Last week, our Creative Catalyst Thanet programme was showcased at the launch of Kent as the UK's first Marmot Coastal Region in Dover. 

Creative Catalyst Thanet co-founder Elinor Seath and 24-year-old Stephanie Redwood took to the stage at Maison Dieu in Dover, to talk about the impact of the programme.

Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of University College London’s Institute of Health Equity and a leading global authority on health inequalities, gave the keynote speech.

He highlighted the stark inequalities between the richest, inland parts of Kent compared with deprived coastal communities like Thanet and Dover. 

For example, life expectancy is 2.1 years lower, on average, between coastal and inland areas while in places such as central Margate, men live a whole seven years less than those in Tunbridge Wells.

Sir Michael Marmot said: "The stark, avoidable inequalities that exist between the Kent's coastal and inland communities mean too many people are not living in as good health, or for as long, as they should. This new programme across the county will embed the Marmot approach that research shows will improve local residents' health and wellbeing.”

Creative Catalyst participant and university graduate Stephanie Redwood said: "I was unemployed for five months and I was directed to Eli and Creative Catalyst. I was introduced to Tim from Mother Ultimate, which is a games development company in Ramsgate. I started out on an unpaid placement which then progressed to a paid placement and I'm now in a full-time freelance role."

Elinor Seath said: "One of the successes of this programme has been the wide range of young people who we have engaged with. From young people fresh out of university who've been unable to find work in Thanet to young people who struggled to leave their homes because they suffered from social anxiety, we now have a community of more than 30 young people who meet up monthly, support each other, share opportunities and put on creative events."

Over the past 18 months, Creative Catalyst Thanet has worked with more than 46 young people, with even more joining our monthly peer network held at Arts in Ramsgate.

Paid work placements in organisations such as animation studios A+C, Ramsgate Radio, Looping the Loop and the UK Creative Festival went to 16 young people. Five are now in full-time paid work or starting out in freelancing.

Our programme demonstrates how partnership working, enabling young people with lived experience to take the lead and joining up opportunities across Thanet is making a real-life impact.

Funded by Thanet District Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), we're actively seeking new funders to keep it running when UKSPF funding comes to an end on 31 March.

As part of the launch, Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaren committed to:

• support 200 more young people into jobs or learning
• help 100 residents with additional disadvantages – including care leavers, carers and people with mental ill health – into employment
• enable 150 more people on probation to access education and work 

These initiatives will be delivered through a new Marmot Accelerator Programme.