Transforming Young Lives - YMCA DownsLink Group

Our impact

How we transform young lives

Our impact

How we transform young lives

The work we do every year changes lives. We step in to prevent children and young people from crisis by providing supported accommodation, support & advice, family mediation and counselling. By supporting young people, at this crucial stage in their lives (16-24), we can help them change their lives and create a better future for themselves.

Our impact in numbers

Young people who use our services
young people we give a home to
children and young people counselling and therapeutic services
success rate of young people moving on
number of shared meals provided in projects
number of people supported through support and advice services

Why your support is needed now

Weโ€™re doing all we can to break the cycle of homelessness for young people in your community. We positively impact the lives of over 10,000 children, young people and families each year. But weโ€™re not there yet.ย  The need for our support and yours has never been greater.

70%

cuts in funding to youth services in the last 10 years.

20%

increase in demand for our housing support since the pandemic.

27%

of the young people we help have come from the care system.

1 in 20

children experience the death of a parent before the age of 16.

20%

of all homeless people in the UK are aged between 16 and 24.

1 in 62

young people were ย UK were estimated to be facing homelessness in 2023-2024

How our work makes a difference

George’s story

When George* was 14, his life seemed normal until his mother struggled with mental health and his father left the family. Feeling abandoned, George […]

Daniel’s story

What does Chaplaincy really mean to the young people we support? One resident, Daniel, who has recently โ€˜moved onโ€™ to a transitional property from a Foyer, explained the difference Chaplaincy made to him.

Dani’s story

Dani’s life had been chaotic and unstable. Her social worker referred her to YMCA DownsLink Group, and, with the help of her YMCA WiSE project worker, she began to make better decisions around relationships and her future.

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