About City Ymca London
To belong, to be safe, to achieve, to have self-esteem, to be fulfilled: that’s our vision for every young person today.
City Ymca London Description
Our holistic approach covers young people age 12 to 25 where 25% have left care and 15% run-away from home. The rest are either deemed at-risk from their parents, are trying to divert from crime or have fallen upon hard times.
We’ve been working with at-risk young people for the last forty years and it’s something that we believe we are quite successful at.
In EC1 /EC2 we are:
• Lead provider of accommodation for vulnerable 16 to 25 year olds
• Lead provider of targeted detached and outreach based work to at risk young people
• Chair of the Finsbury Ward Youth Partnership
• Member of the Finsbury Ward Partnership
• Active in the Islington Children and Young People Voluntary Sector Forum
• Deliver services on behalf of Islington Council
• Work with the Metropolitan Police across London
• Member of the Community Safety Partnership
• Lead provider for young people on the Empty Homes Plan for Islington, Tower Hamlets and Hackney
• Cited in ‘After the Riots’ for best practice in youth engagement
At risk young people are among the most desensitised individuals around today. While they demonstrate characteristics common to most adolescent teenagers, they have a complete lack of understanding of the hurt they place on others. While at risk young people are fully in control of their actions, and they remain acutely aware of right and wrong, they fail to register any feelings of the consequence of those actions on others. Sometimes to disastrous consequences.
Our young people are forced to leave home due to family conflicts, violence, physical or sexual abuse and cultural expectations. This intensifies problems with drugs and alcohol, issues at school and bullying.
The issue of homelessness among young people isn’t new. There continues to be no accurate statistics to measure the extent of youth homelessness. The mobile nature of homeless young people then exasperates this. The problem is not that there is no work – in Islington there are roughly 1. 4 jobs for every person of working age. The problem is that many young people are trapped outside employment, lacking work experience and the confidence required to land a job.
At 56% , Islington has the highest proportion of 19 year olds in London lacking a Level 3 qualification .
As a provider of hostel accommodation, we have unique experience in housing and supporting these young people – helping them to get back on track in society. At City YMCA the demand for hostel places continues unabated. Some 5, 000 people under the age of 25 have passed through our care over the last thirty years and our rooms have run consistently at 97% occupancy levels, a stark demonstration of the on-going need for hostel provision.
Yet City YMCA is not paid to provide emotional support to at risk young people. No government programme funds our efforts to turn their lives around. Rather as a charity we’re compelled to offer parenting support that the young people in our care urgently need.
Our role as parent to these young homeless lives is crucial. We are here to bring these young people, from the age of just 16, back from the brink of a cycle of deprivation and hurt.
It's somthing that we can only do with your help. As a registered charity we rely on the generous support of our friends and supporters to make our response possible. Every penny you give helps support an at-risk young people.
Please give what you can today at www. cityymca.org
Thank you.
Reviews
Where all the magic happens! #YMCA175 #Birthday Campaign
Morning! So tired but on my way to work , follow me @ https://m.facebook.com/verona.dennis.9678 ?ref=bookmarks
This mornings young homeless pondering
Our young people vs Lewisham Club this Saturday. Nothing like football rivalry. Come on City Y...!!!
Always great to be at Monarch Court with the housing team. What a great job they do with out 87 young residents. Ordered and peaceful. A beautiful home.
Hundreds of homeless deaths could be easily prevented. UCL report highlights the ongoing tragedy of 21st Century Homelessness
“Do the best you can until you know better then when you know better, do better”
Maya Angelou
Homelessness numbers up in London again....but we can all clearly see that can’t we!
Huge thanks to www.outforgood.co.uk for dropping off 60 packs of gifts for our female residents. What a difference a generous heart makes. Huge thanks guys. Amazing x x 🙂
City YMCA Housing Worker Mohammed Miah attended the 19th World YMCA Assembly in Thailand last year and reported:
“I attended various meetings, seminars and conferences. When we went there we were put in to groups and spoke about the theme ‘Empowering Young People’ how professionals and front line workers have made an impact; and what changes we can make.
I have met different people around the world, from directors, trustees and young people who have turned their life around.... I built rapport with them and learnt things that I didn’t know, things like ‘change agents’.
My experience was amazing, I was overwhelmed and it was a great opportunity.
The YMCA world movement is the world’s largest youth organisation, uniting helping, following and practising the ethics of mission, visions and values of Sir George Williams. Established on the 6th of June 1844 the movement is still flowing.
I realised how big YMCA is and how proud I am to be part of the movement. I have learnt that every YMCA is a different body and contribute in different ways, which is amazing.”
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Thousands of YMCA’ers gather in Chaing Mai, Thailand
Robert Thompson, Chairman of City YMCA London, was one of 100 delegates representing the UK at the 19th YMCA World Council last year. Under the theme “Empowering Young People” the varied programme ranged from information and business meetings, devotions and presentations to cultural shows and visits.
Robert said “It was so rewarding to attend the devotions, Thai cultural events and young delegate’s presentations. To browse ...the exhibition of local and world YMCA’s projects enabled me to engage with leaders across the world. To be able to learn about their work and talk about ours over food and coffee was an eye opener and a real privilege. I made contact with representatives from YMCA’s in America, India, Sri Lanka, Cameroun, Mongolia, China as well as at home in England.”
“As a result of going I have been able to make stronger ties with the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong and Guangzhou and subsequently have visited them. I look forward to meeting representatives from these YMCA’s at 175th celebrations in London in August 2019.”
If any young person has the opportunity to attend a World Council event they should take up the invitation. It is quite a unique experience. “For me, seeing so many young people from all around the world in one place, in unity, from different cultures, but with one purpose to empower young people, to be apart of this at Chiang Mai was very emotional and uplifting.”
YMCA 19th WORLD COUNCIL Chiang Mai, Thailand 8th – 14th July 2018
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This Christmas buy a piece of furniture for a homeless young person. £125 buys a bed, £180 a wardrobe or just £15 a pair of pillows. www.cityymcalondon.com
This Christmas buy a piece of furniture for a homeless young person. £125 buys a bed, £180 a wardrobe or just £15 a pair of pillows. www.cityymcalondon.com
Delighted to attend the Culture Mile networking event tonight with the City of London Corp and Islington Council. Let’s sweep the WXSP into the mix! (And around a stunning model of the square mile)
ERROL STREET UPDATE: Bedrooms and corridors are all progressing rather nicely
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