ABOUT US
​ABOUT YMCA SCOTLAND
Founded in 1844, today the YMCA operates in 119 countries reaching over 58 million people and is the largest and oldest non-uniformed youth organisation in the world.
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Globally the YMCA works to bring social justice and peace to communities by empowering young people to be agents of change.
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YMCA Scotland is the national voice for 30 local YMCA's working with over 10,000 individual children and young people each week. Each local YMCA is autonomously governed by a local Board of Management.
Tain and District Youth Café YMCA
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Date Event
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1993 Young Person from Inver died in tragic accident by the Tain Rose Gardens
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1993 June first meeting of the Tain YMCA
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1993 December 4th First fund raising event selling mince pies and they raised £20 !
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1994 Formally joined YMCA Scotland 15th January 1994
Steering Group formed and venues tried
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1997 Registered as a Charity with OSCR SCO27164
1999 Started at Burgess's the old Plumbers shop 17 Stafford Street Tain (May)
First Part time worker Mr. Roderick appointed funded by Children In Need
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1999 Official opening 15th June with Lord Mackay
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2000 Peter Berry awarded volunteer of the year Tain Community
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2002/3 YMCA Bought building at 17, Stafford Street costing £70 k
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2003 First full time Qualified Youth and Community Worker
Mr. Graham Nutt was appointed funded by Children In Need
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2005 Refurbished the Youth Café costs £70k Youth
Committee raise further £16k for PA and Lighting system.
From the Highland Council Year of Culture fund and the
Scottish Charity Aid Foundation
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2007 £13k raised for installation of new Fire Doors, new catering set up and internet facility for young people. This money was raised from the Youth Facility improvement fund.
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Attendance figures reach 11, 000 for the year
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2008 Building open 6 nights a week combination of Programme and Drop In nights also 4 lunchtimes a week.
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2009 Highest recorded visits 14,000 plus and first On Tour events start in
the summer
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2010 Detached Youth work starts every Friday evening
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2012 Cage Football project is Launched, Teenage Mums support group and
Peer Education Project Launched.
Won Lloyds Banking Group Community Awards
Won Certificate for services to Youth and Community in the Tain
Queens Diamond Jubilee awards
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2013 Mrs. Isobel Wilson wins Sir George Williams Awards
YMCA Passes Working Towards Excellence Award
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2014 Mr. Hugh Mackenzie wins Sir George Williams Award
Children’s Development worker starts
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2015 Start work on the refurbishment to the Elizabeth Hood Suite
Tain's First Family Centre in conjunction with the Care and Learning Service
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2016 Tain wins four awards in YMCA Scotland’s National Award including Young person of the Year, Young Volunteer of the Year,
Volunteer of the Year and Full time Youth Worker of the Year
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2017 Footpool table purchase and this is another first as it is the only one in
the Highlands and Islands area.
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2018 Celebrated our 25th Anniversary
Kats Macleod awarded Volunteer of the Year YMCA SCOTLAND
Olivia Macleod runner up Youth of the Year YMCA SCOTLAND
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2019 Mandy Nutt awarded Volunteer of the Year YMCA SCOTLAND
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2020 COVID STRUCK!
But we survived, to us "nothing is a problem, but an opportunity", we created Grab & Go lunches feeding *** kids over the Summer and Autumn breaks.
Kats Second Editions established.
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2021 SICK OF COVID NOW!
Pilot mentoring programme.