Trapped in the Cost of Living Crisis: YMCA Report Reveals Desperate Choices Of Our Nation’s Young People

New research released today by YMCA paints a stark picture of the challenges and harsh truth imposed by the ongoing cost of living crisis, particularly affecting young individuals in supported housing. Titled ‘Trapped in the Cost of Living Crisis’ the report uncovers the testimonies and remarkable resilience of young residents who live precariously through relentless…

YMCA Identifies Key Barriers Preventing Build of Crucial Affordable Housing and Calls for Change.

A new report published today by YMCA highlights how organisations that aim to provide affordable housing are facing many challenges in their efforts to relieve the ongoing housing crisis. The report highlights the inadequacies of funding models, particularly in regard to the accessibility and flexibility of grants provided by Homes England. These inadequacies tend to…

YMCA Issues Urgent Plea Ahead of General Election: Safeguard Youth Services Before It’s Too Late

YMCA’s latest report, sponsored by Vestey Holdings, reveals yet another opportunity missed for significant reinvestment in youth services. In the face of a marginal 3% real-terms funding increase, the sector remains stagnant with overall cuts of 70% in England and Wales since 2010-11, marking a total loss of £1.1bn. During a critical election year, YMCA…

Government’s Ambitious Childcare Expansion Is Currently Far From Reach And Urgent Action Is Needed, Warns YMCA

YMCA, the largest voluntary childcare provider in the country, estimates a 13.2% increase in qualified staff (45,000) is needed by September 2025 to accommodate the expanded 30 funded hours.   YMCA projection is a conservative estimate, based on the Department for Education’s predictions of new funded hours taken up, hinging on 2023 workforce levels remaining…

The Power of Youth: Could the Next General Election be the Turning Point?

A new report released by YMCA today shows that some 86% of young people under the age of 25 intend to vote in the forthcoming General Election. The survey of 1,054 young people highlighted that their key concerns are housing, jobs, health and inflation.   Mobilising young voters could prove decisive for parties in key…

YMCA research highlights that the benefits system is preventing some young people from gaining employment

Benefits are too low to live on, especially for young people under the age of 25, suggests YMCA, a leading youth organisation supporting young people and adults. The charity has released a comprehensive research report shedding light on the challenges faced by individuals living in supported housing when trying to enter the workforce. The study,…

MPs call for government action to prepare young people for future employment amidst increasing AI advancements and the race to net zero before it’s too late

An inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Youth Affairs revealed that one-third (34%) of young people are concerned that roles they are interested in will be replaced by advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Faced with this uncertain landscape, four in 10 young people said they feel worried about the future of work, and…

YMCA calls for a strategic vision for young people as youth service spending revealed as significantly less per child in England than in Wales.

YMCA’s latest study into expenditure on youth services highlights a stark disparity in per-head spending between Wales and England. Analysis released today shows that children and young people in Wales receive more than double the real-terms spend per-head than those in England, at £91 compared to £45 respectively. The 2010s saw drastic cuts to local…

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Unlock financial and social barriers for homeless young people to solve rough sleeping crises

YMCA’s latest research into young people’s experiences of moving out of homelessness and into independent living has found that 70% were ready to move on but remained in supported accommodation. Of those ready to move, only one in four felt that they would be able to do so within the next three months.  During a…

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Overdue investment and further funding cuts risk leaving youth services stranded at crisis point

New analysis by YMCA shows that Local Authority spending on youth services in 2019/20 in England was £372.12m, a further reduction of 6% year-on-year. This means that since 2010/11 funding for youth services has been cut by 73%. Not only do these continued cuts come at a time when demand for youth services has intensified,…