This year, we have dealt with an unprecedented demand for our support services – with over 2,000 sessions delivered for housing support and counselling services so far.
We have been dedicated to tackling various social concerns in the county, from housing and education to health and wellbeing, which have only been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis.
So far in 2022, we have provided temporary housing for 175 individuals, while also delivering 1,158 one-to-one support sessions to equip our residents with the skills and confidence they need so that they can lead a positively independent long-term future.
Gareth Sherwood, Chief Executive Officer at YMCA Bournemouth commented: “The whole team at YMCA Bournemouth has worked incredibly hard this year to support our local community – and the statistics outlining the aid delivered speak for themselves.
“While demonstrating the significant efforts of our team, these figures also demonstrate the public’s sheer demand for support, which is worrying in itself. With the cost-of-living crisis showing no signs of waning, demand will no doubt continue to rise, and more work needed to be done to help those in need.”
We also launched a new public low-cost counselling service this year to assist the Dorset community with the increased cost of living pressures, which are taking a toll on people’s mental health. Since launching the service in September, we have delivered a total of 1,003 counselling sessions.
The team has continued supporting local families through our provision of play and care services, such as our child contact centres. These have offered a safe environment where children can spend time with family members with whom they do not usually live, delivering 1,587 hours of sessions in 2022 so far.
Gareth Sherwood continued: “We want to continue doing everything we can to support our local community and their differing needs through our range of services. Our mission to create loving, dynamic, and whole communities has become even more fundamental in these times of hardship. We will continue to work collaboratively with other fantastic charities and organisations in our local area to deliver this mission and help overcome these ongoing issues in Dorset.”
We have also helped local individuals gain further education, with more than 250 adults achieving recognised training qualifications through our dedicated training courses.
Our gym and leisure facility, The Junction in Broadstone has also had a successful year, securing 3,000 new adult memberships and more than 5,000 spaces booked on our Holiday Club programme in 2022. Membership and booking fees from The Junction contribute towards our wider operations, allowing the charity to continue supporting the local community with our extensive range of services.
