Author: Anthony Irtelli

We are appalled by the government’s refusal to include transgender people in the forthcoming legislation to ban conversion therapy for gay and bisexual people. YMCA DLG stands in solidarity with transgender, non-binary and gender-exploring young people using our services, and colleagues. We see you and support you.  

What’s happened? 

Last week the government announced that it would be going ahead with its ban on so-called conversion therapy for gay and bisexual people in England and Wales – but not for transgender people. This is despite NHS England and other major psychological bodies in the UK warning that all forms of conversion therapy are “unethical and potentially harmful”.  

So, in a forthcoming Queen’s Speech, new legislation will be proposed to stop attempts via ‘therapy’ to change people’s sexuality, but not to change people’s gender identity.  

It is thought that the government sees it as too complicated to avoid any unintended consequences of the legislation – which may affect parents, teachers, and therapists who are helping children and young people experiencing gender identity issues. There is also fierce resistance to the whole ban from religious leaders and groups who say a ban could restrict religious rights and freedoms.  

However, the government has been committed to instigating a ban since 2018 – which is why the U-turn on including transgender people is so devastating. 

What is conversion therapy? 

Conversion therapy – sometimes called “reparative therapy” or “gay cure therapy” – tries to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. In practice, it means trying to stop or suppress someone from being gay, or from living as a different gender to their sex recorded at birth. It can include talking therapies and prayer. 

A devastated community 

YMCA DLG partner, Allsorts Youth Project, were one of 100’s of LGBTQ+ organisations who have published a statement about the change in policy: 

“We are devastated that our community continues to be so advertently targeted, demonised and othered by society, the press and the government. 

Everyone is worthy of safety & protection and trans, non-binary and gender exploring people are no less worthy of this than cis people.”   

Want to show your support? 

• Get in touch with your MP. 
• Sign this petition to ensure trans people are fully protected under any conversion therapy ban 
• Reach out to your colleagues, or the young people you support, to check they are OK. Developments like these can have a huge impact on their wellbeing, and on their community. 

Our valued corporate partners ServiceMaster Clean have joined  our Room Sponsorship scheme by sponsoring a room at our Guildford Foyer for a year. The ServiceMaster Clean room will be the first sponsored room at Guildford Foyer. Our Foyer in Guildford is a supported accommodation project that gives young people in housing crisis a safe and supportive place to live.

ServiceMaster Clean are our listed cleaning suppliers, providing excellent cleaning services at our Guildford Foyer and some of our other locations. They have supported our work by joining our Membership Movement and also by taking part in our fundraising events such as Sleep Easy and Downs Link Challenge. We are proud that one of the rooms at the Foyer will now be named after them.

Photo: (from right) ServiceMaster Clean Managing Director Siva Kugathas, Accounts & Office Manager Kinga Derenowska, Regional manager Roxana-Maria Nae and Guildford Foyer Project Manager Dennis Ishimishere. 

For any other business interested in supporting us in this way to get in touch with our Corporate Partnerships Manager Sam Hart by emailing [email protected]g. You can find out more about our Corporate Partnerships here.

We are delighted to announce that Amplicon has become the first local business to sponsor a room for a vulnerable young person in one of our 24 hour supported accommodation projects in Brighton. Supporting local charities is an integral part of the Amplicon ethos. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and especially with youth homelessness being on the rise, Amplicon is very keen to support our work with local young people.

By sponsoring a room, Amplicon will put a vulnerable young person in the local area out of danger from assault, abuse and/or illness. In addition to a safe and stable home, every young person living in our housing projects receives full support and advice services as well as training opportunities to help them live independently.

Gina Citroni, Amplicon CEO said: “We are immensely proud to be the first year long corporate room sponsor for YMCA DownsLink Group, the South-east’s largest youth charity. It came as a surprise that other companies had yet to collaborate with YMCA to support their much-needed charitable projects. We trust that our sponsorship initiative will help people become more aware of the fantastic work YMCA DownsLink Group does and encourages more local businesses to support this exceptional charity.”

Speaking about this new partnership, Chas Walker, CEO YMCA DownsLink Group said: “We’re delighted to be working with Amplicon on this initiative. By sponsoring a room for a year, Amplicon are ensuring that we can help a vulnerable young person develop the skills they will need to move on independently and give them a brighter future. Partnerships like this are invaluable to us, especially as we’re continuing to see an increase in the numbers of young people needing our support locally. We would like to thank them for choosing to support us and in making a difference to local young people.”

For any other business interested in supporting us in this way to get in touch with our Corporate Partnerships Manager Sam Hart by emailing [email protected]. You can find out more about our Corporate Partnerships here. 

[Update: We’re delighted to report that all three participants completed the event in great time raising much needed money at the same time – CONGRATULATIONS]

On Sunday 20th March, two of our UASC (Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children) residents at YMCA Hastings Foyer, will be joining forces with Project Worker Mo Pearce to run the famously challenging route of the Hastings Half Marathon.

Money raised will go towards our new YMCA Hastings Foyer and the YMCA Europe Ukraine Campaign to help those affected by the conflict. You can sponsor Mo here.

Mo tells us more about why she’s taken on the challenge:

Working for the new YMCA Hastings Foyer has already offered me so much, and what better way to give something back than to tackle the mammoth Hastings Half Marathon in an effort to raise funding for our charity.

Now, just one week from the day of the race, I will be joined by, not one, but two of our new residents, both eager to conquer this famously challenging route.

The Hastings Half has been nominated three times as the best half marathon in the UK and 20 March will mark the 38^th anniversary of the race. Since 1985, the event has been organised by The Lions Club of Hastings, who stand out within the running world for donating all their profits to deserving local causes. The race attracts up to 5000 competitors every year, not to mention the large crowds that gather to cheer them on and enjoy the live entertainment, carnival atmosphere, and the array of runners in fancy dress. This year will be no exception; long awaited by the local community after both the 2020 and 2021 races were cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.

Running for me has always been a fun and natural way of managing my mental health. Experts claim that running is the most under prescribed treatment for depression and anxiety, despite being proven to be just as effective as contemporary anti-depressants in the treatment of these conditions. There are countless benefits ranging from reduced risk of cardiovascular disease to increased neurogenesis and overall brain function; and best of all, it is entirely free and accessible at any time. There is also a growing body of research which highlights the positive psychological benefits of connecting with nature. Combine both running and nature and you get a potent defence against the many symptoms of depression and anxiety that young people experience today. In completing the Hastings Half marathon and promoting weekly running sessions at the foyer, this is what I hope to transmit to our lovely residents.

Since I mentioned I was doing the race, our resident Eid, has been eager to participate too. Already a keen runner, Eid has approached training with the dedication and grit of an aspiring pro-athlete, hitting the gym every day and pushing his running distances further and further.

Training for me has been an absolute adventure too. As a regular trail runner, I like to stick (quite literally) to long, muddy, bumpy routes, tearing through the countryside with my dog by my side. In preparation for the hilly Hastings Half, we headed down to Dorset during the week of Storm Eunice to almost get blown off a cliff running the coastal path from Durdle Door back to Weymouth – you know, that exhilarating, scary kind of fun.

As training intensified three weeks before the race, Eid and I decided to team up. Eid had asked if I could take him out for longer distanced runs, which I was more than happy to do. We agreed to meet up once a week, come rain or shine, and on the first day, ended up smashing 18km in an hour and a half through the pouring rain. And Eid made it look easy!

Since then, the weather has thankfully been kind to us, and with the sun, has come renewed confidence. During our last session, we more or less ran the entire half marathon route around Hastings, at quite the pace. Eid, once again, demonstrated the extent of his running capabilities, sprinting the last 3 miles along the seafront to the finish, whilst I plodded along at a more leisurely pace.

On Wednesday, another resident has joined our ranks and fundraising mission, and is looking forward to the big event as much as we are. As word of our plan has spread, more and more of the residents have shown, either an interest in participating, or are keen to come and cheer us on from the side lines. And our biggest cheerleader of all, my manager Kirsten, whose support from the very beginning has really got the ball rolling.

Whatever the outcome, we are sure it will be a RUNDERFUL day!

For those of you keen to get involved and show your support, feel free to join us on the day, or donate here to sponsor our attempt to smash the Hastings Half Marathon. All donations much appreciated.