The YMCA Taranaki has been serving the community since 1881.
Our values are:
Caring: Be considerate of others, be helpful, thoughtful, compassionate and kind;
Respect: Treat others as you would have them treat you, value the worth of every person including yourself;
Honesty: Be truthful, open and sincere, act with integrity in all that you do;
Responsibility: Do what is right, what you ought to do, own the task at hand, be accountable for your behaviour and obligations.
Our History
Throughout New Zealand there are 16 YMCAs all of which share a common purpose – which is to meet and relate to the needs of people in their communities, and where they work, in a way that will encourage them to develop as individuals, express their own needs and reach their full potential. YMCAs do this through programmes and relationships, involving YMCA workers with special youth community, recreational and motivational skills. The YMCAs across the country work together on a number of shared projects and aim to build strong people, strong families and strong communities by being locally responsive and engaged but also nationally co-operative and supportive.
The first YMCA was founded in Auckland in 1855 and its work expanded rapidly. At Dunedin, work started in 1861 with Bible study and prayer groups. Later the activities included public evangelistic services. The Christchurch association was founded in 1862 as a group which met for religious fellowship, prayer and Bible study, but later included educational classes, athletics and lectures in its activities. A fourth association was established in Taranaki in 1881. From the beginning these associations worked closely with the YMCA’s in Australia. A first joint conference was held in Sydney in 1877; at the second joint conference in Melbourne in 1880 Australia and New Zealand adopted the Paris Basis. In 1886, the National Council of the YMCAs of Australia and New Zealand was formed; this body was affiliated to the World Alliance. This Council continued to supervise the affairs of both countries until 1916 when New Zealand withdrew from the joint Council and formed its own national body.
YMCA programmes have included work with children and young people, recreation, sports, service clubs, camping, and community work. Mobile gymnasiums and trucks enabled the YMCA to extend physical education and recreational facilities to new housing areas. Family nights have been regular features of many YMCAs, and some associations had women’s auxiliary groups. In 1966 the National Council commenced the first Training Centre for full-time youth workers to be established in New Zealand.