Over time, Grace would take all the anguish from her past and turn that negativity into something incredibly positive.
During the past 6 years that Grace has attended the Youth Project, her contributions have been the driving force behind a number of ventures within her local community.
One of her first ideas was to organise coffee and bingo mornings with the goal of bringing local people together while raising funds for St Vincent de Paul in Jarrow. This was a huge success, attracting over 70 people per session.
More recently Grace was inspired to begin campaigning for the regeneration of a local cemetery after being saddened by poorly kept grounds and overgrowing graves. She began writing funding bids and spoke passionately with the local council which resulted in a group of volunteers coming together every week and cleaning up the cemetery.
Having regular access to youth and play groups such as YMCA’s Youth project in partnership with Central Jarrow Big Local has helped shape Grace as a person, and from that, Grace is helping shape her local community for the better. Having a safe environment for young people to thrive in, that falls outside of everyday home and school life, is crucial. It allows them to grow as individuals and make their own choices which can result in a better, kinder world for all of us.
Read more of our case studies:
Transforming Lives: Housing Success Through Molly’s Project
YMCA North Tyneside is excited to share our significant progress in providing safe and supportive accommodation for vulnerable individuals, through partnership with the Middleton Foundation on Molly’s Project. Headed by the Middleton Foundation, Molly’s project...
Celebrating Creativity and Inclusion
Celebrating Creativity and Inclusion: Shildon Youth Group Wins NE Youth Competition We are thrilled to announce that the Shildon Youth Group won an NE Youth competition! Their project, which focused on raising awareness and understanding of the experiences of those...
Art & Beats: Feeding Community
Street art and dance music in the mix for community meals fundraising collaboration. A powerful street art mural, a party with a world-famous secret DJ guest, digital projections, filmmaking and an iconic social club are all part of a unique fundraising collaboration...
Willington Quay Tiempos FC Sponsorship
By Summer Thompson. YMCA North Tyneside is excited to announce our sponsorship of the Willington Quay Under 14's Tiempos football squad. This partnership aims to bolster the team’s resources and provide young athletes with enhanced opportunities to develop their...
Celebrating Empowerment: Sponsoring Talia
By Summer Thompson. We are absolutely thrilled to announce our official sponsorship of Talia Sisterson, a remarkably talented player from the Percy Park Panthers Rugby Club. Talia is an incredible athlete who stands as inspiration for young girls everywhere, promoting...