Each year The Line delivers a summer Youth Guides programme offering bespoke training, support and employment to young people aged 18-22.
Youth Guides learn and present knowledge about our exhibition programme, East London’s heritage, and the power of experiencing art within nature along the route of The Line.
All Youth Guides are offered bespoke training, and taking part in the programme has proven to improve employability, build confidence and presentation skills, and give insight into creative career pathways.
The programme runs between July and September each year, with reemployment opportunities for graduates of the programme to facilitate our wellbeing walks, guided tours and school workshops. Youth Guides alumni are also regularly updated on other exciting programmes and work opportunities within our networks.
In its fifth year, The Line’s Youth Guides programme employed 18 local young people as Youth Guides and 5 former Youth Guides as Supervisors during the summer months, with guides located at the House Mill, Cody Dock, the Royal Docks, Greenwich Peninsula and the Queen Elizebeth Olympic Park on Sundays.
The 2025 training and collaboration, built upon Youth Guides’ presentation skills, professionalism and offered insight into how an art charity operates. Training included contributions from partner organisations and individuals including University College London, Firepit Gallery, Good Hotel, IFS Cable Cloud Car (TFL), Trinity Buoy Wharf, 1Ace Training, Shamuna Rahman and artists Clare Qualmann, Alisa Oleva and Adam Williamson.
2025 Youth Guides Supervisors:
Iqra Shahban, Samuel Ullah, Niké Shonibare, Zainab Ahmed Ebenezer Atta Boakye
2025 Youth Guides:
Fahim Nuha, Chadonnae Edwards, Maia Szulta, Edie Wright, Jasmina Haque, Tamare Sharu, Nadekah Jahnay Liburd, Faaizah Islam, Anna Zareva, Mingxi Gao, Lamiya Mahamud, Vinisha Varsani, Yvonne Nora Nabukalu, Saniya Tahir, Hamim Al Hussain, Oluwaseun Ige, Anisah Zaynah Tahsin, Rodney Kisten Naidoo
The Youth Guides programme 2025 was generously supported by Amanda Lambert, Izabela Minkiewicz, University of East London, Active Thames, Trinity Buoy Wharf and Newcore Capital.
2024 Youth Guides Supervisors:
Zainab Ahmed, Memika Bickle, Anna Davidge, Iqra Shahban, Jennifer Ubenyi, and Sameul Ullah.
2024 Youth Guides:
Omar Alibrahim, Shah Farheen Alom, Lara Anand, Shuaib Ali, Blake, Maisha Maleha Delwar, Katie Duong, Chinyere Enujiofor, Jasmina Haque, Ava Hodgson, Emilie Huber, Faaizah Islam, Tabea Leiss, Nadekah Liburd, Nasteho Mahamed, Miruna Stefania Minut, Nusaiba Sayed, Mariam Sharaf, Tamare Sharu, and Deborah Adenike (Nike) Shonibare.
The 2024 Youth Guides programme was generously supported by AEG, Amanda Lambert, Arts Council England and Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust.
In 2023, the Youth Guides training included contributions from partner organisations including Art UK, UAL (London College of Fashion), Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust and the House Mill, as well as artist Helen Cammock.
2023 Youth Guides Producer:
Matilde Lai
2023 Youth Guides Supervisors:
Fiza Abbas, Zainab Ahmed, Anna Davidge, Akif Rahman, Summayah Syed and Nihar Tanna.
Youth Guides:
Anna Zareva, Ariana Islam, Ava Hodgson, Charmaigne Turay, Emily Gorst, Evan Usher, Fawziyah Ali, Gohar Javed, Ilhan Mahmed, Iqra Shahban, Jennifer Ubenyi, Juliet Iswuamadi, Maliha Khadija Chowdhury, Mariam Sharaf, Memika Bickle, Nusaiba Raunaque Sayed, Raidah Ahad, Ria Rafiqul, Samuel Ullah, Syeda Shakila Islam, Zakwan Hamidi and Zarin Tasnim.
Developed in collaboration with London College of Fashion as part of Visible / Invisible.
The 2023 programme was generously supported by Cathy Wills Charitable Trust, Freelands Foundation, Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, funded by Westfield Stratford City and Visit Greenwich, and delivered by Foundation for Future London, Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust, The Mayor Gallery and patrons who wish to remain anonymous.
In 2022, The Line extended the Youth Guides programme to include the Royal Docks. We were also delighted to have re-appointed six guides from 2021 as supervisors for the new cohort.
Youth Guides received paid training prior to starting work on The Line, which included sessions with artists Larry Achiampong and Gisela Torres, as well as heritage tours on The House Mill and a session with Alice Proctor (The Exhibitionist).
The Youth Guides were stationed on The Line between Three Mill and Cody Dock and at the Royal Docks every Saturday and Sunday between July and September.
2022 Youth Guides Producer: Shirin Naveed.
2022 Youth Guides:
Abdulhamid Miah, Awais Amjad, Ayesha Mirdha, Charis Odoki, Cheyenne Howard, Condie Baiden, Fiza Abbas, Mathusan Selvachandran, Michelle Sukura, Nihar Tanna, Omolade Adebiyi-Zeal, Poppy Medenis, Ramisa Syeda, Simran Kaur, Summayah Syed, Tabitha Eason, Wafa Ferose and Zainab Ahmed.
2022 Youth Guides Supervisors:
Akif Rahman, Anna Davidge, Ebenezer Boakye, Ella Marsh, Emmanuel Boakye and Fatema Bushra.
Developed in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery and London College of Fashion as part of Visible / Invisible.
Supported by the Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, funded by Westfield Stratford City and delivered by Foundation for Future London and the Royal Docks Team.
The Youth Guides programme was established in 2021. A group of sixteen 18–20-year-olds from East London engaged the public in conversation about works of art on The Line over summer, providing information and sharing their ideas.
The group were recruited through local schools and colleges and offered pre-application training on CV and personal statement writing, followed by one-to-one feedback. Once selected, the group received paid training prior to starting work on The Line, which included sessions with artists Thomas J Price and Othello De’Souza Hartley, as well as Olympic Champion and Adviser to The Line, Christine Ohuruogu.
2021 Youth Guides Producer:
Matilde Lai.
2021 Youth Guides:
Akif Rahman, Alfreda Sivalie, Anna Samantha Davidge-Berry, Asiyah Uddin, Ebenezer Boakye, Edie Joslin, Ella Marsh, Emmanuel Boakye, Eren Koc, Fatema Bushra, Ishita Islam, Lyra Robinson – Winning, Marcella Keating, Maria Dragoi, Obinna Enujiofor and Safa Khan.
Developed in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery and London College of Fashion as part of Visible / Invisible.
Supported by the Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, funded by Westfield Stratford City and delivered by Foundation for Future London.
“I feel much more confident putting myself forward for roles which involve public engagement and public discussion about art. This has boosted my self-esteem.”
– 2023 Youth Guide
“(The Youth Guides Programme) has helped me gain confidence and professionalism when working in a public setting and provided valuable experience I’ve used in other jobs. I think this experience will continue to be valuable in shaping my future career goals.”
– 2024 Youth Guide
“Having something like this on our CV is invaluable.”
– 2024 Youth Guide
“We loved talking to the Youth guides; they were really friendly and knowledgeable and we thought that if they are representative of the next generation then the UK will definitely be ok!”
– Visitor on The Line
