COMMUNITY groups will no longer be able to hire the upper level of the YMCA building in Barnsley from the end of September, as the charity looks for new ways to fund its work with children and young people.
The YMCA Barnsley works with children and young people from birth to age 25 and offers things such as toddler groups, after school clubs, youth clubs and works with young people in the community.
Members are also able to access sessions such table tennis and archery, and it provides showers for and meals to homeless people.
There are about 200 adult members and last year, YMCA Barnsley worked with 1,600 young people.
But it is currently going through a consultation about what services it will continue to provide, in order to continue its youth work.
Staff have stated it is not closing, but the upper floor of the building on Blucher Street will no longer be available for community groups to hire.
Andrea Battye, community and youth work manager, said: “YMCA Barnsley delivers youth work for children and young people and that is our reason for being. The board of trustees is having to make some difficult decisions to ensure the future for children and young people of the YMCA.
“Nothing is finite, we are in a period of consultation with all groups about what may and may not transfer. We won’t be able to hire rooms out to community groups because we won’t have as much space.
“We need to focus on the youth work and making that viable.
“The reason for the changes is to make the YMCA sustainable, and it’s about being here for the next 160 years.”
Andrea said YMCA Barnsley does apply for funding, but the main costs of the building are covered by the charity, which needed a new business model in order to survive.
She said: “Local charities are all having to be mindful of the climate we are in and have to cut the cloth accordingly. We can’t spread ourselves thinly at a time when there isn’t enough money to sustain that.
“Many of the groups that chose to hire us have not got a lot of money. We can’t charge more for the space because people can’t afford to pay more, but our costs are still increasing.
“We have got to find something that is viable, cost effective and appropriate for Barnsley.
“A lot of groups are concerned and we understand that, it is really regrettable. It is not something we are doing because we want to. No one is happy about it but they understand why we are doing it.”
Julie Enoch, the chairman of the board of trustees, said: “We have been here 160 years and the changes will enable us to be here for another 160 years. But we are categorically not closing.
“It has been a really difficult decision for the board of trustees. It’s not something that anyone has gone into without thinking. The board of trustees are long-time members. I think we have 150 years membership between us. We haven’t just been brought in to change things. It has been very hard in that respect.”
