Contact Details

• Name: Anne-Marie Rogan

• Job Title: Chief Executive Officer

• Phone Number: 01792 652 032

• Postal Address: 1 The Kingsway, Swansea, West Glamorgan, SA1 5JQ.

• E-mail Address : info@swanseaymca.org.uk

• Website: www.swanseaymca.org.uk

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History

Swansea YMCA is a long established centre for the community which currently provides a diverse range of sports, social, educational and personal support services for people living in the local area. Established in 1866, it is a registered charity, and its vision is:

Responding creatively to the needs of Young People and the Community

Swansea YMCA came to life in 1866. The work flourished from the outset and within a relatively short time, the new organisation became a reality and its headquarters were established in Herbert Place. However, after nearly fifteen years and increase in the number of members, the YMCA outgrew the building they were located in and moved to Dynevor Place in 1881.

With huge growth in the number of members, the YMCA outgrew its premises in Dynevor Place. In 1911 the Management Committee secured the freehold to Longlands Hotel, with a view to demolishing and replacing it with a new building which could meet the escalating demands being made upon the YMCA organisation. Longlands Hotel was situated on the corner of Page Street and St Helens Rd, where it still operates from today and was designed by local architect Glenn Moxham.

To raise the necessary funds they held a lightening campaign – their aim was to raise £12,000 in just twelve days; They acquired a site in the town centre where they displayed a huge poster, made up of 240 sections, which made a mural of the proposed building. For every £50 raised a section was added to the mural.

Swansea YMCA moved into its current building on 1 The Kingsway in 1912 when it was reported: “the young people who had worked so hard to achieve the agreed objective should be conscious that their efforts would find permanent expression in the building that would stand for generations to come”.

In 2010, Swansea YMCA is based in the heart of the Swansea City Centre on The Kingsway, in a Communities First area, and owns a substantial Grade II listed building offering approximately 3,000m2 over 4 Floors worth approximately £1.3m.

Refurbishment Phase 1:

2010/11: The Project will re-furbish the ground floor and communal areas in the Swansea YMCA building to provide much needed child care provision, community cafe /nutritional training project and health and well being training facilities, up-grade the fitness centre and install a lift. This will enable the roll out of further support services for families, young people, the economically inactive, and enable the YMCA to ensure its future sustainability as a self supporting social enterprise.

The proposed re-development of our current venue will create a visionary multi-purpose community enterprise centre, a community centre for the ‘urban village’ of Swansea, delivering regeneration initiatives, tackling economic inactivity, creating jobs and local wealth, regenerating the community, encouraging sport and well being, lifelong learning, the arts and creative industries as well as providing a supportive environment which cares for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of its community.

Offerings:

Working in partnership to improve the quality of life for local people, Swansea YMCA provides over 30 activities per week ranging from ballet to martial arts, support services including training and employment programmes for NEETs and an economic inactivity project supporting the BME community; is visited by over 1,500 per week and currently houses 9 organisations, providing support services for local people.

The YMCA operates 7 days per week and delivers a varied programme of services to 1,500 people per week. We have a well established Community Education Programme that focuses on both children, young people and adults, which aims to be fully accessible, friendly and affordable.

The main aim of this provision is to work locally to improve peoples’ quality of life through learning and participatory activity that will also impact upon their health and well being. This work has a long tradition at the YMCA and in 2009 we provided activity to 12,084 attendances in our community education programme alone. Participants range from the age of 3 years to 87.

In addition we continue to provide key support services covering:

• Supporting homeless people into work and off the streets in partnership with The Big Issue.

• Providing support and training for NEET young people excluded from mainstream education.

• Providing support to people in partnership with the Terrence Higgins Trust, dealing with issues around HIV.

• Working with local people in partnership with After Adoption.

• Providing support to vulnerable young people and adults to deal with substance misuse issues.

• Providing support to refugees locally in partnership with the Asylum Seekers -Wales Refugee Council.

• Providing activities and services for older people 50+.

• Providing job searches, coaching and training for unemployed and economically inactive people.

• Providing support to the BME community to tackle economic inactivity.

• Providing Health and Well Being Programmes/Services to 350 members, accessed by approximately 2,300 direct contacts per month.

Activities and services specifically for young people aged 11-25 years are accessed on average by 1,600 people per month. In addition services and support for children and families regularly attract 3 generations of service users to the YMCA.

The key driver behind our work is to improve peoples’ quality of life and act as a community focus where everyone receives a friendly welcome in a supportive environment. As a business we aim to provide a low cost quality service which is accessible to everyone and is self sustaining.

Current Tenants:

• The Big Issue – Providing support for homeless people in Swansea.

• Terrence Higgins Trust – Dealing with issues around HIV, and the impact upon family and friends.

• PSALT – Substance misuse support project providing access to support workers, nurses and doctors.

• Elis – Engaging Learners in Swansea – Providing an alternative curriculum programme for 120 young people excluded from mainstream education in Swansea.

• After Adoption – Providing support to people in Swansea and the surrounding area.

• Asylum Seekers – Providing support to refugees and asylum seekers.

• SOVA – Supporting Others Through Voluntary Action

• AWEMA – All Wales Ethnic Minority Association

• Place of Victory – Community Development

Facilities Include:

• Fitness Centre

• Theatre – Llewellyn Hall

• Dance Studio

• Meeting Rooms/Conference Facilities

• Managed Office Spaces

Contact YMCA Wales: 01792 480 141  /  info@ymcawales.co.uk

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