Creating a Community of Support

At the heart of the YMCA of Greater Seattle is equity and justice for all. Each of their programs focuses on whole-person health and takes a trauma-informed wellness approach. By taking into account a person’s past and present life experiences, the Y promotes healing and belonging in everything they do.

Spotlight on the Y:

Y Summer Day Camps, Y-Scholars and the Social Impact Center are three areas that exemplify the crucial work of the YMCA and how their programs are transforming the lives of young people at different stages of their development.

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The Y’s 2022 Summer Day Camps program served over 1,200 youth a day. Parents and children alike appreciate that the Y provides a safe, inclusive and exciting place to come together during the summer where children can play sports, learn to swim, build community and find role models.

“[My son] learning to swim at the Y was such a great thing because the counselors were so encouraging and they made it fun. So it wasn’t something that he didn’t want to do or not want to learn. And him having his friends around him empowered him,” said a camper’s parent.

One of the Y’s Day Camps is the Swim and Sports Ball Hockey Camp supported by the Seattle Kraken. This particular camp was developed to address the need for youth from all backgrounds to have access to physical activity, caring adults to support their social-emotional learning, as well as to receive critical instruction to be safe in and around the water.  

Many BIPOC children don’t ever get an invitation or access to hockey, and many never see themselves being allowed in the sport or on ice skates. Through this program, the Y removes these barriers and makes the game accessible to youth with hands-on training and classes and time on the ice. This camp also takes into account that the fatal-drowning rate of children of color is three times higher than white children and helps to develop the safety skills that help prevent drownings during the swim sessions, all while building each child’s self-confidence in their abilities in the pool.

Ninety-five percent of families rated Y’s camps as excellent stating they have made a positive difference in their child’s long-term development. Over 85% of caregivers shared that their child’s camp experience promoted learning and social development.

The Y Social Impact Center (SIC) offers support for youth and young adults through homelessness, foster care, and young adult services, and counseling services for all ages in King County. The services help interrupt trauma and provide a pathway for all people to reach their full potential.  

Ann Beasley, a case manager at the Y, works in the young adult sector focusing on employment, training and housing. “I identify so much with this work,” says Ann. “I was once a young person who needed support.”  Ann first experienced homelessness in her senior year of high school and the YMCA stepped in to help her avoid eviction. The full circle nature of her journey does not escape her. “I’m actually making a difference every day and supporting the young people from the community I come from,” Ann says, “and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The Y’s Social Impact Center has seen a significant increase in demand for its services in recent years. Since 2017, the Social Impact Center has increased the number of young people served by more than 50%. More than 5,200 young people were supported in 2021.

A YMCA college readiness program, Y-Scholars, was developed to address the inequities and close the achievement gap for students of color, helping over 280 students graduate high school since it started at Garfield High School in 2004. Y-Scholars strives to provide support for students of color and their families, with the tools needed to successfully navigate preparing for college, applying for scholarships, financial awareness, mentoring with alumni of Y-Scholars and providing a continued pipeline of support during the transition from high school to higher education.

Their results have been significant. This year, all the 39 Y Scholars graduated high school and the vast majority are going to a 4-year university. “Y Scholars helped me find my voice,” said Emily, a recent graduate of the Y Scholars program at Tyee High School who now attends the University of Washington. She’s planning on becoming a criminal prosecutor or a lawyer.  

“Y Scholars (was) a very pivotal moment of my life,” says Sam, who graduated with Emily and is now studying Computer Science at the University of Washington. “I met some awesome people that really transformed who I am today and also a community of other students that were kind of going through similar things as I was.”

The YMCA of Greater Seattle offers so much to young people throughout their lives. To learn more or get involved visit: https://www.seattleymca.org/