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YMCA seeks new home after notice served on Barbican estate base
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The YMCA is seeking a new base in the City of London after being given notice to leave the iconic Barbican estate, its home for the past 40 years.
The move, which is due to take place by the end of September, follows an agreement between the Corporation of London and YMCA England and will affect 255 young people, predominantly aged between 16 and 25.
Gillian Bowen, CEO of City YMCA, said: “We’ve obviously been affected by funding cuts over the past two years but this move, particularly at this time of heightened youth unemployment, tuition fee increases and a lack of social housing provision, is a mammoth blow to our work in the area.
"City YMCA believes that young people are a key part of any community and particularly an area as great as the City of London.
The charity is now looking for partners and stakeholders in the City and local area to help its work in supporting young people to continue.
"In particular we are seeking any support that can directly help the young people with access to affordable accommodation, so they can remain in education and maintain employment in the local area," Gillian Bowen added.
City YMCA says it is working with staff, volunteers, residents, stakeholders and other members during the transition period and will announce its revised business plan in April 2012.
The charity will continue to run its outreach and youth project programmes from its Islington site and will carry on with joint initiatives such as its Youth Community Safety Project, which was commissioned by the Islington MET and Islington Community Safety Board (ICSB) and that has been delivering very positive work around Stop and Search within Islington for the past two years.
Michael Wise, Islington Borough Commander, said: “City YMCA has undertaken significant outreach work with young people and I have no doubt that their work has contributed to a sustained reduction in serious youth violence in this borough.
"Through holding effective consultation and interactive discussions with young people who live and study within the community we have managed to achieve a better understanding of the culture and challenges facing our young people.”
