About us
about us
Frequently asked questions
Below are answers to some of the questions we are often asked. If the answer to your question is not given here, please email us at info@ywca.org.uk.
Who are these disadvantaged young women?
How old are the girls and women you work with?
Why young women - why not young people or all women?
How do you work with young women?
Are you a Christian organisation?
Are you the same organisation as the YMCA?
Does YWCA operate throughout Great Britain?
Does YWCA work in other countries?
What is YWCA?
YWCA is the leading charity working with the most disadvantaged girls and young women in England and Wales.
Who are these disadvantaged young women?
Teenage girls from disadvantaged communities are deprived of some of the basic necessities of life, such as money, education or influence. They have little power.
Without intervention, a girl born poor is likely to remain poor.
As well as poverty, they may face other issues like drug addiction, violence or racism. They may come from any racial, ethnic or religious background. They may be voiceless and hard to reach.
How old are the girls and women you work with?
We work predominantly with girls and women aged 11 to 30. This is the age range where there is greatest need and where we can make the greatest difference.
Why young women - why not young people or all women?
Young women face unique problems in today's society. They are largely unheard and lack influence.
Too often young women are invisible in policy made for young people, or women in general, and their needs aren’t met by mixed gender services.
Girls are effectively denied a voice, as they can be afraid to speak out. YWCA exists to bridge that gap. To learn more about why we only work with young women dowload this free pdf.
What do you want to achieve?
We want a future where disadvantaged young women can overcome prejudice against them and take charge of their own lives.
Where do you work?
We run programmes in many disadvantaged areas of England and Wales. Click here to see where our centres are based.
What do you do?
In a safe women-only environment we deliver services to help girls and young women combat the discrimination they face.
We give support, information and the opportunity to learn to thousands of girls every year.
We are the leading voice for the most disadvantaged young women because they are at the forefront of the work we do and the decisions we make. We run campaigns with them and carry out research on things they tell us hold them back.
How do you work with young women?
We work with young women in groups and individually to help them know themselves and build self-esteem; to understand other people and build better relationships; and to work together to identify and challenge prejudice.
Who pays for your work?
Most of our funding comes from grants, government payments for our services and investment income. We desperately need more funds to help us work with all the disadvantaged young women who need our services. Click here if you would like to make a donation to support our work.
What does YWCA stand for?
YWCA used to stand for The Young Women’s Christian Association, but it is now simply the name of the organisation. Just like IBM used to stand for International Business Machines, and HMV was His Master’s Voice.
Our registered name is YWCA England & Wales. We are not The YWCA, The Young Women's Christian Association or Y.W.C.A.
Are you a Christian organisation?
No. We were founded by Christian women in the mid-nineteenth century as part of a charitable welfare movement, but our work is no longer faith-based. We work with people of all faiths and none, and embrace the multicultural society in which we live.
Are you the same organisation as the YMCA?
No. We are two separate charities. We were both founded at about the same time which saw many welfare work charities established, but we have never been the same charity. For information about the YMCA, click here.
Do you still have hostels?
No, the needs of disadvantaged young women have changed and we have changed our work accordingly.
By the mid-1990s much of our accommodation was outdated and the services we ran were not what young women wanted any more. Our old properties needed a huge amount of work to bring them up to scratch, and the money needed to do it was beyond YWCA’s budget.
In 1999 we began to transfer our hostels to other registered social landlords so they, as far as possible, could continue to provide housing. This freed us up to concentrate entirely on providing youth and community services to girls and women, rather than project managing a prohibitively expensive building programme.
Does YWCA operate throughout Great Britain?
Yes. YWCA is an international movement.
We are YWCA England & Wales, a registered charity in our own right. YWCA Scotland is a separate charity and we are both members of an ‘umbrella’ organisation, YWCA of Great Britain. There is no YWCA Northern Ireland.
There are still a number of autonomous YWCAs in England which are separately registered charities: in Sheffield, Kendal, Newcastle Upon Tyne and Sunderland. These YWCAs, as well as YWCA Scotland, are not part of YWCA England & Wales.
Together, YWCA England & Wales, YWCA Scotland and the independent YWCAs in England, form an ‘umbrella’ organisation, YWCA of Great Britain. The governing body of YWCA of Great Britain is called British Council.
For information about YWCA Scotland, contact them on 0131 558 8000 or by email at reception@ywcascotland.org
Does YWCA work in other countries?
YWCA is a worldwide movement, which YWCA England & Wales is affiliated to. The World YWCA was founded in 1894 by four associations: Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, and the United States.
YWCA first began in Britain and grew into a global movement of girls and women in over 109 countries worldwide. For information about the World YWCA, visit their website or call their headquarters in Geneva on 0041 22 929 6040.
their stories
Kelly's boyfriend was unemployed and borrowed a lot money from her. If she refused to give him money he would insult her.
fact
Heavy drinkers are more likely to abuse their intimate partner
quote
"YWCA's workers, without exception, forge meaningful relationships of trust with some very damaged young women and are extremely committed in what they do."
Probation officer, Doncaster Probation Services
we think
...learning about alcohol should be induced in the PHSE curriculum. It will help young women understand that alcohol is addictive and dangerous
YWCA newsletter
Sign up for our newsletter to receive regular updates about our work
