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Testimonials

Southend YMCA has run projects that have worked with hundreds of young people across Southend, coming into contact with organisations from varying industries as well as parents, carers and figures of public authority. This page is dedicated to their kind testimonials that have been written for us.

If you would like to contribute a testimonial, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . To find out more about the projects follow the links through to the individual project pages.

Kayleigh Voyse - 25

25 February 2013

Kayleigh Voyse is a 25 year old volunteer from Southend who has been volunteering with Motivate since April 2012. She started as a part time volunteer, became a full time volunteer and now has become a bank member of staff.

Kayleigh (far left) in our
intergenerational play

Between April and December 2012 I volunteered at the Southend YMCA. I have been volunteering on and off since I was 14 years old, and when I graduated university in 2011 and struggled to find employment, the Southend YMCA seemed to be the perfect organisation to help me develop the life skills I needed to get a job.

Before I started volunteering on Motivate I was extremely unhappy and disillusioned, having worked hard for four years at university, trying to balance studying with life as a single mother, only to end up unemployed and on benefits.

Kayleigh at BBC TV Centre
escourting young people on
a trip.

I started volunteering on a part-time basis on the Leigh Folk Festival project. This project was a great opportunity to work with other young people and learn about events planning, promoting and stewarding. We learnt how to set up a PA system, manual handling training and worked towards a level two stewarding qualification.

As a result of gaining the qualification I was also able to volunteer on behalf of Basildon Council at the Olympic Torch relay as it passed through Basildon town centre, which was an amazing experience.

After this I began to volunteer on a full-time basis in the motivate office and was able to work with many people on various projects. On a political project called '5 minutes to change the world' I got to interact with dozens of young people from the local area about issues and problems they thought were important in their community.

Kayleigh volunteered at Leigh
Folk Festival 2012, Sheila Lord
played on the Southend
YMCA stage (above).

I also worked on a drama project with five other young volunteers and an older gentleman, in which we wrote, promoted and performed our own play based upon intergenerational issues and stereotypes in order to break down barriers between old and young people.

Through the Southend YMCA I have been able to achieve so many things. I have gained self-confidence, qualifications and have met many like-minded people who have become good friends.

In December 2012 I applied for a position at the organisation as a bank member of staff, which I was successful in getting. Not only did the Southend YMCA give me the platform to be able to start my working life, but I have been able to find a job that I love and still have time to be with my son at home and provide for him and our future.

Joey Bevan, Volunteer testimonial

17 July 2012

Joey Bevan started volunteering with Southend YMCA in May 2010, selling his customised clothing in the Southend YMCA Charity Shop and supporting events such as our fashion show launch for the shop itself.

'Two years ago Southend YMCA gave me the opportunity to sell my customised, recycled clothes at their shop. Having the chance to develop my own brand in the Southend YMCA pop up shop was a perfect platform for me as a designer, from there I have gone on to be the official designer of America's Next Top Model and Britain's Next Top Model, styling contestants on X Factor, presented for London Fashion Week, styled for national magazines, now have over 27k followers on Twitter, and met Prince Charles with my the Vegtable Dress I had designed! (Click here for a picture and article)

It makes me proud to think that I have come so far and I will always have time for Southend YMCA and their staff, for the support and advice they gave me when I started out, thank you for inspiring me to start!'

See more about Joey at his website: www.pointedbrownshoes.co.uk

Picture Left: Joey with his garments being modelled by volunteers at Southend YMCA's fashion show.

See the video from Southend YMCA's Fashion Show click play below

Sarah Grey - Princes Trust Testimonial

18 May 2012

"What a wonderful and moving experience this was, I felt proud to be a part of it even though I had not been directly involved!

I would like to encourage staff at my Job Centre to refer client to this marvelous opportunity."

Sarah Grey
Employer Advisor
Department for Work and Pensions

Simon Hampton, 23

23 March 2012

Simon Hampton is a 23 year old volunteer from Prittlewell who has been volunteering with Motivate for eight weeks.

Prior to his to volunteering placement, Simon had been unemployed for 12 months, and expressed issues with his personal confidence and feelings of self-worth. He had often felt like he was stereotyped by potential employers because of his visable tattoos. Simon is pictured left (centre) with Southend YMCA supporter James Duddridge MP (far right), other Southend YMCA staff, volunteers and Sarah Betsworth (for The Big Lottery Fund).

His goal is to gain employment as a Youth Worker or working with probation teams. Here's is Simon's testimonial to Motivate & Southend YMCA.

'During my time Volunteering at Southend YMCA I have been working along side team ‘Motivate’ on various projects which have included ‘Swtich Music’, where I have assisted tutor a group of young musicians in forming their own band, composing their own music and organising a live performance utilising my own knowledge and experience in the music industry. I have also assisted staff on other projects such as ‘Kick Start - Simply Delicious’ which is a project aimed at re-engaging young people from local schools, back into education through the medium of cookery and team based environments.

My main task while volunteering full-time with Southend YMCA has been to co-devise and run a pilot scheme in partnership with Basildon Probation Services aimed at promoting diversity in the local community through education and breaking down misconceptions and stereotypes. The project has been a great success and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with many young people from various backgrounds, although sometimes posing a challenge, I wouldn’t have changed any aspect of the experience.

Although saddened to approach the end of my ten week placement with ‘Motivate’ at Southend YMCA, I feel I can reflect on my time in so many positive ways and feel personally I have evolved as a person. I initially struggled to motivate myself, through lack of self belief and confidence, due to being out of employment for such a long time, to apply for any form of voluntary work. I felt worthless and disillusioned every time I got rejected by prospective employers, although having a strong CV and work history, due to being judged on my appearance, my past and my age.

Southend YMCA have enabled me to step out of my comfort zone, engage with young people, forge new friendships, share my skills, take part in national and local media events, boost my employability and complete educational qualifications and training. They have shown me how to turn negative aspects of my past life choices into positives and most importantly they have helped me to believe in myself again.

Southend YMCA and all of the young people I have worked with have given me a new wealth of confidence and have helped me to realise I have so much to offer regarding my previous work history and life skills. I am now applying to colleges and universities through YMCA Training, in the aim of qualifying to become a Youth Worker myself at some stage in my life.'

Helen Ralston - Eco Hub Testimonial

29 November 2011

Eco Hub Page

I have been in the Eco-Hub for a while now and it is a great idea because it helps other people like myself to have the chance that they need to start a successful business by offering low cost start up units and on going advice

The concept of the building is a fantastic idea. It is a brilliant idea for young people to network and to also help each other out as a team and to also learn different things from each other.

The vision for my business is to carry on with what I really enjoying doing, which is making clothes and doing alterations, to be an established designer. From doing the Motivate programme I have been teaching people sewing skills and craftwork and would like to continue this in the Eco Hub and set up workshops, for people who want to learn a skill and also have a chance to have a comfort of talking to other people and to gain confidence.

When I started at Southend YMCA I wasn't really sure what it was all about I know it was a Christian charity but had no idea really what the charity had to offer. I know now there are so many things that they do for young people, they deserve the credit for the amount hard work they do for young people.