Welcome to our latest Impact Report, this year we have included a range of videos and stories to give a fuller picture of real people, our staff and The young people we are supporting to move forward in their lives . One of this year’s highlights is our Heritage project, which engaged young people in discovering and valuing our local history and built strong connections with heritage organisations.
I’m also proud that after a long, challenging journey, we’re now officially registered with Ofsted. This means we can continue to provide safe, supported housing for 16 and 17-yearolds who might otherwise be at risk. What makes YMCA Leicestershire unique is our “roll-up-your-sleeves” approach. Everyone in the charity engages with our young people, from the front line to the CEO.
It’s been a tough year, and we want to look after the people that mean the most to us, which is our staff and our young people. I am grateful for the dedication of our staff team, and although we cannot compete with the salary levels of the private sector or local authority we have looked at other ways to reward our staff. As such we have brought in several new non-pay benefits - like birthday leave, long-service leave, and even a staff pantry stocked through our partnership with Fareshare. We’ve also introduced policies for menopause support, mental health first aiders, and even death-in-service benefits a tough topic, but one we felt was really important.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THIS YEARS IMPACT REPORT BY
Our trustees play an important role of critical friend, guiding and challenging the executive team. I’d especially like to thank Phil Hawkins, who’s been our Vice Chair for 12 years, and Emma Hollis, who has been invaluable in guiding our educational provision. Both have been incredible allies and advocates for our work, and their contributions will leave a lasting legacy as they will be leaving us next year. I am pleased to warmly welcome Hayley who writes her first report as our Chair.
PAUL BROWN
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As Chair of YMCA Leicestershire, I’m proud to present my first contribution to our Impact Report since taking on the role in December 2023. It’s truly a privilege to be part of an organisation that makes such a profound difference in the lives of young people.
This year we have once again increased the number of places we are able to offer young people. It isn’t just a bed or a place to sleep that we provide, it’s a home. As I pass through the reception area at East St, I’m met with the hustle and bustle of residents coming and going, or sitting and chatting, there is laughter and warmth, welcoming and safe. It fills me with pride to see the dedication of staff in giving young people a chance to meet their future potential, often when they have had a challenging start in life.
In March I joined more than 90 fundraisers, local businesses and staff, for our Sleep Easy fundraiser at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium. This is quickly becoming an important annual event for us, and whilst it only gives us a glimmer into how it might feel to be sleeping rough, it also draws attention to pressing social problems we are working to address. If you would like to join us in 2025, we would love to see you . And in 2025 we will celebrate 125 years of our theatre and we have plans for further renovations to improve the theatre facilities. We also hope to create a community garden and extend our relationships with local people and organisations. Earlier this year we had the pleasure of meeting two young residents who have been training as young trustees, with a view to joining our board. This is an innovative way to ensure the voices and experiences of residents are represented in this important decision-making forum and I’m looking forward to seeing how that supports our future plans.
Finally, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the YMCA Leicestershire team, our trustees, our fundraising partners, and, of course, the young people whose resilience and spirit make all our efforts worthwhile. Together, we’re building a stronger, more supportive community, and I can’t wait to see what we achieve in the year ahead.
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Living at the YMCA, I wou would say if you're strug understanding what it's homeless or without a fa and you can really progr
I decided to apply for the Staff helped get my acco cutlery, plates and a croc have already asked me if It’s just very nice of them happened, so for me to e offer to be doing what I l
EMILY’S STORY - ‘MOVING ON’
OUR HOUSING IMPACT
A TRUSTED LIFELINE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS
Home to 109 young people aged 16–25 who have faced family breakdown or experienced homelessness, our supporters and donors are realising we’re more than a just a shelter; we’re a foundation for independence. We’re proud to offer high quality support and this year we successfully registered with Ofsted for our work with looked after children aged 16–17. With this achievement, we’re ready and excited for our first assessment, determined to continue helping all our young people raise their aspirations
A range of barriers, from a shortage of affordable homes to increasingly restrictive welfare policies mean that more and more of our young people are struggling to secure suitable accommodation when they are ready to move on from YMCA. High rents and upfront costs make private renting inaccessible for those on low incomes, with setup costs reaching thousands of pounds. On top of that, we often see private landlords reluctant to rent to those on benefits. This can have damaging effect on the wellbeing of our residents, leading to mental health issues that includes depression, stress and anxiety. Sadly, being at full capacity with little movement has limited our potential to welcome new service users
We believe all young people deserve a fair chance to set up a home and we offer resettlement support to help them move on to independence. This year we launched a deposit bursary funded by our generous supporters through The Big Give Christmas Campaign, enabling young people to access private rented accommodation. Additionally, our Transitions Coaches continue to help set up bills, transportation of belongings and advocacy with landlords or other services as well as provide a starter pack gift of essential items such as toaster, kettle and kitchen utensils. With a trusted adult by their side, our young people gain the confidence and agency to take control of their futures.
109 ROOMS WITHIN CLUSTERS, FLATS OR SHARED HOUSES
163 YOUNG PEOPLE HOUSED DURING THE YEAR
60 ENGAGED WITH STAFF ON EMPLOYABILITY
HOUSING WEBSITE
At YMCA Leicestershire, we recognise that some young people in our community face significant, often overlapping, challenges that disrupt their lives. We refer to these as complex needs, when a young person experiences three or more concurrent needs - such as trauma-based relationship issues, maladaptive coping mechanisms (like self-harm or substance use), and a lack of access to supporting services - they are grappling with complex needs that require specialised, compassionate care
Our two Complex Needs workers provide a trauma informed service to young people, funded by the LLR Getting Help in Neighbourhoods - Adult Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund. They walk alongside each young person, helping them navigate their individual journeys. In this model, the young person takes the lead, shaping the nature and direction of the support they receive, and we continue to be in awe of their resilience, tenacity and strength.
The impact of our work is profound; many of these young people, who often have a history of disrupted or harmful relationships, find stability and understanding with our team for the first time. For some, this is the first time they feel truly seen and believed. Many express that our staff have been crucial in helping them understand they are not to blame for the difficulties they experienced growing up - a realisation that often marks a turning point in their journey. Of the thirty-four young people receiving this support 79% have improved mental wellbeing, 68% raised their aspirations and goals and 62% report having better access to services. One resident shared: “My Complex Needs Worker helped me realise I am worthy of a good life.”
YOUNG PEOPLE RECIEVED SUPPORT FROM OUR COMPLEX NEEDS WORKERS
RegisteredCharityNumber:212810
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For only £12 a month as a YMCA Leicestershire RoomSponsor, you can be the key to unlocking hope for a young person facing homelessness.
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BECOME A ROOMSPONSOR
YMCA Leicestershire is proud to announce that Park House, our dedicated children's home, has achieved a 'Good' Ofsted rating after previously being rated as 'Requires Improvement' in November 2023. This accomplishment reflects the tireless commitment of our team to provide a safe, nurturing, and development focused environment for the young people in our care.
At the heart of this progress is Louise, our newly appointed Registered Manager. Louise has been with Park House from its inception, and her dedication, hard work, and child-centred approach have been instrumental in our achievements. Under her leadership, our team remains stable, committed, and passionate about their work. Many staff members have completed their NVQ Level 3 qualifications, further enhancing their ability to provide high-quality care and support.
In August 2023, we successfully supported a young person’s transition from Park House to specialist supported accommodation as they reached adulthood. This positive outcome was achieved through close collaboration with Children’s Services and Adult Social Care. We ensured the young person felt settled by providing essentials for their new home and continued to check in with them over several weeks to support a smooth transition.
August and September 2023 also saw a refurbishment of Park House, giving it a fresh, welcoming look with new paint, carpets, flooring, and bedroom furniture. Thanks to the hard work of our Operations Team, the home is now even more warm and homely, creating an ideal environment for young people to feel comfortable and valued.
In October 2023, we elcomed two new young dents from Leicester and shire. Since joining, they ceived support with their nd have engaged in fun, ng activities like bowling, ng, and even dancing to ve celebrated birthdays, ally diverse celebrations, to Easter and Christmas ge to witness the young nfidence, and resilience. ring the safest and most re every child flourishes.
THIS YEAR’S FEEDBACK
sh I could move in here.”
SOCIAL WORKER how thankful I am for all bly dark place back then, ation in her and she has ication and compassion, services like yours exist have changed a life and nd forever in your debt.”
FAMILY MEMBER hat you guys have done. am together. Thank you.”
MMISSIONING MANAGER
For many, the journey to find safety, stability, and a sense of belonging is a deeply personal struggle. For one individual seeking refuge from conflict and hardship, Y Advice & Support Centre (YASC) has become a beacon of hope and resilience, guiding him through some of the most challenging moments of his life.
His story begins in 2018, in a journey marked by intense hardship and determination, in fear of his life from the Taliban. "Before I left my country, I go to Iran by walking, and after, Turkey and Greece." His journey to Europe was fraught with unimaginable challenges: months spent in the jungle with no food or water, sleeping under harsh conditions, and relying on aid from the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations. His journey brought him through Greece, Italy, and France before he finally reached the UK in 2022, hoping for a fresh start.
Upon arrival, he faced yet another set of challenges. After landing at Gatwick, he was sent from one temporary accommodation to another, finally arriving in Leicester in January 2024. Here, his challenges compounded, and he found himself homeless, pending five to six months sleeping on the streets. "I went to the council, but they told me, 'We have thousands of people on the list. We can’t help you for housing.'" His sense of desperation grew, but it was at this moment that YASC stepped in.
IMPACT THE YASC
Our direct access drop-in service prioritises who are rough sleeping or at risk of homelessness, offering a safe welcoming space where people can access breakfast, a wide range of support and initial assessments. The service has also continued to support a significant number of people in temporary accommodation in need of basic essentials, advice, signposting and help connecting with support or partner agencies
YASC maintains effective working relationships with The Homeless Mental Health Service, St Mungo’s Recovery College and Turning Point, all of whom offer drop-ins and pre-booked appointments. New partnerships and sessions have also been established, monthly visits from opticians enable us to offer free eye tests and prescription glasses. Trade sexual health offer a range of services including free HIV testing, and Headway (the Brain Injury association) deliver regular one to one and group sessions. These partnerships strengthen our ability to address the mental health, recovery, and well-being of those we serve.
Digital literacy support and access to technology has become increasingly vital, as many of our service users need guidance to navigate on-line forms, journals and applications. Our team is dedicated to helping clients build these digital skills, ensuring they can access key services and benefits.
Our Mental Health Access Worker plays a pivotal role in our team. The flexibility to see people both as ‘drop-in’ and with ‘planned appointments’ remains crucial in providing consistency to those needing help with their mental well-being amidst uncertain and often precarious circumstances. Together, these services create a pathway from crisis to stability, empowering individuals to move forward in their lives.
SLEEP ROUGH SO OTHERS DON’T HAVE TO
OVER £27,000RAISED IN 2024
For Nuura, the Heritage Project has been a journey that has built confidence and given her the opportunity of hands-on experience at Leicester Museum and Art Gallery. She has discovered new interests and personal strengths that are opening doors to a future previously unimaginable.
“I've been living at YMCA for about a year and three months. Before I got onto the Heritage traineeship, I didn't know a lot about history and I wasn't really interested. But I gave it a chance… I went for it and I really enjoyed it.
The six-month traineeship at the museum was very interesting because every day I'd be doing different things; going to museums, helping out with events, meeting lots of people and I've been communicating, which is very helpful for my mental health.
My favourite part was when I worked with the education team. They ran an event for children. I love kids and I managed to invite my younger siblings and spend time with them and they loved it. There was one child and the picture she drew was chosen for an exhibition. It was beautiful. I was shocked the kids could actually draw! I was like, “You guys are very good artists at such a young age!”.
YOUR HERITAGE YOUR FUTURE
My manager and mentor helped me through everything. The staff also helped me and made me feel like a part of the family, not like a person there to do a traineeship. At the end of my training, I planned an event; food, risk assessment, budget - everything was planned out. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it to the event because I was unwell, but it went really well because of my planning and how I managed to put everything in place.
Young Trustee was another opportunity YMCA offered, where residents from across the UK trained as Young Trustees and learned a lot of skills to help with our daily lives. We all got along very well. When I came back, I made a difference and being the voice of residents here, I changed things to support their points of view.
YOUR HERITAGE YOUR FUTURE
ENGAGING YOUTH WITH HERITAGE
In July 2023, we launched the exciting pilot project ‘Your Heritage, Your Future’, in partnership with the Norfolk Museum Service and funded by The Heritage Fund. The project aimed to empower young people, including those with complex needs, by providing paid trainee roles, skills development and progression opportunities. It also supported partner heritage organisations to diversify their workforce and improve engagement with young people.
Our Heritage Youth Forum came together from across the East of England and the Midlands in September for an immersive day at Bosworth Battle Field. The forum members explored history hands-on and generated ideas for Your Heritage, Your Future. Their second trip was just as action-packed, with two days of heritage activities in Leicester, visiting the King Richard III Visitor centre, a tour of Leicester Cathedral and even a comedy gig at the majestic Guildhall.
Additionally, we delivered four highly praised, free training sessions for heritage staff and volunteers throughout the region. These workshops focused on trauma-informed practice and youth engagement, equipping participants with the tools to engage meaningfully with young people, especially those from challenging backgrounds who may never have stepped foot in a museum before. By empowering heritage professionals, they will create lasting change within their own organisations, ensuring young people from all walks of life can explore, learn and connect with history in an impactful way.
A key part of the project was creating paid traineeships within heritage organisations for ten hours a week over six months. Young people were hosted by Leicester Museum and Art Gallery and True’s Yard, King’s Lynn. The roles were designed to help the young people improve their confidence and employability skills, whilst diversifying the museums’ workforce and prioritising youth voice within heritage.
We’ve enjoyed another brilliantly busy year, building on previous successes and increasing our audiences with a fantastic programme of comedy, music, drama and more. Some of the great names we had tread our boards include Suzi Ruffell, Aurie Styla, James Haskell, Bridgette Christie, Francis Rossi, Mahalia, Richard Blackwood, Zoe Lyons, Seann Walsh, The Coral, Rosie Jones, Mark Watson, Richard Herring and Ivo Graham.
This huge programme of events has seen a need for us to increase our core staff team and now, with a full team in place for the first time since the pandemic, we’re in the exciting position of starting to broaden the theatre’s work across the city.
Leicester Comedy Festival is always a highlight for us and this year was no exception as we hosted our biggest programme for the festival yet. We were incredibly proud to have retained our title as ‘Best Large Venue in this year’s Leicester Comedy Festival Awards’, as voted for by our audiences, for the third year running!
An integral part of our work this year has been to engage with residents of YMCA Leicestershire in a more meaningful and effective way. This has taken the shape of our weekly workshops, Events Lab. These sessions aim to utilise the theatre team’s broad range of skills to offer their expertise, guidance and training to give them greater access to career pathways. Some of the varied sessions we’ve ran so far have included barista training, sound and lighting design, programming for theatre, lino printing and audio recording techniques.
22,236 215 18 PEOPLE ATTENDED A SHOW UNIQUE EVENTS SOLD-OUT SHOWS
LEICESTER’S OLDEST REMAINING THEATRE IS PART OF THE YMCA
ebruary and March, we hrilled to be part of the ing The Drama Festival interactive workshops nts could explore every ur theatre team deliver programme of events. cted a diverse range of ts travel from as far as mingham and London.
Manager, reflects on a hire’s arts programme, n the Leicester Comedy he recalls, emphasising g energy. This year, the y, surging to twenty-six wever, the organisation oung people - makes it , “We're entirely reliant tressing the importance tre as a historical space. have focused on youth anslate into real-world training as part of our al training programme. em with vital skills and tion can then become a nitial work experience, n the arts and beyond.
Ruby’s life took a transformative turn when she found YMCA Leicestershire.
Once a resident after becoming homeless, Ruby has come full circle, returning as a Transitions Coach. Her role is to help others who are where she once was, guiding young people through their challenges, providing a listening ear, and offering real hope.
“I was working full time, then I was made redundant and being so young, I had nowhere to go. I was a child living in an adult's world and I didn’t have the greatest of family backgrounds. In all honesty, my story was like an episode of Topboy. I was on the streets, just out there trying to survive; get a roof over my head and bread and water in my stomach. And who wanted to employ somebody that was homeless and had no qualifications? Moving into YMCA brought with it consistency and stability and that’s what changed for me. I can categorically say that if it wasn't for staff there, Paul & KC, I definitely don’t know who or where I would be.
Returning to YMCA Leicestershire as part of the staff team felt natural. Who else can give back? Who else can do it? Unless you've been there… You know the dark times, the dark feelings and the dark places. You know what it's like not to want to wash, not to want to get up. To know that you've got somebody on the team that's been through that - not just read the books, studied it, that’s why I want to be there. I want these young people to see, 'You know what? There is hope at YMCA and there’s definitely hope after it.’
I’m currently developing a YMCA football team, we run training sessions every week and I also work closely with Leicester City in the Community. I want to give these young people something else to get up for, they need a positive way to let off the steam and built-up frustrations. We did a five-a-side tournament at West Ham Stadium and we're taking our residents to Seagrave for another tournament shortly. I’ve also just been accepted to take on the London Marathon next year and will be running it in support of YMCA.”
COMBINING TALENT AND LIVED EXPERIENCE
Thanks to our partnership with Leicester City in the Community, a group of our residents were among 10 teams competing for the ‘Football For Good Trophy’ at the London Stadium. Before being chosen to represent Leicester in the five-a- side tournament, our young people took part in a ten-week personal development course, devised by the Street Soccer Foundation, which uses football as a catalyst to engage participants in positive mindset training, mentoring, football coaching and employability workshops.
To support young people to build their skills and confidence for work, we have a range of approaches. Our housing teams help them to explore their options and understand finances whilst St Mungo’s continued to offer one to one job readiness sessions. The Heritage traineeships and youth forum have been a highlight and for the coming year we are embarking on some new and exciting partnerships aimed at breaking down barriers to employment with Project Flourish, Cadent, Melita and Mindera.
As a creative business within the charity, The Y Theatre is uniquely positioned to help residents to develop creativity and cultural leadership skills, delivering front-of-house, bar and barista training. ‘The Hidden Gems Project’ has just been launched, where young people can explore the charity’s history and capture stories. This is inspired by recently unearthed ticket stubs and programmes from the 1930’s, that we used to create displays for our Heritage Open Days.
Latoyah, who was a resident for over two years, has become a voice for young people. This took her on a journey of personal growth, influencing decision makers as part of the ‘Experts by Experience’ group and then embarking on young trustee training to prepare her to join the board at YMCA Leicestershire. She said: “I met this group of other young adults who also wanted to become young trustees in YMCAs all across the country. To start with I felt like I wasn’t qualified to be a trustee, but as time went on I began to realise, if you want to make a change for the generations that follow, then you don’t need qualifications you need a passion for change! I hope that whilst being a young trustee I can be a voice for young people at YMCA Leicestershire and be part of a change I wanted to see when I was a resident.”
Ninety people slept out around the pitch at the KingPower Stadium for our second Sleep Easy event in March. Our brave and wrapped up participants were welcomed by Paul Brown, our CEO and Hayley Roberts, our Chair, along with busking tunes from saxophonists, Curtis and Steve.
Luckily it was a dry night to be bedded down in cardboard boxes, but temperatures dropped to 4 so people found it hard to keep warm.
A huge thank you to both our amazing host, Leicester City Football Club and to every single fundraiser and business that supported this year’s event. Together we raised over £26,000 for young people in our supported housing who have experienced homelessness and rough sleepers who access advice through YASC.
‘It was such a humbling experience. The realisation that this is how so many people in and around Leicester have to sleep every single night, really brought it back home as to why I was there and raising money for such a great cause.
There was a real sense of camaraderie amongst everyone involved, which was great to see! Thank you to everyone at YMCA Leicestershire & LCFC for organising such a lovely event. ’
Jenny Davis, Senior PR Account Manager. Rock Kitchen Harris
OUR KEY FUNDERS FOR THIS YEAR
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB), Heritage Lottery Fund, Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council
YMCA Leicestershire’s financial statements to 31st March 2024 are available at Companies House, company number 00159933. Registered charity number 213513.
FUNDRAISING
SLEEPING OUT AT THE SIDE OF THE PITCH
FUNDRAISING
A HEARTFELT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
A BIG Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year!
Fundraising is both exciting and challenging, as we seek to engage more with our supporters and work with our colleagues to tackle issues such as the lack of affordable housing.
Our ‘Big Give’ Christmas campaign raised over £28,000 to put more resettlement support around young people who are ready to move on to their own place.
Well done to all our fundraisers taking part in sports events including Richard Smith who finished the London Marathon in under 4 hours as part of Team YMCA, our fabulous staff Wolf Pack taking on the mud in the Wolf Run and the Syed Taalay Ahmed Charity Football Tournament held in the football dome at our Aylestone site.
We greatly value the growing support from local businesses and the many ways they make a difference to young people, including developing new partnerships to deliver training and employment initiatives for young people, pro-bono design support from STB and RKH and collaborating with Gallagher to run our first charity Golf Day.
OUR SPECIAL THANKS THIS YEAR
Leicester City Football Club, VS Foundation, Pukka Pies, Parallel Office and Document Solutions, Rock Kitchen Harris, PA Housing, Gallagher, Leicester Boxes and Packaging, Holiday Inn Express, Zellar, Melita POS, Reed Foundation, Haramead Trust, Florence Turner Trust, Cadent Historic England, Westerby Group, Gartree School, V F Northern Europe, Co-op Central England, Unite Students, Leicestershire Police, Morro, St Mungo’s, The Violent Crime Reduction Network, Leicester City in the Community, YMCA Coalville Shop, Mindera Foundation, Market Harborough Building Society, Appello, Synergize, Aaron Services, Ecclesiastical, Asda Oadby, Impact Air, Foresters, Leicestershire & Rutland Freemasons, HSP Financial Planning Ltd, Leicester Grammar School, and Leicester 92nd Beavers.
The introduction of ‘Advantaged Thinking’ has also sparked a positive shift in our staff culture at YMCA Leicestershire. This approach guides staff to rethink not only how they speak about young people but also how they engage with one another. Across departments, we’re moving away from deficit-based language that can unintentionally reinforce stereotypes. Instead, we’re focusing on person-cantered language that fosters respect, inclusion, and collaboration.
TRANSFORMING PERSPECTIVES & EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE & STAFF
OUR YMCA VALUES
WE WELCOME
We work with kindness and integrity so that everyone can feel secure, respected and heard.
WE SUPPORT We build trusting relationships and nurture personal strengths to help people find their path to independence.
WE EMPOWER
We work alongside people to grow their skills and self-belief to enable them to thrive.
WE ENRICH
We create inspiring activities that give people a sense of connection and wellbeing.
WE SEEK OUT We look for opportunities to collaborate and make an impact in the communities we serve.
OUR VISION
Our vision is for every young person to have a safe place to call home and the support they need to create lasting change in their lives.
Our mission is to create supportive and inspiring places where young people and communities can belong, contribute and thrive. We do this through housing, care, support, advice, skills for life, theatre and cultural activities.
YMCA PURPOSE STATEMENT OUR MISSION
YMCA believes in fairness and opportunity. There are essential building blocks for a full and rewarding life: a safe home; acceptance; guidance; friendship; physical and mental health; academic support; employment skills; and access to real opportunities. Many young people have never known these things; other people have lost one or more as they grew up, but we all need them. All of us. At YMCA, we provide these critical foundations for a fresh, strong start for young people and a better quality of life in the community.
