5 reasons we love gaming with young people...

Through our youth work at the Hub, we use gaming to help young people to level up their character through skills building activities that lead to real confidence and real connections. We believe learning can happen everywhere - not just at a desk! Sometimes it happens over a board game. Other times it happens mid–Lego build or during a bit of friendly competition on a gaming console. Here’s why this approach really works:

1. Confidence starts with connection

Games are a natural way to bring people together and tackle social isolation. Whether you're teaming up, competing, or just having a laugh, it's a fun way to build communication skills. After all, games teach us how to share ideas, listen, work things out, and be part of a group, which are all great skills to carry forward in your employability journey.

2. Focus and resilience.

Sticking with a game and following rules to the end takes concentration and resilience but because it’s fun, it doesn’t feel like hard work. From strategy games to a quick game of pool, we believe games help young people to stay focused and think on their feet as new challenges are thrown their way.

3. Essential skills, just in disguise

Counting scores, reading instructions, solving problems, managing resources - just a few examples of how games are packed with everyday maths, literacy, and digital skills. Our weekly Dungeons & Dragons group is a great example of this in action as young people go even further; creating characters, writing stories, and solving challenges using creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking. Never played DnD? If you're interested in joining the adventure, get involved in our XP programme and come along to the Hub at 1pm on Tuesdays.

4. Learning to handle the ups and downs

Not every game ends in a win, and that’s a good thing because this gives young people a safe space to deal with frustration, manage emotions, and build their emotional resilience. Within this safe framework, we practice how to regulate, stay motivated, and most importantly try again, which are all skills that matter far beyond the game.

5. Growing independence and self-belief

Every decision in a game matters and over time, young people start taking risks, trusting their choices and owning their actions. Learning to make your next move with confidence and accountability can be tricky to master but developing self-belief will improve their mental health and future prospects.

At the Hub, we run a range of free, supportive gaming sessions as part of our XP Programme, including:

• A weekly board game café

• A Dungeons & Dragons group

• Social gaming sessions and e-sports competitions.

• STEM based activities like Lego building challenges

....And much more!

If you’re a young person looking for community or just something different to try, we’d love to welcome you to the hub. No need to book or refer in advance, just pop along so you can meet our friendly team and explore everything we have to offer.