Aberdeen YMCA began on the 6^th July 1858 and celebrated its 150th birthday in 2008!! 

We are a youth work organisation with a Christian ethos, based in the city-centre of Aberdeen and are managed by a Board of Directors who represent a variety of different denominations.  The diversity of our Directors' backgrounds establishes us as a uniquely ecumenical movement for meeting the needs of children, young people and students among our city population of 212,125.

YMCA, despite its name, is a unique organisation:

• •  you don't have to be young to be a member; our oldest member is 95

• •  you don't have to be male; 50% of our membership is female

• •  you don't have to be a Christian; our programme is open to all

Aberdeen YMCA, as an autonomous organisation is affiliated to the umbrella organisations of YMCA Scotland, the European Alliance of YMCA and the World Alliance of YMCAs.  This makes us part of the largest youth organisation in the world.

Aberdeen YMCA is developing as a vibrant Christian centre for facilitating the development of young people, families, and the local community in body, mind and spirit.

Committed to serving others, the YMCA in Aberdeen aims to create a safe, caring and secure environment for our members where they can flourish and find a sense of achievement by providing them with facilities and opportunities often denied to them because of poverty, unemployment or social depravation. 

We seek to facilitate the needs of our members by empowering them to tackle their own needs through developing programme activities and acquiring the resources that they identify.  To achieve this we are committed to working in partnership with other agencies to provide a quality support environment for all our members, and ensuring that inclusion is central to our strategic plans for high quality support to young people. 

Accordingly, Aberdeen YMCA stands for a worldwide fellowship based on the equal value of all persons, respect and freedom for all, tolerance and understanding between people of different opinions and active concern for the needs of the community. 

At present we work predominantly with young people between the ages of 8-16.  The demographic profile of the community that we are located in (residential area of Aberdeen city-centre) has two large secondary comprehensive schools, 2 primary schools and 2 further-education colleges.  Our local community includes areas identified by the Scottish Executive as requiring social regeneration.