Our Services for Young People

This service started in January 2009 and is funded by the Henry Smith Trust and Brighton and Hove Children and Young Peoples Trust. The counsellor is Michele Karban who has trained in Integrative Art Psychotherapy.

The proposed aims and objectives of this project were to set up and deliver an accessible counselling service specifically for young people aged 13 -21 who were either looked after by the local authority or in kinship care. This service also extends to those young people who had previously been in care and who had either returned to their family of birth or who were now living independently.

Brighton and Hove have an unusually high percentage of children and young people in care. As of 31st March 2009 there were 208 young people aged between 13 and 18 who were looked after by the local authority (source: Performance Team at the CYPT).

Counselling With Sussex Central YMCASussex Central YMCA offers community counselling to young people aged 13-25 at our Youth Advice Centre in Hove. Our counsellors can offer non-judgmental support on a range of issues such as bullying, families, relationships, sexual health, alcohol and drugs. Sussex Central YMCA counsellors will respect your values, choices and lifestyle whilst helping you explore what lies behind what is troubling you.

For more information please contact us on 01273 889292 or email yaccounselling@sussexcentralymca.org.uk

Sussex Central YMCA Volunteers

Want to get involved in your local community? Can you offer some of your time enthusiastically and regularly? If so, there are so many ways to get involved in all our different projects at Sussex Central YMCA.

Please browse our wide selection of vacancies below to find the right opportunity for you...

2009 Volunteer Vacancies

Here’s the latest vacancies...

For volunteers aged 16-25 years old, contact Human Resources (01273 222550, volunteering@sussexcentralymca.org.uk),

For volunteers aged 60 plus, contact Daniela (01273 715441 danielam.westcott@sussexcentralymca.org.uk)

For anyone in between contact the project staff listed!

Young person rock climbing

Sussex Central YMCA is  offering an exciting Holiday programme for children and young people with learning difficulties.See below for more details.

We are now registered with Sodexho and Accor to accept Childcare vouchers as payment.

Counselling at Sussex Central YMCA

Sussex Central YMCA counselling services offer a range of services for young people, families and schools. Our trained counsellors offer one to one, confidential advice in a safe setting where you can talk about any problems you might be troubled by.

Our team of professional counsellors can offer:

• Counselling services in over 80 primary and secondary schools and sixth form colleges.
  
• Community counselling for young people at a number of locations
  
• Family counselling and mediation
• Specialized services for parents in some areas.

Most counselling takes place in Brighton and Hove, but we also have services that operate in East and West Sussex schools and in community locations in West Sussex.

For general counselling enquiries please contact us on 01273 889292 or email yaccounselling@sussexcentralymca.org.uk

For enquiries about our counselling services in schools please call 01273 320500 or email therapeuticservices@sussexcentralymca.org.uk

Sussex Central YMCA Family SupportFamily Solutions is the name of our counselling and mediation service for children, young people and families. We can offer you a safe space and timeout to think about solutions which may help improve your family's well-being. It offers an opportunity to work towards an agreement about the best way forward.

Housing AdvisorIf you are homeless or having problems in your current housing, Sussex Central YMCA can help. We have an excellent record of providing help to people in difficult housing situations across Brighton, Hove and Sussex and our specialist staff are trained to help you when you need it most.

How we can help:

• Housing Advice: At our friendly drop-in centre in central Brighton our friendly advisors can help you with any housing issue.

• Tenancy Support: Advice and support after you've moved to help you stay in the warm.

• Relocation: If you are homeless and are looking for a new start elsewhere in the country then we can help you make this move smoothly.

• Supported Housing: Information about our housing schemes which can be accessed through referrals from our partners across the city. Our hostels are not for backpackers but are to provide young people with safe and secure accommodation and any extra support that they need.

For more information visit us at Ovest House (see drop-in times) or call us on 01273 828828. Click here for a map and directions.

Counselling in schools

Counselling is an opportunity to talk privately about things that concern you with someone who will not judge you or tell you what to do. A counsellor is a professionally trained person who will give you the time and space to talk about any problems you might be troubled by.

We have counsellors in many schools who can offer help with a number of issues. For more information please contact us on 01273 320500 or email: dialogue@sussexcentralymca.org.uk

Future Jobs: Minister Jonathan Shaw, MP and Celia Barlow, MP chat to some of Hove YMCA’s Future Jobs workers.Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions Minister for the South East, Jonathan Shaw MP, and local MP Celia Barlow, made a special visit to Sussex Central YMCA to talk to the YMCA’s latest recruits.

Sussex Central YMCA have recently employed 30 young people through the Future Jobs Fund – a government scheme to give paid work placements and training for 18 to 24 year olds. A further 72 jobs will be created over the next 14 months.

The Minister spent two hours chatting to the Future Jobs workers, and learnt about their new jobs in retail, electrical refurbishment, marketing, administration and sports work.

The Minister said, “I commend the excellent work being done by YMCA and the City Council in the economic downturn to give young people who are struggling the opportunity to get on the employment ladder.

“The enthusiasm and potential of young people will be vital as we start to move out of the recession so we need to give them the chance to flourish.

Have you ever wondered why Sussex Central YMCA has charity shops? Is it just to provide shopping bargains for fridges, frocks and front room furniture? Well, yes and no.

Profits from the shops are put to work directly into the numerous projects of Sussex Central YMCA. Without this vital source of income many projects would come to an end, meaning that young people in the city would be without the help and support they need.

Also, by refurbishing unwanted electrical appliances, repairing furniture and giving bric-a-brac new homes, Sussex Central YMCA charity shops stop perfectly good items from ending up at the rubbish tip. This means less landfill, less incineration, a lower carbon footprint and a healthier environment.

Each year, Sussex Central YMCA diverts 440 tones of perfectly useable furniture, clothing and electrical items from ending up in landfill. This equals 5000 electrical items, 12,000 items of furniture and enough clothing to last the children in the picture a lifetime.

Your donations can now provide 28% more help to Sussex Central YMCA

It is now possible for Sussex Central YMCA to claim Gift Aid on all items donated to our charity shops. This means that for every item sold in the shop, Sussex Central YMCA can claim 28% extra on the sale price from the Inland Revenue. All you need to do is fill in a simple form – and that’s it – Sussex Central YMCA will do the rest at no cost or time to you. And 28% more children, young people and families will benefit from our vital services.

To donate now click here.

To find out more about Sussex Central YMCA's charity shops, contact Mark Roberts, Operations Manager at mark.roberts@sussexcentralymca.org.uk 

Find Your Nearest Shop

Get Your Unwanted Items Collected

Volunteer in a Sussex Central YMCA Shop