‘Ambition, hope and aspiration are alive in Barking and Dagenham. We want our residents to feel proud of where they live. To feel part of the community. To feel like they have a future here. And to feel like the opportunities on offer here – from the Film Studios, to UCL Pearl and the new dentistry school in Barking – are theirs for the taking.’
It Starts Here ❤️: Partnerships for Change
‘As well as celebrating the great and good of our borough, It Starts Here is about bringing people and organisations together to take collective action to make Barking and Dagenham a better place. We’ve already started this through our Days of Action, which bring together council services, Councillors, schools, businesses, voluntary groups and volunteers across the borough. For example:
Education and Youth:
- Top in London for first-choice school admissionsfor two years running; 90% of our schools rated Good or Outstanding.
- Record GCSE and A-Level results; students progressing to top universities and apprenticeships.
- £24.4m investment in schools and SEND provision.
- Expansion of youth services, including a second youth centre and new digital platforms.
Jobs and Skills:
- Over 10,000 residents supported into work and 17,000 upskilled in the past decade.
- New programmes like Connect to Work and sector-based training in construction, care, food, and film.
- Film Barking and Dagenhamcreating jobs and training opportunities, boosted by Eastbrook Studios opening.
For more information, please visit the LBBD website.