One of the first YMCAs in the country has removed the national charity’s branding from its name as it marks 180 years of operating in Liverpool.
YMCA Together has changed its name to You Matter after finding that its work had expanded beyond the core focus of the national charity on supporting young people.
The Liverpool charity, which recorded an income of £15.5m and employed over 200 people in the year to March 2025, said its new name would give it “greater freedom to be creative, flexible and responsive to meeting local need”.
It said demand for its services continues to grow as increasing numbers face housing insecurity, mental health pressures and the impact of financial hardship.
Last year, the charity supported more than 3,000 people and now provides more than 800 supported accommodation settings across Liverpool, Sefton and Knowsley.
Chief executive Ellie McNeil said: “Nationally, the YMCA movement has increasingly focused on supporting young people, while here in the Liverpool city region, we’ve continued to evolve as the challenges facing our communities have changed.”
She added: “People who come to us are often dealing with several challenges at once. Lives rarely fit neatly into one category, and our work has developed to reflect that.
“The name You Matter captures something that has always been central to how we work. We’ve always believed in people, not problems, and that every person deserves dignity, stability and the opportunity to rebuild their life.”
You Matter was founded in 1846, two years after the original Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was formed in London.
The Liverpool charity is no longer listed on the national YMCA’s website.
