Since launching in November 2022, Hanwell Community Library‘s youth club has become a real success with young people aged 14-17 joining every fortnight from 5pm to 6pm to make new friends as well as take part in board games, quizzes and music along with tea and biscuits.
Young people across Hanwell and from all backgrounds have been enjoying the club and the opportunity it provides as a place to relax with others, enjoy some board games, learn something new or just have a chat.
As residents in the borough moved forward from the COVID-19 pandemic, there was demand from young people in Hanwell who needed a place where they could go and start to socialise with others again. Hanwell Community Library has become the perfect place.
According to organisers Dora Batalona and Priya Davies who are in year 12 at school: “We wanted to provide a relaxed place of interaction for teenagers in Ealing who have the opportunity to meet and make new friends.”
They added: “Coming out of COVID-19, many of our young people found it challenging to acclimatise to socialising when normal life resumed. Hence more effort should be made in communities to provide a place for our young people to interact, and grow in confidence around people their age.”
While the youth club is run by young people for young people, Hanwell Community Library is managed by Chloe Daniel to ensure that the library provides a safe-space for teens that is welcoming and comfortable and is inclusive to all.
Among the popular activities are board games with The Logo Game and Frustration being the most popular. Other activities that have taken place include cupcake decorating and celebrity quizzes. But young people also come along to just have a natter and chat about what they’ve been up to. The club organisers added: “Sometimes people prefer to just chat over tea and biscuits about each other’s days, current affairs and any issues anyone faced in the the week.”
The club is very open to ideas and suggestions and says it is looking forward to more young people taking part in its activities. Ffyon Wilcox, a member of the club suggested a cupcake decorating night which proved very popular among the young people who showed their creative skills.
During the summer they are also planning an evening out in the park along with a trip for ice-cream nearby.
Dora and Priya added: “We like to ensure the youth club is a flexible environment, and often take activity requests from attendees at the club.”
For more information, contact Hanwell Community Library
