Family Support Programmes

While YMCA's primary focus remains the young person's healthy development we understand that this development will take place within a community and within a family. As such YMCA will always consider these contexts and will often engage with local residents or families to support the young person.

There are a wide range of programmes across Scotland which target support to families. These include:

• Parenting Programmes
  Working to equip parents with the understanding and skills to be able to communicate and effectively manage relationships with their teenagers.
• Enabling Family Support
  Working with a young person, YMCA will often seek to identify individuals within the wider family who can provide effective guidance and support to that individual. YMCA may provide support and help to that family member including working with other partners to do so in order that they can establish an improving relationship with the young person concerned.
• Adult Learning
  The community base of many YMCAs in Scotland is often an excellent venue for adults and parents to further their own learning and development. YMCAs operate a range of training and educational programmes for adults including literacy programmes, community activity programmes and health and fitness programmes.

The young person remains the key focus for the YMCA. However time after time we see how an investment in support to the family can not only resolve problems for that individual young person but can create a more positive environment for younger siblings.