Beyond the Campus: YMCA MK's Youth Work Across Milton Keynes

The Challenge 

In 2022, Milton Keynes had some of the highest knife-related crime numbers in the Thames Valley region. More young people were out of work here than the national average. And when young people were asked what would actually help, they said the same things: places to go, things to do, and adults who don't disappear. 

YMCA MK runs supported housing for young people in the city centre. The organisation understood what young people face. But support stopped at the campus gates. To reach young people earlier and across the whole city, a dedicated youth team was needed. 

The Project 

From 2022 to 2025, YMCA MK received a £75,000 grant from MK Community Foundation to build something different. Starting with two staff members, they grew a city-wide team: four staff, ten youth workers, and 47 trained volunteer mentors. 

At the heart of it was consistent, one-to-one support. Young people referred by teachers, social workers, and the Early Help Team got matched with mentors who stuck around. Not just for a term or a programme cycle, but for as long as they needed someone - helping them manage emotions, navigate education, work through family relationships. 

Alongside the mentoring, they created spaces for young people to belong. Youth clubs ran across Milton Keynes with activities like sushi making, mural painting, baking, and music. In primary schools, mentors worked with children struggling with attendance and mental health, catching problems early. For older young people, an employment programme offered practical help: writing CVs, practising interviews, building confidence to find work. 

The team also made sure young people had a voice. Through events like Hope Hack and Hear Y, they created platforms where young people could speak directly to politicians and council leaders about what mattered to them. And by working with colleges, schools, parish councils, and charities, they built a network of support across the city. 

The Impact 

In the final year, 350 young people got support through youth clubs, school sessions, and one-to-one mentoring. The stories shared below shows what that meant. 

Jake left school with no GCSEs after years in care. A mentor stuck with him. Now he's retaking his exams and doing work experience. 

Dylan was 17, sleeping on his mum's sofa, no contact with his two-year-old daughter. He got matched with a mentor who understands what young dads face. He moved into YMCA housing, got mental health support, found work. And he's seeing his daughter again. 

Amber hadn't left her house in three years. With consistent support, she started volunteering, joined an autism group, and got more responsibility at work. Recently, she stood up at a national conference and spoke to a room full of people. 

Young people said: "I have learned to regulate my emotions" (13). "I felt like I needed to change before the sessions, now I feel happy and don't need to change" (9). 

Beyond the Numbers 

The work created connections across the city. YMCA MK built partnerships with MK College, schools, parish councils, charities, and opened referral pathways with Milton Keynes Council's Early Help Team.  Now organisations contact them weekly wanting to collaborate. 

It also helped to unlock more funding. The National Lottery backed youth clubs. BI Worldwide funded a youth club in Whitehouse. Milton Keynes Council started commissioning services. 

And parents saw what was happening. One said: "It keeps him off the street and mixing with kids I don't want him to be around." Another had what they called a "light bulb moment" in understanding their child. 

This project happened because YMCA MK received three years of funding to build their youth work, not just deliver short-term programmes. We’re proud to have played a part in enabling them to recruit a team, train volunteers, forge new partnerships, try different approaches, and create something that lasts for young people across Milton Keynes. 

This project was funded through the generous support of the ARK Fund, MK Drug & Alcohol Support Service Fund, Community Fund, 9Eons Fund, and David Lock.