Aims & Purposes

At Bournemouth YMCA our heart is to help and support people of all ages, origins and faiths, especially those who are young and who are needy or vulnerable in some way. Our desire is to see lives changed and improved and our vision and mission statements can be summed up in our strap line:

“Working in partnership with young people today for a better tomorrow.”

It is a purpose that works its way out across all areas of our work that takes in housing, youth work, children’s work, health & fitness and media.

The formal statement of our aims and purposes is:

“The YMCA is a Christian Movement.

At its centre are Christians who, regarding Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, desire to share their faith with others and make Him known, believed, trusted, loved, served and exemplified in all human relationships.

It welcomes into its fellowship persons of other religious faiths and of none.

The objects of the Association arise from its acceptance of the Basis of Union of the Young Men's Christian Associations of England, Ireland and Wales adopted by the British Young Men's Christian Association Assembly held in Birmingham in 1973:

"The Young Men's Christian Associations seek to unite those who, regarding Jesus Christ as their God and Saviour according to the Holy Scriptures, desire to be His disciples in their faith and in their life, and to associate their efforts for the extension of His Kingdom.

Any difference of opinion on other subjects, however important in themselves, shall not interfere with the harmonious relations of the Associations of the Young Men's Christian Association Movement in England, Ireland and Wales".

Accordingly the objects of Bournemouth YMCA are: -

· To lead people (particularly young people) to the Lord Jesus Christ and to fullness of life in Him.

· To provide improve and manage (whether directly or in association with others) houses or hostels providing residential accommodation for and to relieve or assist in the relief of persons of all ages who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress by reason of their social, physical or economic circumstances and upon terms appropriate to their means.

· To provide or assist in the provision of the interests of social welfare of facilities for recreation and other leisure time occupation for men, women, young people and children with the object of improving their conditions of life.

· To provide or assist in the provision of education for persons of all ages with the object of developing their physical, mental or spiritual capacities.”