YMCA Leicestershire

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YMCA Leicestershire

Everyone should have a fair chance - Changing young peoples lives for over 140 years in Leicestershire. The Y works with homeless young people in Leicester.

Too many of them are living traumatic lives and experiencing family breakdown, bereavement, depression or abuse. With your support we can offer them a safe place to call home and help them create a positive future for themselves. The Y is a diverse community organisation whose mission is to empower young people to achieve skills and independence through access to supported accommodation, advice, e

ducation, sports and arts. We also provide support to homeless adults from The Y Support Project and offer enriching activities through The Y Theatre and creative arts programmes.

14/08/2026

Still thinking about our Health and Wellbeing Practitioner role? Here's who we're looking for.

✅ Someone confident, reflective and calm under pressure.
✅ Someone with experience supporting young people through complex emotional and mental health challenges.
✅ Someone who can build trust, assess risk and think creatively when a young person isn't quite ready to engage yet.

If that sounds like you, we'd love you to apply. Click the link in the comments to learn more.

10/08/2026

Hello August!

This month's wellbeing focus is Happiness Happens Month. When did you last do something that made you genuinely smile?

Looking after your wellbeing doesn't mean being happy all the time. It means building small habits that help you cope with life's ups and downs, reduce stress, and support both your mental and physical health.

Did you know that Happiness Happens Month started life in 1999 as "Admit You're Happy Day", created to encourage people to share their happy moments without feeling guilty. It later grew into a month-long celebration.

Remember, experiencing difficult emotions is a normal part of life too. Looking after your wellbeing won't stop challenges from happening, but it can help you cope with them more effectively and recognise when it's time to ask for support.

What's one small thing that's made you smile recently? Tell us in the comments.

07/08/2026

We are hiring!

We're looking for a Health and Wellbeing Practitioner to join our team, supporting young people in our accommodation to build resilience and brighter futures.

You'll work closely with a caseload of around 10 young people, helping them understand their wellbeing, develop healthier coping strategies and access the right support at the right time.

£28,000 pro-rata for 32 hours (£35,000 FTE). Based across our Leicester sites.

Sound like you? We'd love to hear from you. Click the link in the comments to find out more.

17/07/2026

Queues? Expected. A brilliant day out? Absolutely guaranteed!

On 29th June, a group of our young people headed to Alton Towers for a day out funded by the Big Give Campaign 2025/26. Between hair-raising turns on Rita, The Smiler and The Wicker Man, and a well-earned packed lunch to refuel, it was a day full of thrills and laughter.

Axel, who came along on the trip, told us: "We had loads of fun, despite queues for the rides (to be expected!) we had a brilliant day! Hex, Rita, The Wicker Man and Smiler were my favourites. The packed lunch from was delicious. Can we do it again next year please?"

We'd call that a resounding yes from us too. Thank you to everyone who supported the Big Give Campaign and made days like this possible.

15/07/2026

‘It feels so much calmer to walk into and makes the place feel more homely and inviting’

‘It’s my new favourite room’

Our young people asked for a space that felt warm, welcoming and homely. That vision is now a reality.

Together, we redesigned our reception and activity area to create a place where naturally occurring conversations can flourish, where young people can connect with one another, and where staff are part of the everyday rhythm of the space.

The funding also enabled us to make the area fully accessible, meaning even more young people and visitors can enjoy everything our organisation has to offer.

With thanks to Centre Point, IKEA UK, Roshal Space Consultants E.L Midlands, Rossells Security LTD and the brilliant young people who shaped every detail.

13/07/2026

What an amazing Wednesday at YMCA Leicestershire!

We were visited by a wonderful collection of exotic creatures, including a bald skinny pig, rabbit, tortoise, Tula the Barn Owl, Sydney the Grass Snake, a bearded gecko, stick insect, Colin the Cockroach, and even a cheeky frog who loved sitting on our heads 🐸😂

Everyone had the chance to handle the animals and learn fascinating facts about what they eat, where they come from, and how they live. A huge thank you for such a fun, hands-on, and educational experience!

08/07/2026

It’s just fun and games… but is it more than that?

Health and wellbeing looks different for everyone. For some of our residents at our Aylestone site, it looks like Dungeons and Dragons.

It might seem like just a game, but the weekly sessions bring the group together to relax and socialise, while building characters and campaigns takes real thought, creativity and teamwork.

Underneath the fun, our residents are developing skills in creative writing, problem solving and design, skills that could open doors to a future career they might never have considered.

06/07/2026

YMCA Leicestershire owns and operates The Y Theatre, Leicester's oldest theatre, and that gives our residents access to some brilliant opportunities they might never otherwise get.

Earlier this year, in partnership with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, our theatre team ran a series of weekly music sessions with residents. Working with sounds drawn from their own environment, they had complete creative control to build a piece of music around a theme of their own choosing.

For many of our young people, it was a first chance to explore an art form they might have felt shut out of before, and to discover just how much they have to offer.

03/07/2026

A huge thank you to Asda Fosse Park for their incredibly generous donation of water and snacks for our recent BBQ and trip to Alton Towers.

Community support like this makes a real difference to the young people we work with, and we are so grateful. Thank you!

01/07/2026

Did you know YMCA Leicestershire has a Health and Wellbeing Service offering intensive, wraparound support to young people living with us who are facing difficult mental health challenges?

Last year the team worked with 34 young people, delivered 345 face-to-face support sessions and arranged 21 wellbeing workshops. Using a trauma-informed approach, they work alongside each young person at their own pace, for as long as they need.

The results speak for themselves, with 100% of young people saying the service helped them to improve their mental health.

Address

7 East Street
Leicester
LE16EY

Telephone

+441162556507

Website

https://www.ymcaleics.org.uk/

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