The youth team took a group of young people from the Gaming Club youth session at the WREC Room on a trip to MCM ComiCon in the summer.

The young people travelled to London and got to:

• play old and new games
• meet celebrities
• try new food
• collect merchandise
• be part of the cosplay community in the UK.

We celebrated the young people of Medway with the MYA in November 2022.

The MYA is an annual event that celebrates the incredible young people in Medway including:

• their achievements
• their success
• sharing their inspirational stories
• their contributions to their local communities. 

The awards show that anything is possible for young people, not matter your age or circumstances. 

The Nerf Events were held at the Victory School Academy. Players could sign up with friends and family for free and play Nerf games all day. 

From Big Team Battles, to Capture The Flag, young people worked together to:

• win games
• complete objectives
• redeem currency at the Nerf shop
• look out for loot crates on the battlefield. 

Our last game was a large scale of Humans vs Zombies, where local police officers took part as zombies and hunted down the players until only one remained.

Youth workers took a group of young people from the Wednesday squad (SEN) session at Parkwood Youth Club for a meal at a local restaurant. 

The young people got to:

• try new foods
• push themselves out of their comfort zones
• spend time with others
• enjoy a social experience.

Big Camp 2022

2022 saw the return of a much loved summer activity, Big Camp.

About the Big Camp

Big Camp gave young people aged 11 years and older an opportunity to experience camping, in some cases for the first time. It bought together young people from all backgrounds and circumstances to enjoy a variety of different activities. 

2022 Camp

This year we took 40 young people to Buckmore Park. On day one they:

• set up their tents
• explored the wooded areas around the campsite
• learned how to cook on the camping stove
• learned camp craft and fire safety. 

On day 2, the young people took part in activities including:

• archery
• an escape room
• nerf and more. 

The Big Camp was supported by:

• all members of the Youth Service team
• officers from Kent Police
• staff from the Fostering team. 

Young people said they really enjoyed their experience and look forward to the next Big Camp.

During the summer, the Youth Services team ran a takeover day at SOAR Trampoline Park and over 100 young people attended. 

Under the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme, Medway Youth Services provided 1000 spaces for young people who receive free school meals to take part in a range of activities. These activities included:

• the cinema
• bowling
• Fenn Bell Zoo
• eating in a restaurant.

The feedback from the young people was very positive and all young people attending enjoyed the session. The session also showed how important the youth service is in Medway because it provides opportunities that are not available to all young people.