In this guest blog, OJ Senessie, a young creative from Lewisham, reflects on growing up in South London, accessing career opportunities and attending Partisan x OUR PPLS’ Creative Careers Collective at Adidas UK, through the My Ends programme.

Watching South London change has been chaotic. From physically dangerous streets to communities facing existential danger, I’ve seen both struggle and hope.

My name is OJ Senessie, and I am a student at UCL studying Global Health & Development, and an advocate for education, healthcare equity and human rights representing young people globally.

I am also a creative, living at the intersection of fashion, film, and sport. I’m a model who has worked with major brands like Adidas and Puma, and I’m training for the British Stunt Register with action and doubling experience in major films. Within sport, I’ve been both an athlete and have supported others from grassroots to elite levels.

But whilst I’m pushing on through life, my childhood friends never will. Having lost too many to violence and having lived through the struggles we face as communities, I know that I want to become the change I want to see in the world. I want to use my background across the creative sector, sport, and sciences to make a positive impact on as many people as possible globally.

So far, it’s been an uphill battle.

When I’m on set, at castings, even in lecture theatres, there often aren’t people like me. Access to opportunities is scarce. Often, people from similar backgrounds must wear a social mask to compete. Being ourselves isn’t palatable. It’s tricky connecting with people and feeling welcome in spaces where the gatekeepers of those spaces have no affinity with you, so we adapt on the go.

In the wider socio-economic context of job scarcity for young people, the cost-of-living crisis, lack of access to creative industries, and with social media being the only guide to success, mentorship and community are needed now more than ever.

So, when I received a message from my friend about a creative careers event at Adidas, hosted by Partisan and OUR PPLS, for young people from Lewisham, I signed up without hesitation.

*The Creatives Careers Collective at Adidas UK, co-designed by a young person on Partisan’s My End, My Lewisham programme. Photo: Lucy Philip*

I knew the Creative Careers event would be a good opportunity to meet people knowledgeable about the creative industries, and I couldn’t say no. This was perfect for me because I wanted to dive deeper into production and film, as well as into the arts, to feed into my own personal development.

Up until then, I hadn’t come across Partisan. After briefly looking into them, I saw they were a grassroots organisation promoting healing and supporting Black and racially minoritised communities, with a team that partly consists of clinical psychologists. This event was being held as part of their My Ends programme for young people in Lewisham. I was excited to learn from experienced professionals with a connection to my area, and this gave me a lot to look forward to.

On the day, I think my peers could tell, as I kept checking the clock during my lecture, that I was itching to leave. I cycled from campus to the Adidas office, where I was warmly welcomed by the team, who explained how the evening would run. Explanations aside, I could see young people of varying ages, at different stages, all bound by the pursuit of development.

There was a panel discussion hosted by OUR PPLS, with a range of creative professionals sharing how their upbringing in ‘the ends’ shaped them, along with my favourite part: speed mentoring. This was brilliant.

For a short period, we were able to meet new mentors, discuss what we did, and receive advice. I valued this greatly because it exposed me to people doing different things.

One of my mentors was Edward Adonteng, a poet. I had previously only shared my poetry within my university writers’ society, but it was reassuring to share my work with him and be encouraged to push for publication. We’ve stayed in touch, and he has given me a great deal of direction into the literary industry and creative communities in London. Another great mentor was Eyram Dzotsi, who leads a plant-based Afro-Caribbean business, Garden of Afruika. After discussing my recent endeavours, we spoke about providing education on gardening, food, and sustainability, and he also shared how I could use my creative skillsets to do so.

Not to take away from the other amazing mentors working across industries such as production and filmmaking, but I wanted to highlight these two because they were not necessarily working in areas directly related to what I do, yet they inspired me to combine my creative and academic skillsets. Young people need a wider perspective, alternative routes to success, and guidance on how best to utilise their talents.

Having access to a wealth of support is something that most people like me from South London simply don’t get. We must often work things out on our own, especially within the creative world, which is complex to navigate.

If I found this event helpful, despite having some experience across different industries, imagine how useful it would be for those much younger than me, without exposure to those industries.

I’ve worked with hundreds of young people aged 4–19 in education and sport, and there are recurring themes among those who want to work in creative fields. Firstly, fear and anxiety stemming from not knowing how to break into their desired field are significant. Young people, including my peers, often raise concerns about being the only ones from certain backgrounds and either fear or have experienced discrimination at multiple levels. All of this comes before even considering the necessary skillsets. When I am told I “need to look more African and less ‘hood’” on set it becomes a very real concern. There isn’t a manual for navigating inequality and discrimination.

Fortunately, there is something better than such a manual.

Events like this arm young people with the knowledge to achieve more and access the community, instilling them with the confidence to tackle barriers head-on. It isn’t every day you get to go to the Adidas office.

I hope more events like this happen in the future and reach as many young people as possible. There is so much more I could say about the event and Partisan, but I will be concise.

Where social conditions create an uphill battle for some communities, organisations like Partisan help level the playing field and give young people like us, who face more hurdles, the power to overcome them, offering them a place to land.

About the author

OJ Senessie is a model and trainee stunt performer whose work spans film, fashion, and sport. He studies Global Health & Development at UCL, with a growing interest in how cultural and social systems shape life chances. His advocacy work in spaces including the UN focuses on human rights, education, and biosecurity, aiming to amplify underrepresented perspectives and influence policy and practice.

You can find him on Instagram & LinkedIn.

About My Ends

My Ends is a London-wide programme funded by the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU). It supports partnerships in neighbourhoods most affected by youth violence to design community-led responses, led by those who know their areas best. Partisan has been part of the Lewisham My Ends consortium for the past two years, working with young people to explore safety and community wellbeing in Lewisham.

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