative Lab, mentor a young person or run a masterclass.
Not for profit, by law
As a community interest company, our assets are locked to benefit the community. No one takes profits, and any surplus is reinvested in the programme.
Transparent
Any purchase from a business connected to a director is declared, priced at or below market rate, approved without that director voting, and reported every year.
Measured
Clear Year 1 targets, follow-up with every participant and an annual public report.
Let's talk about what your support could make possible.
Start a conversationWho's behind it
Led by people who've been doing this for real
Photo slot: Deborah
Deborah Molimo
Founder and Director
Founder of the independent production company Creative Management Studios Ltd. Ofsted-registered childcarer with a nursing background, and a BA (Hons) in Business and Marketing.
Photo slot: Isaac
Isaac Nsereko
Director and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Founder of the production company First Choice Films Productions, bringing young people onto real sets and shoots.
Safeguarding
Safe space, first and always
- Isaac Nsereko is our named Designated Safeguarding Lead, and our safeguarding policy is adopted by the board.
- Everyone working with participants is DBS-checked and trained before they start.
- All contact runs through official channels, never personal phones or social media.
- We keep only the data we need, and we never use a young person's image or work without their written consent.
Got a safeguarding concern? Email deborahmolimo@outlook.com with "Safeguarding" in the subject line. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
Let's build a pathway together.
Young person, referrer, funder, council or sponsor, we'd love to hear from you.
deborahmolimo@outlook.comContact: Deborah Molimo, Founder