It's fun to stay at the YMCA, according to the karaoke favourite, but a leading Scottish charity has decided to break its 170 year link with the worldwide movement.
Ypeople, which provides a range of supports for vulnerable Scots, used to be known as YMCA Glasgow.
But the charity's chief executive says it is to disaffiliate from the wider movement as its work is increasingly incompatible with the YMCA model.
Ypeople delivers mentoring, housing advice, services for homeless people, throughcare, counselling and after school services to vulnerable individuals across Scotland.
It currently operates in Edinburgh, Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, North and South Lanarkshire, Orkney, Fife and Highland.
But there's 'no need to feel down', according to chief executive Joe Connolly. The charity now plans expand the Ypeople group it established by merging with YWCA Scotland in 2017, after renaming itself Ypeople in 2010.
“The charity has undergone many changes over the last 195 years, but our central purpose remains the same – supporting positive change in people’s lives", Mr Connolly said.
“We’re extremely proud of our longstanding YMCA history but the growth in our range of services and expansion of our geography means that as an organisation we’re no longer compatible with the YMCA model of a federation of local services," he said.
“As a result, via a mutual agreement with YMCA Scotland, we’ve taken the decision to disaffiliate from the Association.We wish YMCA Scotland and the wider YMCA movement well for the future and will continue to value and cherish our rich heritage.”
The charity’s origins date back to 1824 with the founding of Glasgow Young Men’s society for religious improvement. It became a YMCA in 1848, known as YMCA Glasgow, the forerunner of the YMCA movement.
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