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Pop Up Top Up

What's onHer Next Move5 December 2026 · 12:30–4:30 PM · Centrale Shopping Centre, Croydon

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Creative youth enterprise · London

Your
creativity
has value.

We help young people turn creativity into confidence, skills, enterprise experience and real opportunities.

Pop Up Top Up is a creative youth enterprise CIC helping young people take their ideas beyond the classroom and into the real world — through retail, creative projects, workshops, events and enterprise.

Get involvedDiscover Pop Up Top Up
Young people arranging hand-printed tote bags and t-shirts at a London pop-up market stall
The idea is already theirs.

Why Pop Up Top Up?

Creativity is more than a hobby.

What young people call "just a hobby" — making charms, styling, drawing, filming, designing — is often a real skill. We build the bridge between those passions and genuine careers, income and business.

We believe creativity is a serious life skill.

Designing, making, selling, creating content, organising an event, talking to customers, developing a product — those abilities can become confidence, experience and opportunity.

Our programmes give young people the chance to learn by doing — not just by listening.

Overhead view of a craft desk: a hand in a pink glove uses tweezers to place small charms from a tray of gems, letters and beads onto a decorated phone case

“I want to express my creative side, earn money, plus it's really entertaining”

Alexis, 14

  1. 01Making something from nothing — charms, designs, products.Create
  2. 02Turning an idea into something real you can hold.Build
  3. 03Pricing, pitching and earning from your own work.Sell
  4. 04Running a session, a stall, a team, a project.Lead
  5. 05Confidence, experience and a route into real careers.Grow

Our story

How it started

Pop Up Top Up grew from a real-world problem. Our founder ran a creative retail business — and a kiosk in Croydon where customers could discover, personalise and buy creative products.

Young people were drawn to creativity, retail, products and enterprise — yet there wasn't an easy way for them to get meaningful, hands-on exposure to what those skills could become.

“What if young people could step into a real retail environment and actually learn by doing?”

— Khalifa Jones, Founder

The founder smiling at the counter of her Croydon shopping-centre kiosk, Charm Me Creations, surrounded by colourful charms and handmade products
First retail kiosk

Meet the founder

Khalifa Jones

Founder / Director

Khalifa founded Pop Up Top Up from her experience of building a creative retail business, working directly with customers and seeing first-hand how much young people could learn when they were given real opportunities to participate.

Pop Up Top Up was created to give young people more than advice — creating spaces where they can experience creativity, enterprise and opportunity for themselves.

  1. Step 1

    Creative retail

    Running a creative business and learning what customers love.

  2. Step 2

    The kiosk

    A Croydon kiosk where people discovered and personalised products.

  3. Step 3

    The gap

    Young people with talent but no route into real retail experience.

  4. Step 4

    The idea

    What if they could step into a real retail space and learn by doing?

  5. Step 5

    Pop Up Top Up CIC

    And from that, Pop Up Top Up CIC was born.

Our purpose

We want young people to see what we see.

designer

The one who can design but doesn't call themselves a designer.

entrepreneur

The one who can sell but doesn't think of themselves as an entrepreneur.

leader

The one who organises everyone but doesn't realise that's leadership.

Pop Up Top Up exists to help them recognise that potential — through accessible, practical and creative opportunities that build confidence, enterprise skills, work experience and a stronger sense of what they're capable of.

What we do

Learn by doing.

Creative enterprise

Turn ideas into products, concepts and mini businesses.

Retail experience

What actually happens behind a shop, kiosk, market or pop-up.

Workshops

Hands-on sessions in creativity, confidence and enterprise.

Events & pop-ups

Experience real event and retail environments.

Tap to peek

Business & mentorship

Meet entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals.

Content & digital

Content creation, social media, marketing and storytelling.

Confidence

Communication, teamwork, decision-making and self-belief.

Real-world skills

Learn through doing, not sitting in a classroom.

Why it matters

From challenge to change.

The challenges young people face, what we do about them, and the outcomes we're working towards.

Challenge

Financial pressure

Few ways to earn, and little idea how talents could make money.

Outcome

→ Reduced poverty

Young people earning, budgeting and seeing real routes to income.

Challenge

Isolation

Too much time alone, few safe spaces to meet and belong.

Outcome

→ Connection

Friendships, teamwork and a community that has their back.

Challenge

Low confidence

Unsure of their worth or what they're capable of.

Outcome

→ Self-belief

Speaking up, pitching ideas and owning what they've made.

Challenge

No way in

Hobbies are dismissed, and career doors feel closed.

Outcome

→ Real pathways

Experience, references and contacts that lead to work, study and business.

The difference

We don't just talk about skills. We create places to use them.

  • “Today we're learning about customer service.”

    Instead, they might actually: Welcome a customer.

  • “Today we're learning about entrepreneurship.”

    Instead, they might actually: Develop an idea and sell a product.

  • “Today we're learning about teamwork.”

    Instead, they might actually: Help run an event.

  • “Today we're learning about marketing.”

    Instead, they might actually: Create content for a real audience.

For young people

Think you're “just creative”? Think again.

Maybe you draw. Maybe you make things.

Maybe you're always coming up with ideas.

Maybe you love fashion, beauty, music, design, social media, products, events or business.

Maybe school doesn't always give you a place to use those strengths.

That's exactly why we're here.

I make things

Design & product

Fashion, games, crafts, branding

I have ideas

Start-ups & enterprise

Spot a need, build a plan, launch it

I talk to people

Sales & customer service

Retail, hospitality, events

I create content

Social media & marketing

Filming, editing, growing an audience

I organise

Events & project management

Plan it, run it, get it done

I can sell

Business & retail

Pricing, pitching, making money

Sign up to Pop Up Top UpSee upcoming events

Impact

[XX]+

Young people reached

[XX]+

Creative sessions delivered

[XX]+

Business / community partners

[XX]+

Events & pop-ups

Real experiences. Real confidence. Real opportunities.

FUNDERS & PARTNERS

Built with our community

We've worked with, been supported by, or received funding through organisations including…

Our journey

  • VRU — Mayor of London Violence Reduction Unit logoLondon Violence Reduction Unit
  • Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield logoUnibail-Rodamco-Westfield
  • New Era Croydon logoNew Era Croydon
  • The National Lottery Community Fund logoThe National Lottery Community Fund

Current support

  • Black Eats LDN logoBlack East London
  • Reaching Higher

Spotlight

Celebrating the people and organisations who make space for young people to be seen, heard and involved.

Black Eats LDN logo — the words BLACK, EATS and LDN stacked in a bold retro badge

Spotlight · Work experience placement

Black Eats LDN

“They weren't just there. They were present.”

Black Eats LDN welcomed a young person into their organisation through a work experience placement. Instead of watching from the sidelines, they were genuinely included — given the chance to see, participate in and contribute to the process.

Two young people wearing Black Eats LDN event badges stand together between market stalls at BOXPARK Croydon

Schools · Businesses · Partners

Partner with us

We work with schools, community organisations, businesses, entrepreneurs and organisations that want to create meaningful opportunities for young people.

  • Workshops
  • Mentoring
  • Business talks
  • Creative enterprise
  • Retail experiences
  • Event opportunities
  • Sponsorship
  • Product collaborations
  • Work experience
  • Community projects
Let's work together

Future vision

This is only the start.

We want more young people to test their ideas, develop their creativity and experience the world of work — without leaving who they are at the door.

Our vision: more creative retail experiences, enterprise opportunities, workshops, partnerships and platforms where young people can build something, contribute something and discover what they're capable of.

Build the future with us

Have an idea? Let's talk.

Whether you're a young person, parent, school, business, community organisation, funder or potential partner, we'd love to hear from you.

Email usinfo@popuptopup.co.uk
Call us07990870088
Get in touchWork with us