One YMCA is extremely grateful to have received a substantial amount of funding towards their life-changing (and life-saving) homelessness prevention projects to help the most vulnerable in the community.
In the past year, One YMCA provided over 185,000 nights of safe and secure accommodation to those most in need and their specialist housing support and complex-needs team supported more than 1,000 vulnerable individuals to escape homelessness and rough sleeping. 463 of their residents were also helped to move on positively into their own long term settled accommodation.
They aim to double the number of vulnerable people they are able to support to live life to the full within the community by 2025. Working closely with partners, they have developed a 5-stage Homeless Prevention Pathway, which will deliver positive social outcomes that best meet the needs of homeless young people. As a direct response to the life and death situations faced by over 100 entrenched rough sleepers in Watford, they refurbished three floors at Charter House to create 66 new bed spaces where residents receive 24/7 support from their complex needs and substance misuse team. One YMCA updated existing 131 units where residents receive 24/7 low/medium support and specialist intervention and converted existing offices into 34 high-quality studio apartments for more independent living where residents receive support with life skills.
Allchurches awarded One YMCA £131,000 to aid the completion of the work at Charter House. This money went towards a dedicated quiet room, which will be supported by their Chaplaincy team to ensure all conversations with residents are rooted in their faith-based mission, giving the residents a safe space to talk openly.
Furthermore, One YMCA was gifted an additional £5,000 for their Afghan Resettlement Project. Providing trauma-informed, person-centric support to help individuals understand and appreciate all aspects of life in the UK and help them to integrate and contribute to it. This will help to relocate existing residents within their services as well as provide two Complex Needs Specialist Support Workers to work with residents which will help them on their path towards independence.
Mark Turner, Director of Operations at One YMCA said: “It’s not just the financial support, although that is of course beyond amazing. It’s also the recognition and validation by Allchurches of the phenomenal hard work which all of our front line teams have put in place to make these life changing projects a reality”.
Chloe Ewen, Grants Officer for Allchurches Trust, said: “We’re delighted to support One YMCA’s vision to see many more vulnerable people living full, independent lives, through projects such as the renovation of Charter House and the Afghan Resettlement Project. One YMCA is creating innovative and long-term solutions to one of society’s biggest issues, helping countless vulnerable people to gain news skills and move on from homelessness.”
One YMCA is extremely grateful for these generous donations from Allchurches and are looking forward to seeing the end result and helping more vulnerable people in the community.
For more information, please visit oneymca.org/accommodation and follow One YMCA on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn: OneYMCA.
For further information please contact [email protected]
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Editor Notes:
About One YMCA
One YMCA enables people to develop their full potential in body, mind and spirit by creating supportive and energising communities that are open to all.
They deliver a range of programmes and services that tackle the issues facing local people and support them to reach their full potential and live their liv
es with a greater level of independence. Their services include family centres, nurseries, specialist support, health & wellbeing, youth work and supported housing.
They work with all ages, faiths and backgrounds, as part of a global network of 14,000 YMCAs although remain an independently registered local charity covering Herts, Beds and Bucks.
Over recent years, their reach has extended to Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire in addition to Hertfordshire where they have serviced local communities for more than 130 years.
More information about One YMCA can be found at: oneymca.org.
About Allchurches Trust
Allchurches Trust is one of the UK’s largest grant-making charities. Our mission is to equip and empower Christian organisations to have a positive and transformative impact on lives and communities. We welcome applications from all parts of the UK and Ireland, particularly from areas of social and economic deprivation. We support the repair, restoration, protection and improvement of church buildings, cathedrals and other places of Christian worship, especially where those changes support wider community use. Our grants also equip Christian charities and churches to help the most vulnerable and tackle social issues, including homelessness, poverty, climate change and cultural cohesion; and we provide funding for projects that support church growth and leadership and share the Christian faith. We also work with selected partners to preserve the UK and Ireland’s rich history through funding to build and protect sustainable heritage skills.
Follow Allchurches Trust on Facebook and Twitter @allchurchestrust, @AllchurchesT or visit our website:https://www.allchurches.co.uk/ for more information.
