New Youth Clubs Already Engaging Young People in Hailsham

Two new youth clubs, organised by Hailsham Youth Service and launched in December, are already being well-attended and engaging young people in Hailsham and the surrounding area.

‘Network@The Underground’, which recently opened it doors at The Station Youth Centre in Western Road, caters for young people aged 18 to 21 and provides social nights every other Friday from 7pm-9pm.

The club offers a safe space for young adults to drop and meet their friends, socialise and access support. Sessions are free and activities include pool, arcade air hockey and console games. Food and refreshments are also available.

The next Network@The Underground sessions are scheduled to take place on Friday 21st February, Friday 7th March and Friday 21st March.

Also established recently, ‘On-Track Hailsham’ sessions take place at the Station Youth Centre from 5pm-7pm on Wednesdays, providing inclusive sessions tailored for individuals with special educational needs. The club offers a safe space for 10-25-year-olds with SENDS to make new friends, take part in inclusive activities and access support.

Activities at the club are designed to be fun, engaging and educational, to begin to teach the young people important social and independence skills as they move towards young adulthood. Support at the club is provided on a minimum 1:4 ratio, and activities are designed for young people with mild to moderate learning difficulties.

“The Station Youth Centre provides a safe place to motivate, inspire and empower young people in a constructive way, building community spirit and well-being, ” said Youth Service Manager Andy Joyes. “The new centre has become a great addition to the Service’s provision, and it continues to provide a safe space for many young people.”

“Within growing communities, provision also needs to be made for young adults, and by running our new Network@The Underground sessions on alternate Fridays, our hope is to encourage 18-25s to carry on taking part in the wide range of activities organised by Hailsham Youth Service for a few more years – and benefit from our support services too if needed.”

Mr Joyes added: “We also invite young people with special educational needs to ‘hop on the fun’ and attend our new and inclusive On Track Hailsham sessions, where we’re ‘laying the tracks’ for connection and creativity. These sessions are designed to help young people with special educational needs navigate their journey with confidence, engage in interactive activities and improve their teamwork skills at the same time.”

The announcement of the opening of the Network@The Underground and On Track Hailsham sessions was just part of an exciting new chapter for Hailsham Youth Service, following the  purchase of new premises by the Town Council last spring and relocation of the youth service’s operational centre to The Station Youth Centre.

Add to that, the creation of two additional clubs/sessions already this year – ‘Fusion’ and ‘The Lounge’ – both taking place at the Station Youth Centre.

‘Fusion’ creative arts sessions encompass new music, art, drama and film evenings, as well as jam sessions to let young musicians collaborate and improvise. The sessions, which take place on Monday evenings, also feature multimedia and digital arts opportunities, interactive drama and dance performances.

‘The Lounge’ games afternoons, which operate on Monday evenings, offer young people gaming activities including classic board games, team challenges, strategy games, card games and interactive group activities.

“The Service’s various activity sessions are organised to give young people new opportunities to achieve, and to reduce boredom,” said Deputy Youth Service Manager, Joel Cottingham. “Young people are guaranteed to enjoy the variety of activities on offer which they can all get involved in.”

“At the new Fusion sessions, the Station Youth Centre offers a space for young people to hang out, share fun and engaging cultural experiences and is a fantastic opportunity for them to enjoy evenings of music, cinema, art and community spirit. I would encourage young people to take advantage and get involved!”

“The same goes for the new The Lounge sessions. Games are a great way to encourage teamwork, build friendships, and just have some fun outside of school. It’s an opportunity for young people to unwind and enjoy each other’s company, while developing social and problem-solving skills at the same time.”

For more details about the various clubs operating at The Station Youth Centre and Hailsham Youth Service’s offerings at other venues, please send call 01323 841702 or email info@hailshamyouthservice.org.