Hello EYC family! Esports Youth Club hosted weekly sessions in collaboration with the South London Refugee Association at their amazing space based in Streatham, South London for 6 weeks through April and May 2022.
These were definitely some of the most rewarding gaming and esports sessions we have hosted so far. There are many amazing stories to tell from our time down at the SLRA!
We kicked things off on the first week playing a range of games with a couple of the members of the association. Our good friend Frankie Ward came through with her expert commentary skills (and some shaky FIFA tekkers) as well as some amazing bits of bespoke esports goodies in the form of t shirts, jackets and more that we were able to share with some of the refugees. Frankie and the team at EYC were able to get some solid game time in with the young people and it was a fantastic introduction for some of them into the world of gaming.
As we moved through the weeks, running different sessions with different games ranging from FIFA & NBA to Crash Team Racing & more, we were able to see a wonderful progression in gaming skill from some of the young people. We also had new faces joining each week of varying skill levels, and it was really encouraging to see the way that playing video games enabled new friendships to flourish.
Every week, we took a break towards the end of the session to have a communal meal with all of the people, members and staff at the South London Refugee Association. This was an opportunity to reflect on the virtual battles we were having and it was a great way to get to know everybody. It’s safe to say, the vibes were immaculate!
To finish things off on our final week, we hosted a structured FIFA tournament and offered prizes for the winners. This tournament was a chaotic and incredibly fun experience. There was an outright winner in the end but the final came down to a battle between brothers - a real rivalry if ever I’ve seen one.
Esports Youth Club is so thankful to the South London Refugee Association for letting us bring the world of gaming and esports to their space for a few weeks. We hope that the passion for gaming that we saw on display is still being continued - I have a feeling it will be. Thank you again to SLRA, to Frankie, and to everyone who is supporting EYC in bringing the positive, inspiring side of gaming and esports to everyone; something we all deserve to experience.