a home for all
our vision and mission
The Pioneer Club has been a cornerstone of St Albans and beyond since 1941, beginning as a youth centre for young evacuees during the Second World War. Our vision is to create a home for all, where young people of every age and background can thrive. With a rich history of supporting youth self-expression and community building, we served as a grassroots music venue during the vibrant 1960s and fostered a phenomenal skateboarding community by establishing the UK's oldest indoor skatepark in the 1980s.
Today, young people remain at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to empower them to grow their confidence and resilience, build their own communities, and promote positive wellbeing. In collaboration with our partners, we offer a diverse range of classes, events, and activities across performing arts, music, and skateboarding.
We also provide targeted youth programmes, such as our neuro-inclusive support and activity groups for young people and their families, and school holiday activities, including our community cinema and skate and dance camps for young people from the least-advantaged backgrounds.
As a grassroots community venue, we deliver an exciting cultural calendar of activities for all ages, including events, gigs, film screenings, conferences, and workshops. Join us for an Indie or 80s club night, participate in our jazz or skate jams, enjoy our family festivals, test your knowledge at our book club quiz battle, or catch one of the many bands performing at The Pioneer on their tours. All profits from our events support our work with young people and the community.
CURRENT YOUTH PROVISION
If you would like to join any of our programmes, partner with us, or find out more about our work, please contact info@pioneerclub.co.uk
HAPpy Camps
We deliver school holiday skate camps for Hertfordshire’s Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAPpy). The camps are free to attend for eligible young people aged 8 to 12 years, and we provide a nutrition-focused activity to support skills in cooking and healthy eating.
“My son loved learning to skateboard. He had never tried it before, but he has had a great time and is very keen to continue.”
Young Pioneers
We have a weekly neuro-inclusive youth group where young people aged 14+ can volunteer to support our charity whilst building their skills. They also have a safe space to socialise and meet new people. Activities include running a vintage clothes project, filming and editing content for our charity TikTok, and supporting the planning of music and skate events.
“During my time at the Pioneer I have grown a lot as a person as I’ve learnt responsibilities and been a part of a team filled with wonderful people. I would recommend the Pioneer to anyone as it is a truly great environment to be in.”
community cinema
A neuro-inclusive school holiday cinema where families can come and relax and watch a film on our big screen. We run ‘pay what you feel’ tickets to make it more accessible for families, no matter their circumstances.
“My son has autism and ADHD, and we find it hard to get to the cinema. It was great that he felt comfortable and like he could move around if he needed to, and come into the café for a break.”
COMMUNITY GROUPS
As a community venue, we offer our space to local groups and charities to ensure that our community can come together. We host two autism groups for adults, The Monday Group and Genesis, regular club nights for Electric Umbrella and their users, the Delivering Special Provision Locally (DSPL7) coffee morning for young people and families living with emotional-based school avoidance, and a men’s support group with Coffee & Coping.
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OUR PARTNERS
We work with partners whose priority is supporting young people to have access to opportunities that build their confidence and resilience, build communities, and above all have fun! SASA, our resident performing arts partner, and ABC Skateboarding, our in-house coaching partner, do amazing work within the community. They work with schools and councils, running courses for young people with SEND and providing bursaries to make their programmes accessible.
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OUR IMPACT
The Pioneer Club is not just at the heart of the community- it is a vital contributor to the local economy through our partnerships and events that create employment opportunities for many. Moreover, many of our skateboarding coaches and music staff grew up attending lessons and gigs at The Pioneer, and they now dedicate themselves to supporting the next generation. For countless individuals, The Pioneer is more than just a skatepark, music venue or community centre—it's a second home and a cornerstone of their lives. You can watch a history of The Pioneer Club, what it has achieved and what it means to people in our 70th Anniversary video.
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OUR IMPACT in numbers
Our work with the community and young people sees many visitors come through our doors.
On average we support:
Skateboarding: 250 young people and adults per week
Performing Arts: 230 young people per week
Holiday Camps: 200 young people per year
Other community activities: 600 people per year
Events: 600 people per month
UPCOMING YOUTH PROGRAMMES
Coming February 2025: Adulting for ADHDers
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In partnership with ADHD Clarity Now we are running “Adulting for ADHDers – Life Skills for Young Adults with ADHD.” Running once a week for 8 weeks, this course aims to support 18-25 year-olds as they transition into adulthood.
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Combining psychological education, experiential learning, and applied theatre techniques, this programme helps participants understand, manage, and embrace their ADHD. It focuses on developing practical life skills and boosting confidence. Topics Covered include:
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Organisation Skills & Time Management
Planning Your Future & Goal Setting
Managing Relationships
Understanding Risk
Regulating Emotions​
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Each session includes 3 hours of group work and a 10-minute one-to-one discussion with a qualified ADHD clinician.
Details:​
When: February, Wednesday evenings, 5–8 pm, for 8 weeks
Where: The Pioneer Club, Heathlands Drive, St Albans AL3 5AY
Who: Young adults aged 18-25 with ADHD
Facilitators: Experienced professionals in ADHD support, applied theatre, and life skills coaching
Cost: Free to attend
Coming April 2025: Step Forward: School avoidance support group
The Pioneer Club is working in partnership with Vista St Albans to deliver Step Forward: School avoidance support group. This programme will assist children and young people experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA). EBSA is a complex issue affecting countless children who find it impossible to attend school due to overwhelming feelings of anxiety, fear, or distress. This struggle can leave children feeling isolated, misunderstood, and falling behind academically, socially, and emotionally.
We believe that every child deserves the support, tools, and environment they need to overcome these challenges and to flourish both in and outside of school. Our programme aims to empower children with EBSA to have a safe space to come to, and the opportunity to engage in fun and social activities. We will also offer families the chance to build a network and have access to support through Vista’s staff.
Details:
When: weekly Wednesday 1 to 3pm drop in, 4-6pm gaming group
Where: The Pioneer Club, Heathlands Drive, St Albans AL3 5AY
Who: Young people and families aged 5-18 with EBSA
Facilitators: Vista School Family Worker and Behaviour Support Practitioner, Pioneer programme workers
Cost: Free to attend