Youth charity YMCA George Williams College has announced it is set to close following “persistent challenges”, despite being the product of a recent merger.

The Centre for Youth Impact merged with YMCA George Williams College in Spring 2022, with the aim of bringing together shared expertise and grounding in impact.

However, the trustees of the merged charity have announced it will cease operations from 31 March 2025 due to the challenges faced in “transitioning to a new environment”.

“Since the merger […] we have worked diligently to define our role within both the youth sector and the wider YMCA movement,” the trustees said in a statement.

“Our aim was to build on the rich legacies of both institutions while identifying new opportunities to support and empower our partners across the youth sector.

“Despite these efforts, we have faced persistent challenges in transitioning to a new environment.”

The trustees said the college implemented a range of measures aimed at creating a ‘stable and sustainable’ future, but the board has since reached the conclusion that the charity “does not face a sustainable future”.

“The external environment remains challenging, and we are very conscious that we are not the only infrastructure organisation in our sector to formally close our operations. This context has contributed to our current position,” the board added.

“We are deeply thankful to our dedicated and hardworking staff and recognise the profound impact this will have on them. We are committed to supporting them through this difficult transition.”

Trustees said they will continue to work closely with funders and colleagues at YMCA England and Wales to ‘explore opportunities for some areas of its work to live on’.

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