Midlands Region of YMCAs
The Midlands YMCA Region consists of 16 YMCAs in the Government Regions of East Midlands and West Midlands and also includes Milton Keynes YMCA (South East Government Region).
Diversity of Provision
There are 16 Member YMCAs in the Region with a combined turnover of over £33 million. There are also three YMCA Training Centres, which are branches of YMCA Training. YMCA Training is a member YMCA with a national coverage and a turnover of £20 million, which networks with all the YMCA Regions in England. Y Care International, the International Development Agency of the YMCA Movement also operates via its Campaigns and Global Youth Work in the Region.
As reflected across the YMCA Movement there is a great diversity in provision amongst the YMCAs in the Midlands Region.
There is tremendous innovation and a real willingness to work together (between individual YMCAs and YMCAs working with YMCA England). There is some excellent good practice and a wealth of resources (due to the size of some of the YMCAs). Many of the YMCAs are recognised as key voluntary sector partners in their respective local authorities / counties / districts.
Areas of work (this is a summary of work carried out) See later for the full detail:
|
|
2009 |
|
Number of bed spaces |
Approx 1500 |
|
Number of childcare places provided by the YMCA every week |
Approx 1000 |
|
Number of young people receiving personal & social development opportunities per week |
Approx 3200 |
|
Number of people who take part in life long learning opportunities offered by the YMCA every week |
Approx 1400 |
|
Number of people who take part in physical activity / exercise / health related activities each week |
Approx 5800 |
|
Number of people who are employed by the YMCA |
Approx 1100 |
|
Number of people who volunteer (including Board Members) for the YMCA every week |
Approx 400 |
Types of service provision:
- Supported Housing – including specific groups – e.g. young parents
- Move-on accommodation
- Floating / Tenancy Support
- General needs housing
- Direct access emergency accommodation
- Supported lodgings
- Youth Work
- Drugs / substance misuse / alcohol work
- Young people’s advocacy and rights work
- Prison / young offenders work (including YMCA England’s Partnership in Prisons)
- Parenting work
- Children’s Work (pre-school day care, out-of-schools work, holiday play-schemes)
- Work in schools – extended schools services
- International work – exchanges, partnerships, Y-Care International
- Furniture recycling / Charity / retail fundraising shops (most working with YMCA England)
- Social enterprise training for young people
- Life skills / ICT / vocational and non-vocational training / learning
- Sports, health, exercise & fitness programmes
- Healthy Living programmes
- Community Arts programmes
- Community facilities

