YMCA is a global youth work organisation active in 125 countries with 45 million members worldwide. The YMCA has been a foundational base for youth work practice since 1844.
The Scottish movement is made up of 36 autonomous local associations each of which is governed locally by a volunteer Board and develops its programme in response to local needs. These associations can stretch from large organisations employing hundreds of staff in multiple programme areas, as we do in Glasgow, to youth centres such as Gatehouse of Fleet YMCA where the youth worker always knows exactly how many young people are in the village.
Though autonomous, each local YMCA comes together as part of the YMCA Scotland family to achieve efficiency savings, to share and develop best practice and to connect to the international movement. Local YMCAs deliver provision for vulnerable children, young people and families from over 120 sites across Scotland.
At the heart of YMCAs work in Scotland lie key principles of our Christian mission, service to those in the greatest need, involvement of volunteers and encouraging children and young people to achieve their fullest potential in life.
YMCA's vision is maintained and developed through a national system of quality standards which each local YMCA is required to undergo every five years. Called, 'Working Towards Excellence' this system captures and reinforces who we are as YMCA.