Benefits and Challenges An amazing fact about the YMCA of Christchurch is that we currently deliver the most outdoor education to schools, children and young people of any other provider in the region. This is because we are lucky to have three amazing outdoor facilities which we use to maximise our positive impact through youth […]
4C Centre Futurists believe that due to exponential technological change that is sweeping the world, young people today will experience a very different labour market in the future than their parents or grandparents did. With this in mind there is much debate (and worry) about whether or not the current school system and curriculum […]
A lot of our Life Fit members will have grandchildren between the ages of about 12 and 22 years. These are ‘Generation Z’ – and we have many Gen Z’ers involved on our youth programmes at the YMCA. It is hard for the ‘older generation’ to keep up with the younger generations – who have […]
The YMCA Christchurch is proud and honoured to announce that the Arthur’s Pass Outdoor Education Centre is now under YMCA governance and leadership, and we are very excited about this new opportunity to further drive our mission and cause.
On Sunday the 25th of September 60 young people showcased their talents at the much anticipated Cavell Leitch Y Factor youth talent quest. The event was held in the newly refurbished YMCA building last known for SPECTRUM, and before that known for the best indoor wall climbing in the city. Now a venue for the […]
Yesterday nineteen Alternative Education students aged 13-17, along with a staff team of ten, returned from a two week long overseas trip to Nepal. The purpose of the trip was to show YMCA students, who have all been excluded from mainstream school, the opportunities that exist for them beyond their own back yard. It was […]
The YMCA is excited to announce that their stadium space has been converted into a 250 seat black box theatre, to act as a transitional stop-gap to the current lack of facilities available to theatre, dance and circus performers at affordable rates in the central city. The initiative has been met with enthusiasm from potential […]
Our Alternative Education students and tutors are about to embark on their Leap of Faith to Nepal – departing Christchurch on Sunday 11 September! Keep up with their progress, see their photos and read their accounts here, a huge thanks to Maprogress for providing the GPS equipment to make this possible. If you can see […]
YMCA Christchurch has been actively involved in community discussions about gaps that exist for a range of community groups across the arts, recreation, education and tourism sectors. A clear need has been identified to provide affordable, flexible, centrally located performance spaces. After a spectacular SPECTRUM exhibit which saw nearly 100,000 visitors, the YMCA looked around […]
Dance Ambassadors is a programme originally created and managed by Dance and Performance in 2013 and gifted to YMCA Christchurch in December 2015. Dance Ambassadors aims to strengthen and support the Christchurch dance community through the promotion of active engagement with dance in Christchurch Secondary Schools. The programme runs in an annual cycle with events […]
The YMCA of Christchurch has operated in Christchurch for 154 years. Core to our many, many services are those that are focused on health and wellbeing, either through our stadium activities, outdoor adventure activities, recreation or fitness centres. Paul Rutledge, one of our long term members (involved since the early 80’s), says that he sticks […]
Pippa is sixteen years old and has been volunteering for the YMCA for the past year. Pippa attends Papanui High School and has found at the YMCA a different group of friends and a different set of doors and opportunities. Even though at school she has a busy life – is involved in peer support, […]
