YMCA

Tom’s story is not as easy one.  When he arrived at YMCA having just been through a breakdown he found himself homeless. His partner had lost a baby, he had become involved with hard drugs, alcohol abuse and criminal activity and he could not see any way out.

But, knowing YMCA was a safe place to be, Tom was ready for help. In December 2015, supported by the YMCA, he joined our ‘Find Yourself Wild’ programme.

The ‘Find yourself Wild’ project came about through a partnership between us and the YMCA.  Both charities had some awareness that outdoor activity surrounded by nature can support positive mental health and we wanted to see if we work together to improve outcomes for wildlife and people – in this case YMCA residents.

As part of the programme Tom joined a group of 10 other YMCA residents and embarked on a nine week programme. The group worked with us at Woodside Farm to create new ponds, woodlands paths, ‘Wild Play’ areas as part of the Trust’s wider Play Wild, Heritage Lottery Funded project, and worked with other community groups to support wildlife.

The group also had a chance to learn new skills through a Forest Schools programme including fire-lighting, den building and art and nature projects. We also encouraged and supported each of them to explore wild parts of Derbyshire that many have never been to before. This reminded Tom of what he used to enjoy before his troubles began, a time when he used to work for RSPCA. It was, in his own words a “chance to escape my troubles for a while.”

The support, encouragement and some quality time spent in nature took Tom from being at rock bottom to wanting to be well again so he could protect wildlife. He used this passion to gain and place and graduate from Toyota’s Wildlife Team and he moved out of the YMCA Derbyshire into supported living.

Tom’s hopes for the future are to gain employment with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust or Toyota.

We wish him every success!

A study of the programme has been undertaken to evaluate the benefits it provides to YMCA Derbyshire residents specifically regarding their wellbeing with the following conclusions: 

• An increase in confidence
• A greater connection to nature
• New skills
• Improved wellbeing

All changes that they have taken forward with them on their journey to independence.

The groups that participate in the programme then go on to work with the wider community to support and protect wildlife. Schools, retirement homes and allotments have all benefited from these groups creating wildlife ponds, bee homes and putting up nest boxes for wildlife and of course the people have benefited too.