Celebrating the Impact of YMCA Milton Keynes’ Expanding Youth Work Across Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes Community Foundation is celebrating the success of YMCA Milton Keynes’ city‑wide youth work programme. A £75,000 grant from the Foundation has helped the programme support hundreds of young people over the past three years. 

In 2022, Milton Keynes was facing some of the highest knife related crime numbers in the Thames Valley region, paired with above average youth unemployment. Young people consistently told local organisations they needed “places to go, things to do, and adults who don’t disappear.” 

The Foundation’s investment has enabled YMCA Milton Keynes to build a dedicated youth work team that could meet those needs across the whole city, not just at the charity’s central campus. 

A Growing Network of Support for Young People 

The funding has supported YMCA Milton Keynes to grow from two youth workers to a team of four staff, ten part-time youth workers, and 47 trained volunteer mentors. Together, they created consistent one-to-one mentoring, youth clubs, school support, and employment programmes reaching young people aged 7 to 25. 

Over the final year alone, 350 young people accessed support from learning to regulate emotions, to reengaging with education, to finding safe housing and employment. 

Young people’s stories illustrate the impact: 

• Jake, who left school with no GCSEs after years in care, is now retaking exams and completing work experience thanks to ongoing mentoring. 

• Dylan, previously sofa surfing and disconnected from his young daughter, is now employed, receiving mental health support, and rebuilding family connections. 

• Amber, who hadn’t left her house in three years, has begun volunteering, joined an autism support group, gained more responsibility at work and recently spoke at a national conference. 

The programme has strengthened collaboration across the city, involving MK College, schools, parish councils, charities, and Milton Keynes Council’s Early Help Team.  

“Every young person has a future in our city. But real change happens when we all share responsibility for supporting them. Together, we can challenge the root causes of disadvantage that limit young people’s aspirations, self‑worth and sense of belonging in Milton Keynes. We’re proud to stand alongside YMCA Milton Keynes and invest in work that genuinely transforms lives.” 

Sam Snelus, Philanthropy Director at MK Community Foundation 

“At YMCA Milton Keynes, our youth programmes provide safe spaces, positive experiences, and trusted adult role models who help young people achieve their goals and ensure their emotional and social needs are met. This grant has enabled us to build a strong and resilient team whose impact will continue far beyond the three-year funding period. Thank you for supporting YMCA Milton Keynes through this multi-year grant. Your generosity means we can create the long-term, meaningful change that young people in Milton Keynes urgently need.”

Tayler Tookey, Head of Youth and Community, at YMCA Milton Keynes

This work was made possible thanks to the generous support of the ARK Fund, the Community Fund, 9Eons’ Fund and the David Lock fund, through MK Community Foundation.