Greenhill

What is Greenhill as a national YMCA centre trying to achieve?

Greenhill YMCA was established to provide outdoor and residential based services to young people from local YMCAs as well as from the wider youth and school sectors. As part of its mission it seeks to provide a range of quality adventure based activities that help young people to develop a variety of skills. The YMCA staff team is complemented by a large team of international volunteers who together facilitate 10,000 young people annually to avail of the range of programmes and services it has to offer.

The majority of the programmes at the centre are in support of the ongoing work of youth organisations and schools. These groups will attend either on a day basis or stay a little longer and make use of the modern 180-bed residential facility. YMCA staff design a bespoke programme of outdoor education to meet with the groups identified objectives, using activities such as canoeing, orienteering, climbing, bouldering, etc. Visiting groups may also choose to self-programme for some or all of their visit, utilising the training facilities and making use of the forests, mountains and beaches surrounding the centre. The centre also has extensive catering facilities and social areas for the visiting young people to enjoy. The international volunteer team undertake an intensive training and work experience programme during their one-year stay, allowing them to deliver the vast majority of the centre's outdoor activities whilst achieving accredited certification in youth work, lifeguarding, first-aid, etc.

How does Greenhill serve the local community in Newcastle?

One of the additional elements of Greenhill YMCA's offering is to provide day camp activities to children and young people in its immediate catchment area in and around Newcastle over the summer months. A key aspect to this camp is the diversity of young people attending the activities from a wide range of cultures, identities and socio-economic backgrounds. This combined with the international leadership team makes summer camp in Greenhill an exceptionally rich learning environment. This programme has developed over many decades with subsequent leadership teams building on the achievements of previous years while enhancing it with their own innovations. A strong theme of feedback this year from both leaders and young people, apart from the sheer fun and enjoyment, was the appreciation of a space where they could be themselves, express themselves and feel encouraged. Parents also expressed their appreciation of this opportunity for their young people.

This summer the international volunteers were again able to identify and value significant personal development from their participation, “without question, the best decision I ever made”, “there have been many special moments at Greenhill, times of fun, learning and challenges which have helped me believe in myself more”

The most significant development on Summer Camp in recent times has been the introduction of an Assistant Leader Camp (ALC). Camp had previously accommodated only 6-14 year-olds. ALC was introduced for 15-17 years. This allows young people who have come through junior and senior summer camp to embark on leadership training within an environment that they have grown in and know and love. They have also the very realistic goal of becoming full camp leaders at age 18. They have incredible role models in the international leadership team with whom they develop very strong relationships.

This year 20 young people went through a week-long training programme and then volunteered for several weeks of their choice on the summer programme. Feedback from young people and parents has been extremely positive – “My son absolutely loved it and I can’t believe the change in him in just three weeks, he will definitely be back”.