EveryYouth is thrilled to announce that YMCA London City & North, YMCA Derbyshire and YMCA Heart of England have joined our ever-expanding Network of Delivery Partners, enhancing our efforts to tackle youth homelessness on a national scale. 

All three organisations work alongside some of Britain’s most vulnerable young people to help them gain independence. They are the latest of 16 youth homelessness charities to join our Network and are welcomed just months after YMCA Leicestershire joined.  

Our partnership with YMCA is a crucial step towards our mission to reach every community across the UK, ensuring that vulnerable young people receive the Employability, Health and Housing support they need to reach their full potential and contribute to society in a meaningful way. 

Initially, we will focus on securing life changing job opportunities for young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness through Project Flourish, a pro bono employability service created in collaboration with global recruitment agency Hays. Project Flourish will provide young people in London, Derbyshire, Birmingham, Coventry and Solihull with bespoke work opportunities and financial resources they need to live independently.  

EveryYouth CEO Nicholas Connolly said: “We have already helped young people supported by YMCA Leicestershire to secure meaningful jobs through our ground-breaking pro bono recruitment service. More young people now have access to Project Flourish and we couldn’t be more excited to see more lives transformed.” 

“By supporting our youth, we’re not just changing lives; we’re building a stronger community.”

YMCA London City & North operates accommodation sites in Hackney, Haringey and Islington for around 600 young people every year. As well as food and affordable accommodation, the YMCA offers residents integrated access to training, personal development, guidance and job searching facilities. 

CEO Gillian Bowen said: “Every young person deserves a safe place to call home; together, we can make that a reality. By supporting our youth, we’re not just changing lives; we’re building a stronger community.” 

YMCA Derbyshire offers safe housing to more than 200 young people each year across Derby and Derbyshire. Through their housing pathways, a wide range of support and activities are delivered including access to employment, volunteering and personal development opportunities. These are all with the aim of helping young people to make positive moves towards independence. 

Louise Curd, YMCA Derbyshire Director of Lifelong Learning, said: “We are delighted to join EveryYouth as a Delivery Partner, and excited about being able to support our young people with more employment opportunities, which will enable them to belong, contribute and thrive.” 

YMCA Heart of England formed from the merger of YMCA Birmingham and YMCA Coventry & Warwickshire in 2020. At different sites across Birmingham, Coventry, and Solihull, the independent charity provides accommodation and support to help vulnerable people move towards independent living, as well as youth services in areas of high need, volunteering opportunities, and friendly nursery settings for the community. 

Julia Nolan, Head of Community and Youth, says of Project Flourish: “The unique strength of this project lies in its ability to provide sustainable employment opportunities, while also offering financial support for move-on accommodation.  

“Initiatives like this are essential to ensure that every young person across the West Midlands has the best possible start in life.”