🎵🎨 Free Creative Opportunities for Home Educated Young People at Southend YMCA

Looking for a creative way to learn new skills, build confidence and connect with other young people?

Southend YMCA offers a range of exciting free-of-charge creative opportunities for young people aged 10-16, funded through the Million Hours initiative. From making music in our professional studio through All In Music to exploring creativity through The Doodle Studio, our sessions provide safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces where young people can develop new skills, build confidence and make new friends.

All sessions take place at Southend YMCA's Newlands Centre. To ensure activities remain engaging, appropriate and high quality, sessions are delivered within specific age-bracketed groups wherever possible.

🎸 All In Music

Our award-nominated All In Music programme is based in a fully-equipped music studio and provides opportunities for young people to get involved in:

• Build-A-Band sessions
• DJ workshops
• Home Education music groups
• Songwriting and lyric writing
• Music production and recording
• Instrumental and vocal development
• Creative collaboration with other young people

Whether you're an experienced musician or trying music for the first time, our sessions are designed to be welcoming, supportive and accessible to all abilities. Young people can develop confidence, creativity, communication skills and teamwork while exploring their passion for music.

🎨 The Doodle Studio

We're excited to be piloting The Doodle Studio, a brand-new art session for young people aged 10-16.

The Doodle Studio provides a relaxed, welcoming and inclusive space where young people can explore their creativity, learn new artistic techniques and connect with others who share similar interests.

Activities may include:

• Drawing and illustration
• Painting and mixed media
• Creative crafts
• Collaborative art projects
• Seasonal and themed creative activities

Whether you're already passionate about art or simply enjoy being creative, The Doodle Studio offers opportunities to experiment, learn, express yourself and build confidence through creativity.

🌟 Why Get Involved?

• Completely free to attend
• Build confidence and self-esteem
• Develop new creative and practical skills
• Meet like-minded young people
• Make new friends and positive connections
• Explore interests in a supportive environment
• Have fun and try something new outside of formal education

🚀 Also Available: The Landing Pad (Ages 16+)

For older young people, Southend YMCA also offers The Landing Pad, an open-access youth space for young people aged 16-18, and up to 25 for young people with SEND.

The Landing Pad supports young people as they prepare for their next steps, offering guidance around education, employment, training, confidence building and personal development.

Young people can access support with:

• CV writing and job searching
• Applications and interview preparation
• College, training and education pathways
• Maths and English support
• Confidence building
• Planning for the future

📍 Location

All sessions take place at:

Southend YMCA, Newlands
85 Ambleside Drive
Southend-on-Sea
SS1 2FY

📅 Find Out More & Book

Session dates, times and availability are updated regularly throughout the year.

Can't find a suitable session or date? Please contact us. If demand is high, we will explore arranging additional sessions during the week to ensure as many young people as possible can take part.

Visit www.bookwhen.com/southendymca to view upcoming opportunities and reserve a place.

Contact for enquiries: tomeatherton@southendymca.org.uk.

All activities are free of charge, but places may be limited, so early booking is recommended. We look forward to welcoming more home educated young people into Southend YMCA's growing creative community.

Blank Slate session at Focal Point Gallery…

For ages 13 to 16 years only!

Found Sculptures with Jon Kipps

Thursday 24 September 4:30pm to 6:30pm

Using what we have around us, we will be taken right through Jon’s process from concept designs to the final sculpture build. From cardboard to plastic, wood to fabric – we will be working together to create something uniquely ‘Blank Slate’. This workshop is about careful and considered selection of materials, working in response to what is in front of you and being willing to accept the unexpected.

To book your space, Book Tickets Here Concessions available.

The Lighthouse team is holding a number of Autism and ADHD support sessions for families in Southend, Essex and surrounding areas. Your child does not need to have a diagnosis of Autism or ADHD for you to join these sessions, they are open to all families.

To find out more

The Specialist Teaching Team are offering free, one-hour online session designed for parents and carers of Year 6 students with SEND or additional needs. Although these sessions are primarily aimed at families of children with SEND or additional needs, any parent or carer concerned about the transition is very welcome to attend. To book your place email: LaurenLawrence@southend.gov.uk

Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) and the SEND Local Offer Team are pleased to announce the second Southend SEND Information Day on Tuesday 16 June 2026.

This is a free event for the Southend SEND community. It is open to parent carers or family members of children or young people with SEND, and professionals.

• Venue: Southend Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER
• Time: 9.30am to 2.30pm
• Event details | SEND Information Day 16 June 2026 | Livewell Southend

Ages 16-19 (yr12 and above). Multiple courses to choose from. No entry requirements.

Contact your EHE advisor

or Alison Jack at Southend Community College on 01702 445700.