8 communities, 1 collective project

'What Matters To Us' is our on-going, next-generation research and insights platform. In the 10+ years we’ve been working with young people, we’ve had a point of view on how to form, integrate and partner with collectives across the globe. In this time, however, the landscape has changed massively and the demand for community-focussed campaigns has skyrocketed. This is due, in part, to the pandemic but also, more cheerfully, to the explosion of youth-run collectives.

This year, we wanted to do a deep-dive into community and what that means today. Rather than peeking in from the outside, we decided to go directly to the changemakers themselves, handing the mic to the inspiring young people creating and leading their own communities. Our aim was that, by doing things differently, we’d get a deeper understanding about what’s driving this exciting change, who’s leading it and how they are making a difference.

We found eight collectives from across the UK, covering a range of passions and purposes, from nunchuck-wielding warriors and global gaming collectives, through to mental health advocates and a radically trans inclusive football team. The goal was to collaboratively create a zine and short film that would celebrate their stories, explore the challenges they face and speak to the legacy they hope to leave behind.

Watch our film trailer below.