Housing Support

Our support programme includes basic skills training, opportunities for learning, issue based workshops and residential based activities.

Residents meet with a support worker, on a weekly basis to set targets, and hopefully achieve goals. This might be something such as teaching someone to pay their rent on time, or researching training or education courses, or seeking employment. Sometimes we can provide the push that is required to motivate or boost their confidence, to move on to employment, training and permanent accommodation.
The support we provide is designed to assist with budgeting, literacy and social skills. The aim is to help equip young people with the necessary skills that they may need, not only to live independently, but live within a community.

Bridgwater YMCA has close links with local agencies and organisations enabling residents to have access to further opportunities, these include: Further education, Princes Trust and other support services such as Connexions, On The Level etc.

Referrals are taken from all local and national agencies working with young people as well as receiving a number of self referrals. Bridgwater YMCA also works closely with Sedgemoor District Council in tackling Youth Homelessness and has allocated rooms for young people leaving care funded by Children and Young People Directorate.

Applications are assessed on receipt and applicants are invited for an interview to assess their support needs in more depth. The outcome of these interview and assessments is either a place on the waiting list for accommodation or in few cases, a fully explained refusal and signposting to other agencies.

Additional opportunities open to our tenants

M.O.M.O’s, our moving on, membership and opportunities scheme. This is a personal membership scheme that promotes and supports achieving independence and autonomy, positive move on and access to opportunities.

Residents automatically receive membership to our Hyper Active programme; this entitles them to free access to all the sports and fitness activities at the Bridgwater YMCA. Residents can join in with the various fitness and recreational sports activities in the programme, including, fitness classes, use our state-of-the-art air conditioned gym, kick boxing, climbing, caving, canoeing and much more.

Our Foyer Health and Wellbeing programme, funded by the Big Lottery Well-being Fund (England), is an exciting opportunity for us to promote the health of young people. Our tenants and the wider community benefit from the programme through workshops, taster days and other sports and activities covering: Healthy eating, physical activity and mental well-being.