Christmas is a busy time of year and it has played havoc with some of the plans but 2023 is just round the corner and it’s going to be great!

Media Makers 2 are going to be playing catch-up after illness and work experience days meant cancelling the last two sessions in December. So, we’ll be back in the New Year to carry on – there’s more editing to do and an film screening to organise and agreeing the next steps – because it doesn’t end there. There are other little films to make and more specialist workshops to run at weekends.

Young Leaders, have had a fantastic year. Many of the group who have been running activities with younger children are near to completing their ASDAN leadership qualification which will be great for their CVs but more importantly for themselves and their own personal development. Young Leaders will be starting back as normal at Youth Club after New Year.

We expect there to be more parkour as the weather improves, new workshops and a summer event – and, if all goes well, we’re hoping to be able to hold an outdoor cinema night to the mix, so watch this space.

Finally – a huge thank you to our fantastic Young Leaders, our Media Makers, the young people who’ve run, jumped and skated, painted and bounced at events, the organisations who’ve hosted and supported us – the Gillingham Town Council, the Slade Centre, Gillingham Youth Centre, Riversmeet Leisure Centre, Gillingham School.

We hope you all have a great Christmas and look forward to seeing you in 2023.

We’re sorry to announce that as the result of unforeseen circumstances the Silent Night Silent Disco has been cancelled.

Ticket holders have been notified by email.

Our second Media Makers group have been having loads of fun working with film makers to create their own newsreels, using a mix of location filming and multi-camera studio shoots.

Everyone’s had the chance to try all aspects of production and then spend more time on the thing they like doing best which could be scripting, presenting in front of the camera, camera work, and directing or vision mixing.

Young people from our first Media Makers group who took part in the filmed consultation project in the summer have stayed on as Media Maker Leads to support those new to the project and the project leaders are really grateful to them for all the help they’re able to give.

We’re hoping to run community based themed taster workshops on Saturdays early next year so watch this space if you want to get involved.

October half term we held an Introduction to Parkour session in Harding’s Park. Young people came along and had tuition from two amazing tutors and were soon flying through the air, jumping over ‘horses’ and making the most of the physical environment including play frames and boulders.

The day was open to everyone and the tutors who teach parkour across the south west were brilliant at working with young people of all ages. Zoe and Bekah were on hand to manage the event and Katie, one of our star Media Makers came along to the film event.

Feedback was very positive and everyone wanted to know when the team would be back – the answer is watch this space! It’s a bit wet and wild at the moment but as the weather improves in the spring we hope to be able to run more.

Cinema and skateboarding seem to be the most popular things that young people want access to in Gillingham. Over 400 people have filled in our survey so far and if you’ve not filled it in – then why not?! There might be other things that you are interested in but we need you to tell us.

You can let us know what you think here – it really does take only two minutes.

We might not be able to actually build a cinema but it’s got us thinking and we are exploring the possibility of holding outdoor cinema nights. We could also arrange for regular skateboard lessons for those who’ve never been on one before but fancy a go as well as those who want to master their next trick.

Meanwhile others have suggested free yoga classes, art clubs, cooking, bike tracks. We want to make sure that there’s room for smaller activities too so don’t be shy in coming forward with ideas.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/funthingstodoingillingham

“The funnest day of my year” was how one young person described the day as he got out of his sumo suit after flattening his opponent and headed off to have a go on the giant inflatable ‘Hungry Hippos’.

The first GY Collective event took place on the first day of the holidays. Completely free, there were pro scooter, bmx and skate demos and open competitions, inflatables and the chance to have a go at graffitti art, plenty of free ice pops and cakes made by Gillingham Young Parents group.

The weather wasn’t great but it held out and everyone had a great time.

It’s a good starting point to build on but we need your help and input to make sure it’s the event of your dreams – so get in touch!

Come along and celebrate the start of the holidays. With a skatejam run by Team Rubicon, free inflatables and the chance to try your hand at some graffitti art, if you’re 11-19 then this is a day for you.

The skatejam will run from 11-4 starting with demos. Inflatables will be available until mid-afternoon.

If you’re a skater under 11 then you’re welcome to join in but other activities are aimed at older people, 11-19.

We asked what you would like to do in Gillingham – for FREE! and so far these are the results. (The bigger the word the more people said the same). Do you agree?

There’s still time to get your suggestions in… Fill in our simple survey and tell us what activities you’d like to see happening for young people in Gillingham.

When the results are all in we will then do our best to make as many of them happen as possible.

We are delighted to announce that Zoe Matthews has joined the team as our young part-time Communications and Project Coordinator. Zoe is hugely community-minded and we are thrilled to have found someone who is local to Gillingham and a Gillingham School alumni to help us develop the project.

Zoe brings with her a wide range of experience and is already proving herself to be the go-to person for the project, keeping everyone organised, informed and in line.

Until the official project phones arrive, you can get hold of Zoe using the general project email – info@gycollective.com.

Do remember that she is part-time and will be working flexibly so please be patient. For anything more urgent you can leave a message for her by calling the Rendezvous – 01935 814486 or ask to speak to Andrea (Rendezvous Administration) or Helen (Chief Exec).

Urban orienteering…

Did you know that Gillingham, Dorset is one of the few towns to have its own urban orienteering trail? In fact, do you know anything about orienteering? And, what’s it got to do with Gillingham Youth Collective?

If “Covid & Me” was the film that kickstarted the use of media in youthwork in Gillingham then “Find Your Way” is the film that sent it on our way. The making of the film helped us formulate our ideas around the use of film and was a key part of our application to the National Lottery Community Fund for the Gillingham Youth Collective project.

But if you don’t know anything about orienteering (and some of us didn’t) take a look at the short film made by the Rendezvous outreach team. Working again with film-maker Marianne King and a group of young people from the town it explains what orienteering is and how to take part.

The film was a long-time in the making owing to the ongoing interruptions caused by Covid-19. But, we got there in the end and several of the young people involved had so much fun that they are now involved in the Gillingham Youth Collective and we plan for many more to join them over the next five years.