We set up the Step Up fund in 2016 to enhance the support we can offer vulnerable people that we work with.

The fund is split into three separate areas:

Step IN

Step UP

Step OUT.

STEP IN

Step in is a fund we have to help new tenants in our short term supported housing step in to independent living

We provide starter packs to make sure they have the basics that you need to look after themselves when they move in. The majority of our young people move in with their own personal possessions but not the day to day essentials. There is usually a gap between signing a tenancy and a benefit claim starting meaning that these starter packs prevent genuine hardship in the first weeks of life at YMCA.

Step in packs could include:

New bedding

Cutlery

Crockery

Cooking utensils/pans

Basic food

Towels

Cleaning items

Toiletries

Laundry basket

Every tenant is offered a starter pack on the day they move in, and the contents are tailored to what they. The tenants are not charged for these, and the items are theirs to keep. We try to give brand new items where we can, we found that when we started to do this rather than preloved items the tenants would have a much greater sense of ownership of their home and an increase in pride in themselves also. For some of our tenants, these are the first things they have ever really had for themselves.

STEP UP

The step up programme rewards short term supported housing tenants for taking part in YMCA activities and opportunities and for stepping up to being a good tenant, by maintaining or completing a course or education or securing and maintaining employment.

Points are awarded for things like:

Helping clean up the neighbourhood on our Love Where You Live events

Completing a college or training course

Assisting staff with various jobs

Going over and above as a neighbour

Several clear health and safety checks

It is a points based system points make prizes!

Tenants can also receive points for looking after their property for a prolonged period of time. For many of our young people this is a real achievement as they have not been equipped with any practical life skills before moving into YMCA.

Rewards include:

Toiletry sets

Cleaning kits

Love2shop vouchers

£50 towards driving lessons

£100 towards move on furniture

Provisional driving licence costs

STEP OUT

Step out is a fund our staff can access if customers across our services need help with clothing, transport or equipment for work, access to counselling, education, a hobby or a special event something to make a step out into the community. These are things that our customers would either forego or have to cut back on essential expenditure to cover.

Step out has provided tenants with:

Uniform for college beauty students

A chefs kit for catering students

A suit for a tenant nominated at a national awards ceremony

Transport to a peer support fishing group

A small loan to secure university accommodation

A labour bag for an expectant mum

An outfit for a celebratory event

Clothing and a bag for a tenant going to rehab

Travel to events as a YMCA Ambassador

All of the Step Up monies are raised through fundraising and donations every penny we receive in donations for this are used for the benefit of the tenants, nothing goes on admin fees or salaries.