Tain & North Highland YMCA SCIO ( Tain YMCA for this report)
Annual report for 2025
On behalf of the Tain and North Highland YMCA Board of Management I am pleased to submit the annual report for 2025. This can be split into several sections for the reader see below.
The mission of the Tain YMCA is to ‘Reach the potential of all children, young people and families from within the community’. We deliver this each week being open seven days a week and we continue to use the YMCA approach of Body Mind and Spirit within our work.
1. Governance and Finance
I am pleased to say that over 2025 the Board of Directors of the Tain YMCA has strengthened its governance of the YMCA. We have been able to recruit two new Board members one who has a high position within the Highland Council care and leaning service and the other a local business man from within the community. We now have the following positions covered in terms of the YMCA Board structure
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Chairman
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Vice Chairperson
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Secretary
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Honorary Treasurer
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Safe Guarding officer and a Health and Safety officer.
However, we are still activity looking for two more individuals to join the Board from within the local community and these are targeted on the needs of the Board e.g. a person with HR experience to support not only the Board but the six staff but also the fourteen volunteers who support the YMCA.
The Board continue to meet bi-monthly with a zoom business meeting one month and then next being a face to face meeting to discuss the needs within the community or Vision 2030 we have adopted from the World Alliance of YMCA’s.
Regarding the Finance of the YMCA this has been a difficult two years for us with the age of the building causing us some unexpected financial issues re electrical safety following our renewal of the Public Entertainments Licence. However, our largest losses has been the difficulties in raising grants to support the two full time professional staff. Our losses this year of £30k on paper is due to us failing to secure grants and also the additional depreciation via the accounts. The Board has the securing of funding for these two key posts as a priority and are optimistic for the future which is based on the work we are delivering and the experience of the full time professional youth and community worker.
The Public Entertainments Licence is now in place and is not renewable for another three years.
The aboard would like to thank all those trusts who have supported us over the last year and local businesses and individuals who have encouraged us via their financial support.
2. Programme
This year whilst concerns over the employment of the two key staff has been a factor the programme side of the Tain YMCA has grown and developed. Two out of the four Vision 2030 activation teams have met their targets with the YMCA securing funding to support the growing demand of Holiday Support Programmes including the delivery of our free meals to children over the Easter, Summer and October half terms being met.
The other activation team has also met its target of partnering with a YMCA from Ukraine and several Google meet sessions have taken place between our young people and theirs and this is developing nicely for all with the support being very welcomed. We can envisage exchanges between our two organisations once the war is over and peace restored which we hope will be soon.
Our young leader’s team, which is made up of 14 young people are all working well in supporting our programmes and in return the number of Saltire awards run by the Scottish Government are increasing. I am pleased to say that one of our older members has just been awarded a special certificate for delivering 1,000 hours of Volunteering with the YMCA and other local agencies.
Our staff continue to support other agencies / programmes within the area and this includes the local Food Bank where our Youth and Community worker is the chairman of the charity. He is also on the stakeholder group for the New £60 million school Campus being built by the Highland Council.
We are fully committed to meeting the aims and purposes as per our constitution and it is only the lack of funds which precludes us form undertaking way more at this time.
This year we have delivered the following
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300 hours of generic youth work
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580 hours of Targeted Youth work
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214 hours of Children’s work
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305 hours of Family support
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300 hours of Community support
What this does show is that the small local charities are able to respond to the local needs quickly and in a meaningful way unlike the bigger organisations.
The Board would like to recognise the valuable work of the staff team of the YMCA as without this team approach, supported by the volunteers both young and old we would not be able to undertake this amazing work in supporting our community. We also acknowledge the leadership of the Team by our Youth and community worker who guides us all as we go from strength to strength each year.
As for the future our aim for the 2025/26 financial year is as follows;
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To Financially to break even
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To continue to respond to the local needs as identified by the Board and staff
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To Strengthen the Board
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Secure the funding of the two key staff members