Bridging the Holiday Gap for Working Parents

A major milestone this year was the development of our ‘Fee-for-Service’ Bursary Scheme. We committed to reinvesting our growth directly back into the community to provide equitable access to our services, specifically targeting the challenges faced by working families. For many parents, the school holidays bring a daunting dilemma: the high cost of childcare versus the necessity of maintaining employment. To combat this, our bursary scheme stepped in to provide vital support, ensuring that local families did not have to face this financial burden alone.

Over the recent holiday period, the scheme successfully bridged the childcare gap for six working families by using our targeted grants to provide fully funded holiday club places. This intervention relieved financial stress at home, ensuring that all participating parents could confidently maintain their working hours. Just as importantly, it guaranteed that their children remained safe, active, and well-fed throughout the holidays without putting any additional strain on household incomes. It is a clear demonstration of how practical, targeted funding can prevent working families from falling through the gaps of free statutory provision.

The true value of this initiative, however, is best seen in the experiences of the young people themselves. Chelsea Coltman, our Youth & Community Development Officer, noted the immediate positive impact, stating:

The true value of this initiative, however, is best seen in the experiences of the young people themselves. Chelsea Coltman, our Youth & Community Development Officer, noted the immediate positive impact, stating,

To access our Bursary Scheme, please complete the online Application Form or contact our Youth and Community Team at community@ymcanorthtyneside.org