Y Care International organisational background

Y Care International (YCI) was established in 1984 as the international development agency of the YMCA in the UK and Ireland, focusing on the needs of young people in the developing world who face the severest of economic and social conditions. Y Care International has programmes in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe working with the following priority groups:

· Street and Working Children

· Girls and Young Women

· Children & Young People with Disabilities

· Refugees/ Displaced communities

YCI works in partnership with local YMCAs to alleviate poverty and tackle injustices experienced by young people and their communities. The development principle of the worldwide network of YMCAs is that actions are best undertaken by local YMCAs as indigenous youth associations and youth led community based organisations. Programmes focus on:

· Skills development and employment

· HIV/AIDS and health awareness

· Civic participation and advocacy

· Youth justice and rehabilitation

· Emergency and post-conflict work

YCI has considerable experience of supporting programmes with refugees and displaced people. Such programmes are currently being run in Colombia, Lebanon, Palestine, India, Liberia and Sierra Leone. This includes a focus on post-conflict work with vulnerable young women and men and support to displaced young people and their communities in capacity building, advocacy, community organisation, education, health promotion, skills development and income-generation.

In the UK and Ireland, Y Care International runs a programme of development education aimed at encouraging young people to become better global citizens, and equipping them with the skills and confidence to take part in international advocacy campaigns with our Southern partners. Y Care International’s UK and Ireland youth constituency include young service users at YMCAs from disadvantaged backgrounds.

3 – 9 Southampton Row

London, WC1B 5HY, UK

Enquiries: +44 (0)20 7421 3022

Fax: +44 (0)20 7424

email: sarah.walker@21 30ycare.org.uk