YMCA of the Year 2017

YMCA Suffolk – FINALIST

YMCA Suffolk starts supporting young lives in the womb, right up to 25 years old and often beyond. We support expectant young parents, and children, at YMCA Childcare, young people at YMCA Youth, and young adults at YMCA Accommodation. We believe in providing the support that young lives need at every point of their life.

Each work area has clear achievements and outcomes and each team makes a difference every day to young lives. Some examples of our projects include:

• Easy Peasy Pods, a young parent group bringing together new and expecting parents through fun and creative projects.
• Positive Behaviour Project, which promotes positive activities for 16 – 25 year olds, teaching young people to be great citizens, help each other and building skills through sports.
• YMCA Accommodation is growing its international support for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children with 40 new beds. Responding to local need, we now have houses around Ipswich to embed young people in the community.
• Youth Ipswich is a new drop-in, tackling gang culture by providing safe, friendly spaces for young people.
• Youth Lowestoft’s Shine Project delivers fantastic community activities. We reach hundreds of hard-to-reach families in an area of deprivation, promoting healthy eating through free cooking workshops, providing free activities and outings and intergenerational projects.

YMCA Youth shows children they can be more. We provide the support that young lives need at every point of each young life.

This has been a year of growth for all our teams. More bed spaces, more youth sessions, more community engagement. We do more so that young lives can be more.

YMCA North Tyneside – FINALIST

2017 Weston Charity Award winners YMCA North Tyneside, have had a transformational year. Creating a community where everyone is healthy, happy and connected.

• In the last year they have grown their supported accommodation by a third with an additional 20% in progress.
• They have extended their reach and impact and have been successful in securing a £50,000 grant to develop a reach and impact toolkit.
• Launched YMCA Foundations employment course which has a 100% pass rate.
• By partnering with YMCA shop and local businesses they were able to offer placements in retail, construction, barbering, computer care and DIY.
• Partnered with the local council and launched £250,000 training Café, kitchen and reception area.
• Received national recognition for detached youth work in Jarrow, Howdon and Willington Quay.
• Partnered with YMCA in Slovakia and Greece and delivered intercontinental workshop and exchange on homelessness. In addition their young people attended homelessness forums at a national and international level.
• Secured £500,000 of grants to upgrade their gym facilities to better cater for all ages and physical abilities.
• Achieved 2nd place in National Fruit-Full Communities orchard competition.

Delivered a large scale intergenerational Heritage Lottery Funded project which explored food preservation in WW1.