Welcome to East Herts YMCA
History of the East Herts YMCA
The Early Years
Initial discussions about establishing a YMCA in East Herts began in the early 1990s following concern in the town about the effects of growing homelessness. With the assistance of YMCA England, the local churches and local government bodies, the East Herts YMCA was established as a charity and incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in 1994.
The management team, made up entirely of volunteers, envisaged a low-medium support housing unit available to vulnerable young adults between the ages of 18 and 30. Funding for a new building was sought and major donations came from East Hertfordshire District Council, the Rotary Club, British Gas and the Clothworkers' Foundation in addition to many church donations as well as funds received from community groups, local companies and individuals.
1996 - 2006
Two years later in 1996 the current building at 4 Northgate End was opened with 27 self-contained flats, an emergency crash-pad, a training room for residents, a communal lounge, a laundry room, office areas and a separate staff flat.
From the first residents who walked through the doors of the East Herts YMCA until now, the core focus has remained the provision of supported housing. The late 1990s saw the organisation being challenged by changes in society, housing needs and most specifically the needs of its residents. In 2003 the organisation attracted Supporting People funding and in 2004 successfully passed the Supporting People and Matrix quality assurance frameworks.
Matrix accreditation enabled the YMCA to embark on a new and exciting personal development programme with the provision of career and educational information and advice. This was initially provided to residents but has expanded to outreach sites both in Hertfordshire and Essex.
During 2004 residents, clients, volunteers, partners and stakeholders celebrated ten years of the East Herts YMCA as a charity. Having achieved the organisation's initial objective, the Board of Trustees and staff embarked on developing a new five-year strategy, a business plan and a one-year operational plan.
These plans have now been formulated and are effective as from January 2006.
For a history of the YMCA nationally, see www.ymca.org.uk >>