Meet Y’s Girls Project Coordinator at YMCA Bradford: Laura

#YouthWorkWeek may be over, but the much needed spotlight on youth work lives on! We’d like to introduce you to Laura, an incredible Project Coordinator at YMCA Bradford for Y’s Girls Mentoring Programme funded by Benefact Trust. This invaluable project is empowering young people by embedding a trusted support system for girls aged 9-14 experiencing difficulties, and helping them to be their best self.

"I really love the diversity the project brings – our girls and volunteers are very different, each with individual strengths, struggles, views and ideas."

Hi, My name is Laura and I am the Y’s Girls Project Coordinator for YMCA Bradford.

I have been with YMCA for 5 years and part of the Ys Girls team for around 18 months.

Y’s Girls is unique because we offer girls support for up to 12 months which is unheard of with other one to one support services!

I am passionate about Y’s Girls and what we aim to achieve because I recognise myself in a lot of our girls. I had low self-esteem and confidence as a young person and there was nothing around to help me. My main goal as Project Coordinator is to have girls feeling good about themselves, feeling empowered and embracing who they are.

About Y’s Girls

Challenges include finding the right mentors and getting the match right…I take pride in really getting to know our girls and volunteers so I can be sure to match them well.

Hearing from mentors and mentees about their journey is hugely rewarding. . Mentoring really is a two-way journey.

Looking to the future, my wish for Y’s Girls would see us supporting girls right into early adulthood. Groups out in the community and also in schools and colleges where girls can also access and get involved in peer mentoring.

Y's Girls Mentoring

The Y’s Girls programme has been made possible by generous funding from:

Department for Culture, Media & Sport

The Benefact Trust

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport supports culture, arts, media, sport, tourism and civil society across every part of England — recognising the UK’s world-leading position in these areas and the importance of these sectors in contributing so much to our economy, way of life and our reputation around the world.

DCMS Website

Benefact Trust exists to make a positive difference to people’s lives by funding, guiding and celebrating the work of churches and Christian charities; empowering the most vulnerable and giving people, communities and places a renewed opportunity to flourish.