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All about who we are, what we do and why we do it

History

YMCA is the largest and oldest youth organisation in the world. It was formed in 1844 and now has 58 million members across 119 countries. YMCA Fairthorne Group is a local charity, supporting communities across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We are YMCA Basingstoke and this blog is our story.

YMCA Basingstoke is a purpose built YMCA constructed in 1995 and opened in 1996 by HRH the Princess Royal. Since then thousands of young people have been given a safe space to stay and the opportunity to gain confidence and skills to move forward in life and on into the community.

The YMCA Purpose

Why?

We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to lead happy, healthy lives.

Since 1891 our approach has been built upon the 3 core aspects of wellbeing: Mind, Body and Spirit.

Wellbeing: Mind, Body and Spirit Triangle

What we do

We achieve our purpose through combining People, Places and Programmes. We believe that trough the creation of spaces, people can come together, connect and create impact.

People: Inspirational people who are part of the YMCA community and make a difference.

People: Inspirational people who are part of the YMCA community and make a difference.

Programmes: Services for children, young people and families, built upon Developmental Assets and which meet local needs.

How we do it

The YMCA way! Made up of a unique set of values and behaviours that sets us apart and makes us different, people in the community are at the heart of what we do. We work creatively and with integrity with staff, volunteers and community stakeholders to deliver the best for our residents and the community using evidence led approaches.

What are our values?

  • Welcoming
  • Active
  • Listening
  • Inspiring
  • Caring
  • Exciting

Through these core values we support individuals within the community to develops skills, experiences, relationships and behaviours to become successful and contributing adults. Through substantial research undertaken by the Search Institute we understand the factors that affect peoples life chances and aspire to build on the 40 developmental assets identified. These can be broken down into 8 key areas:

  • Support
  • Empowerment
  • Boundaries and expectations
  • Constructive use of time
  • Commitment to learning
  • Positive values
  • Social competencies
  • Positive identity

How can you get involved?

We appreciate anyone from the community getting involved however you can. Whether its volunteering within our services or providing donations, please get in touch with us on the ‘how to find us’ page, we would love to hear from you! We are keen to build our relationships with individuals and companies within the community, come and join us on our mission to fulfilling our purpose of empowering, inspiring and developing individuals and communities.

Want to find out more about YMCA Fairthorne Group or apply for a place at YMCA Basingstoke? Visit YMCA Fairthorne Group (ymca-fg.org)