Through the project (as of 2019) 18 young people have engaged in global residentials and over 70 young people have participated in a UK residential.
Every single person participating in an International residential has maintained or secured employment post the experience. We believe that these experiences are instrumental in the growth of each young person.
Every year we offer a city visit to London for young people to experience the capital, visiting places such as the V&A Museum, The London Eye and other cultural highlights. We tie this in with the YMCA’s national Youth Matters Awards so that young people can meet other young people from across England & Wales and celebrate the achievements of a diverse group of young people.
6 young people and two staff conquered the UK’s highest mountain. Young people engaged with months of preparation and training to acclimatise for the ordeal. Using our onsite Y-Active Leisure Centre facilities, young people took part in a three month training programme and all succeeded in getting to the top!
A delegation of young people, staff and volunteers are in Romania to support the work of Rise 2 Shine Ministries. Team YMCA will be working on revamping the communities in which the Roma camp children and families call home. This is a life-changing experience for all those involved.
Through the Creative Youth Minds project, YMCA led a Stoke delegation to Srebrenica, Bosnia to learn of the genocide that took place. These experiences help broaden the knowledge of young people on historical matters that are of importance.
A cultural excursion was made possible through Creative Youth Minds. A 4-day visit to the infamous city of Berlin. Sites included the Berlin Wall, the Jewish Museum, the Reichstag and much more. Young people took part in stories and sessions before and after the visit, deepening their understanding.
