We are proud to announce that YMCA DownsLink Group was recognised at the Elysian Awards 2026, winning Gold in the Making a Difference Together category. The awards celebrate outstanding work with children, young people and families in education, therapy and community services.
Comedian Jo Brand, a former nurse, presented the awards at the event in at G Live, Guildford, on Saturday 18 April.
Two young people who live in our supported housing, Michelle and Abdullah, represented YMCA DownsLink Group at the evening along with Housing Support Worker Luiz Lopes and Head of Fundraising and Communications Debbie Watkins. They were joined by Phillip Harvey from Focus Furnishings, one of our Partner for Change corporate supporters.
Young people say
Michelle said: “I felt proud to be part of YMCA DownsLink Group and to receive the award for us. I was shocked and excited to be the first people getting up on the evening to receive an award.
“I’ve lived at YMCA for about seven months and have an amazing support worker, Lucy. I am a very nervous person and usually don’t like to be with lots of people. YMCA DownsLink Group has helped me improve my confidence so much. Without Lucy’s support, I would never have felt confident enough to go up on stage to receive our award. Now I feel that I can do anything!”
Abdullah said: “This was the first time I had been to an event like this in this country. I’ve been living at YMCA for one year and seven months and it is wonderful! The people there work so hard for us and help us so much. I’m at college studying English now and I have in mind to be a firefighter. I’d love to do something good. YMCA has helped me and now I want to help other people.”
Support worker Luiz said: “I felt proud to be at the Elysian Awards for YMCA DownsLink Group. It was good to see the important work we do being more visible to others in the community.”
Partners for Change say
Phillip Harvey, of Focus Furnishings, one of the businesses which support our charity through our Partners for Change offer, enjoyed joining us at the Elysian Awards. He said: “It was great to meet Michelle, Abdullah, Luiz and Debbie. We like to support organisations that give something back and we see the enthusiasm that comes across from your staff who clearly love what they do. We are proud to be a Partner for Change.”
Read more of our inspiring Young People’s Stories here.
And more about how your business can join our Partners for Change here.
