Lottery funding to develop YMCA climate action plans

YMCAs across Scotland will receive Climate Emergency Training and develop Community Climate Action Plans thanks to our new partnership. 

YMCA Scotland has received £1,499,382 over three years from the National Lottery Community Fund which will support eight diverse YMCAS across Scotland to lead projects that make our communities greener, healthier and more resilient. 

As part of that funding we will be supporting local YMCAs in Cupar, Dumfries, Edinburgh, Glenrothes, Kilmarnock, Kirkcaldy, Renfrew and Tollcross to begin training and co-designing projects with their communities. 

Barry Fisher, our Chief Executive, said: “I’m delighted to see this partnership confirmed and already looking forward to seeing its impact across the country. 

“By delivering Climate Emergency Training to these eight YMCAs, as well as helping them to create Community Climate Action Plans, we’ll hopefully see its impact stretch even further and help more people understand the climate and biodiversity crises and how to play their part. 

“I’d like to thank the National Lottery players and the National Lottery Community Fund for making this partnership possible. Its impact will stretch far beyond these three years.” 

This three-year partnership will see Keep Scotland Beautiful deliver Climate Emergency Training that will be customised for the youth sector and for young people. We will also run workshops that cover both the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis.  

A second strand of this work will be to run our Community Climate Action Plan programme with each local YMCA and their communities to support then to design an action plan with and for their community.  

Taylor Smith, Climate Fund Project Manager at YMCA Scotland, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Keep Scotland Beautiful on this national climate action programme which has been made possible due to funding by The National Lottery Community Fund.  

“Their expertise in climate action work and training will strengthen our work with local YMCAs as they support young people and communities to lead positive environmental change. This project shows what is possible when we come together behind a shared commitment to people and the planet.”

YMCA: Your Action, Our Planet is made possible with funding from The National Lottery  Community Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.