Posted on: November 24th, 2022 by Steph Dickinson No Comments
At Pie, our youth club sessions help young people in East Kent to influence their own lives positively.
Across the Thanet and Dover districts, 8-19-year-olds (up to 25 with a disability) can take part in our free open-access sessions. Every session promotes emotional, social and physical wellbeing and development.
Young people can have fun, make friends, learn about themselves and develop skills, building confidence and future opportunities. Activities include cooking, arts and crafts, sport, games and music, all in an inclusive, welcoming environment.
We take a universal and targeted approach to our youth provision, and aim to engage and build positive relationships with families, the wider community and partners. Our team, made up of qualified team leaders, sessional youth workers, volunteers and young leaders, are trained to ensure young people’s safety and wellbeing in all of our sessions. Significant support in place for those facing financial barriers to participation.
We can help young people gain accredited qualifications too, including:
Arts Award
Basic First Aid
Food Hygiene
Thanet (Ramsgate Youth Centre / Pie HQ)
Junior Youth Club Thursdays 5 – 7pm, 8-12 years
Open Arms Fridays 5 – 7:30pm, 13-21 years Our session for unaccompanied asylum seekers and refugees. We will cook and eat together, make art, play music and games. There is also space for those who just want to chill, feel safe and chat with friends.
Aylesham Youth Club Juniors: Tuesdays, 5:15-6:45pm, 8-12 years, drop in Seniors: Tuesdays, 7:15-8:45pm, 13-18 years, drop in Aylesham Baptist Church CT3 3AA
Biggin Hall Youth Club Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30pm, 11 – 17 years Ct16 1BD
Crosslinks Youth Club Thursdays, 7-9pm, 11-17 years Buckland Community Centre CT16 2RA
Inspire Youth Club Fridays 7 – 9pm, 11-18 years (2nd, 4th and 5th Friday of every month during term time) River Methodist Church CT17 0PP
Linwood youth hub Deal
Thursdays, 6-8pm, 11-17 years
After school clubs (for students only)
A free, fun weekly after-school club for students with activities including sport, games, craft and arts, as well being a space with support and guidance.
Dover Christ Church Academy Mondays
3:15-4:45pm, 11-14 years
Astor School 3-5pm, 11-14 years
Our Thanet youth service is funded through a KCC youth services contract, and we are an approved KCC provider.
Posted on: January 4th, 2023 by Steph Dickinson No Comments
The Live Room is a place for young people to play, chill, socialise, make music and just be, at Pie Factory Music’s Ramsgate HQ.
It’s a weekly drop-in evening session every Monday for young people aged 13 – 17 years to enjoy activities. These include football, games, pool, gaming, table tennis, arts and crafts, cookery, instrument use, singing and music. Our sound engineer is also on hand in our music studio for you to practice your music mastery.
Mondays (except bank holidays), 7-9pm, drop-in Ramsgate Youth Centre
Pie believes that every young person has the right to take part in creative opportunities.
Our rich programme of music and creative arts projects covers every aspect of engagement to give everyone the chance to explore and experience what the arts have to offer.
From drop-in sessions for those beginning to explore their interest in music, right up to providing personal and professional development for those pursuing a career in the arts, we’re here to support them on every step of their journey.
Posted on: January 4th, 2023 by Steph Dickinson No Comments
Band Room is Pie Factory Music’s open-access session for young people who love music and want to play, rehearse, mix and master.
Our fully equipped studio provides space to practice, as a solo musician or as a band. We have two expert music tutors on hand to guide and encourage creative development. We offeraccess to instruments, and platforms such as GarageBand, Bandlab and Charanga to hone skills and finesse your songs, compositions and performances. Our growing community of young musicians is the perfect place to get inspired and meet fellow music makers.
Enjoy 1-2-1 tutoring, songwriting guidance, jamming sessions and recording opportunities.
Tuesdays, 7-9pm, for 13-17 years Ramsgate Youth Centre No need to book, just turn up
Posted on: January 4th, 2023 by Steph Dickinson No Comments
Open Arms is Pie Factory Music’s safe, relaxed open access session for unaccompanied asylum seekers and refugees aged 13-21 years.
Every Friday we cook and eat together, make art, and play music and games. Food and drink is provided.
We have a small budget to offer travel expenses and can offer support to book a bus, train or taxi if needed. Let us know before arrival, and save travel receipts for reimbursement.
Fridays, 5-7:30pm Ramsgate Youth Centre Free, no need to book – just turn up
It’s our duty at Pie to be here for every and any young person in and coming to East Kent. So far, the Open Arms group have enjoyed cooking together, making friends, playing games, listening to and performing music. We’ve also partnered with local organisations to offer them new, exciting experiences such as Discovery Planet‘s science-inspired workshops.
Pie’s Managing Director Steph Dickinson says:
“We’re passionate about every young person having access to a community of support. We are dedicated to making Pie a place where every young person feels comfortable and safe to be themselves, feel welcomed and have the chance to take part in activities and meet new people, on their terms. This programme is hugely important to us as we continue to ensure that we provide opportunities for all and respond to the needs of our times and young people.”
This programme is specifically for young unaccompanied asylum seekers and refugees, age 13 – 21, in the care of Kent County Council/Medway Council local authority or another local authority and is funded by NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group.
Posted on: February 26th, 2021 by Steph Dickinson No Comments
Pie Factory Music offers free face-to-face and online counselling sessions for 13 – 18-year-olds in East Kent.
It’s thanks to our incredible community who crowdfunded for us that we are able to provide this service.
We set up our Soundcheck programme in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise in referrals for mental health support. Our aim is to help provide talking therapy, in a bid to fill the gap in mental health provision in East Kent.
We work with professional, qualified counsellors who are not only able to support young people with their general emotional health and well-being but also have skills and expertise to help young people navigate racial trauma, identity, gender and sexuality.
Unfortunately, all of our counsellors have reached full capacity at the moment, which means we are not able to take on any new referrals at this time.
We provide online and face-to-face counselling with four qualified counsellors – Alex, Michelle, Remi, and Steph; and an Art Therapist, Alice.
In-person counselling is with Michelle on Tuesdays, and Art Therapy sessions with Alice on Mondays and Tuesdays at Pie HQ, Ramsgate Youth Centre, CT11 0QG; and with Steph at her practice in Folkestone
Online counselling is with Alex and Remi – various days and times are available
We believe that it may take a long time to recover from the challenges and trauma of 2020. This offer of free counselling for young people in East Kent is one way that we can ensure that no one is left to navigate their recovery alone.
Meet our counsellors
Alex
Hello! I have worked with people of various experiences, ethnicities, religious backgrounds, gender identities/expressions and sexualities. My approach to therapy is integrative, which involves using a variety of therapeutic tools from different schools of thought and tailoring therapy to meet the unique needs of each client.
The key philosophy behind my way of working is that as human beings, we are always in relationships with others, some of which are harmful, and others that can be healing. With this in mind, the therapeutic relationship is one that is meant for healing and my hope is that I can work with clients to achieve this by creating a safe, non-judgemental space to work through difficulties.
Alice
My name is Alice and I am an Art Therapist.
Art Therapy offers the creative process of art-making as a way for you to express your thoughts and feelings. The combination of art-making and talking provides you with a flexible and gentle approach, at a pace that suits you, which can really help when exploring more difficult emotions. You do not need any experience or skills in art-making, and the main focus will be on what the art-making process may bring up for you.
I offer a safe, confidential, and non-judgemental space to be heard and seen. I believe that an authentic and trusting therapeutic relationship can support you in gaining insights into yourself, as well as your relationships with others. I take an intersectional approach, and my experience is with people from socially, culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds. I am a Neurodiversity-affirming therapist.
I have many years of experience in a range of settings working with children, adolescents, young adults and adults within schools, organisations, the community and the NHS, facilitating groups and one-to-one sessions. I also have my own private practice in Margate.
Alice will be starting a new Art Therapy group for care-experienced and/or unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people at Pie Factory Music. For more information, or to refer a young person to this group, please call the team on 01843 596777 or email info@piefactorymusic.com.
Michelle
Hi, I work as a counsellor, clinical supervisor and counselling lecturer. I have my own counselling private practice where I see individuals from all walks of life, including musicians and young people.
I work with a range of themes such as ADD; anxiety; depression; phobias; trauma/EMDR; loss; addiction; smoking; confidence and assertiveness building. I offer the option of engaging verbally, creatively or both. In working creatively I include music; art therapy; dream work; worksheets; poetry and visualisation etc.
I understand that it can be a lonely journey when going through troubling times. My hope is to join you on your journey and to offer you the tools to cope better with life events. A safe space will be created where you will be listened to and talk freely about situations in your life without feeling judged.
About me: I love the cinema; kickboxing; gigs; dancing and having a good laugh. I occasionally volunteer backstage at the O2, counselling fans who are struggling with anxiety. I facilitate workshops and yearly well-being summer retreats, which are open to the public.
Remi
Hello! I’m a qualified person-centred therapist. What the person-centred part means is how I work with you, the client. I work to affirm your experiences because I believe deeply that my clients are the experts in their own lives. I want to hear from you about the things that affect you, the things that have brought you to a place of considering having therapy.
I believe that you best understand your inner thoughts, and the anxieties you may have, and in our sessions I’m there to listen to you. This style of therapy encourages the building of a therapeutic alliance between you and I. Our relationship is an essential feature of the work; so that you may trust me to hold space for you. I have specialised training and experience in addiction; working with ambiguous loss; racism, intersectionality, and trauma. I have worked extensively with clients from the LGBTQ+ community.
Steph
Hi, I have been a counsellor for 10 years, and I am trained to work with children, young people and adults. I work in schools as well as having my own private practice.
I believe in creating a safe space for people to share their thoughts, feelings and issues with me. I am really passionate about young people accessing high-quality therapy and being able to fully be themselves, and share with me so that we can work through things together. I have experience of working with a very wide range of subjects and enjoy supporting young people through their counselling journey. When I’m not working, I enjoy walking my dog, going to music festivals and spending time at the beach.
Posted on: November 24th, 2022 by Steph Dickinson No Comments
Pie’s Action Community Thanet (ACT!) Youth Volunteer group is big on making a positive impact in the community.
They meet every week to plan and organise a range of projects and fundraising initiatives that will support local people, organisations, and charities that are doing good in the world.
The group works together to be the change they want to see and would love to welcome new people. By taking part, participants can gain access to volunteer opportunities and learn new skills, in a supportive, friendly, and inclusive environment.
From summer fun days for local families to litter picks, big sleepouts, and fitness challenges, they’ve raised money for a range of local charities including MPS Society, Thanet Shelter and SupportPorchlight. Throughout the Covid19 pandemic, they produced and delivered care packages and cards to young people and care homes across Thanet.
Every project can support applications to college, university, and employment as a demonstration of the skills that have been learnt and volunteer experience.
Tuesdays, 5-6:45pm, 13-19 years Ramsgate Youth Centre No need to book, just turn up
“Being presented with these opportunities will help me in later life and grow as a person…Everyone is lovely, especially if you’re new. ACT has taught me the value of time. Even the smallest bit of my time can really help other people… Pie means being myself and having my voice heard. I know that everything I say will be put into the project. It’s fun, light-hearted and a nice community.”