Security
It’s 2026, and things feel insecure—again. We know this, and so does our community.
This year, however, we choose not to dwell. Instead, we choose to have hope in our rooms and to make room for hope in our hearts. We will name the things that make us feel insecure, stare them dead in the face, and prove that we can find security in spite of everything.
Young Company, Scratch Night Performance - December 2025
Many of us feel as though we’re teetering on the edge of something vast and unsettling. Perhaps we’ve long since crossed that threshold and are already in the midst of it—whichever it is, it certainly doesn’t feel secure.
We spoke with our youth board and community committee to explore what contributes to this sense of insecurity.
The list goes something like this:
The threat of war
The impact of social media
The rise of AI
Unrealistic beauty standards
Political instability
The forces of polarisation
The Stork Project, Scratch Night Performance - December 2025
These issues are so immense they can leave us feeling small—as if the world is rolling down a hill, heavy and fast, and we lack the strength to stop it. We’re chasing it, but we just can’t catch up.
Humans weren’t designed to witness all of this in real time. Not only do we have access to everything live, but we’re also expected to form opinions on every issue—and they had better be the ‘right’ ones.
Mother Tongue, Scratch Night Performance - December 2025
What if I say the wrong thing?
Are we secure enough to speak our minds and explore our thoughts without fear of being filmed, shamed, or ostracised?
What if I don’t want to watch anymore?
Does that make me selfish if I choose to look away?
What if I don’t understand everything?
Am I ignorant for worrying about what’s happening in my own community instead of distant events?
Dance Collective, Scratch Night Performance - December 2025
Security is not a guarantee—speaking your opinion is scary, especially when you’re worried about being misunderstood. But the challenge of doing it is exactly what’s needed to get us to a point of security: a bit of insecurity needed to build security, if you will.
The truth is, no human is perfect. To form new ideas and think of new, innovative ways of solving problems, we must feel secure enough to explore them first. Only through open dialogue can we learn and grow. And if we are given the space to figure some things out, then maybe we stand a chance to make it all better.
The Stork Project Youth Program, Scratch Night Performance - December 2025
And so, here we are in 2026—reflecting on the world around us in our little rooms across North West London, in Wembley and Harrow-on-the-Hill.
It might seem small and insignificant—but for a moment, suspend your disbelief and imagine you are in a 90s action film where one person stops the world from ending, or an unlikely superhero overcoming evil against all odds. It won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible either. Perhaps that person will be found in a Unique Community session? Why not?
Why not?
DYCE Program at Alperton School, Scratch Night Performance - December 2025
People just like us have done extraordinary things for thousands upon thousands of years.
Our hope is that by providing secure spaces to explore and create, we will inspire hope in those present, in the audiences that follow, and in the future participants of our DYCE workshops.
Together, we aim to leave 2026 feeling a little more secure in this world.
Dance Collective, Scratch Night Performance - December 2025
