YMCA Norfolk receives National Lottery grant for programme

YMCA Norfolk has been awarded a total of £490,298 in grant funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.

The funding will be used to deliver a country-wide training, education and employment programme called Life Ready Work Ready.

YMCA Norfolk Community Hub, in Alysham Road, NR3 (Image: YMCA Norfolk)READ MORE: Grade II listed four-floor townhouse in King Street, on sale for £250,000

The programme will work with people aged 16-25 in order to break the cycle of homelessness and improve their ability to sustain future employment, gain independence and improve personal development.

Set to launch in January 2024, Life Ready Work Ready will provide support to an anticipated 432 young people over a three-year period and create give new jobs across the organisation.

John Lee, chief executive officer for YMCA Norfolk (Image: YMCA Norfolk)John Lee, chief executive officer for YMCA Norfolk, said: "We are thrilled to have been awarded this significant amount of funding to continue our critical work in addressing the barriers that our young people face when accessing training, education and employment.

"Through building a thorough five-stage programme, which supports project participants, clients will receive support which is not only bespoke to them and their goals, but also allows them to take part in training and attain qualifications at a pace that best suits them.

YMCA Norfolk were awarded a total of £490,298 from the National Lottery Community Fund (Image: YMCA Norfolk)"We are positive that its delivery will result in sustainable, long-term outcomes for our clients."

Those enrolled in the programme will engage in a variety of learning opportunities including independent living and budgeting courses, as well as attaining knowledge around vital life skills, such as gardening and cooking.

The 'Life Ready Work Ready' programme will offer a variety of learning opportunities including independent living and budgeting courses (Image: YMCA Norfolk)READ MORE: See inside the 'stylish' three-bed house next to Carrow Road for £230,000

The ultimate goal of the programme is to empower young people to live independently, gain employment and have a better understanding of how to access wider resources including services managed by other charities, enterprises and health professionals.

Jason Beattie, YMCA Norfolk business development director, added: "We firmly believe that the more connected we are, the more impact we have. 

"So we're grateful that the National Lottery share this vision with us."