The YMCA movement was founded by George Williams and started in England in 1844 in London in the middle of the industrial revolution where tens of thousands of young men had flocked to take advantage of the available work. By 1855 the YMCA movement had spread internationally (including to New Zealand) and the World Alliance was formed in Paris. By 1895 the YMCA had developed and introduced two new sports; Basketball and Volleyball. By 1925 the YMCA had also developed what is now known as softball, also Fathers Day and first introduced the term “body building”.
The YMCA of Greater Wellington is a values-based community organisation dedicated to building strong kids, strong families and strong communities and welcomes all regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or religious belief. We have been operating continually in Wellington since 1887.
Our organisation is open to anyone and is a values based, caring organisation whereby Christian principles (Caring, Respect ,Honesty, Responsibility) are used to help shape, develop and grow each individual in our community .
Our intent strategically over the next two years is that we will grow in a sound staged manner, our foundations will be robust, we will focus on developing strong profitable relationships, our organisations reputation will be enhanced and have good reach in the communities we work in.
Operationally we have five main areas of business and an administration area to support these. They are Accommodation, Education, Youth, Recreation, Outdoors.
Our long and short term Accommodation caters to a range of people both locally, around New Zealand and throughout the world. Our hostel located in Lower Hutt consists of 102 single and double rooms at a safe, secure location and at an affordable price. Pilmuir Accommodation is an investment which helps to fund our other programmes around the region and is an integral part of our business.
We provide Education and Youth programmes with specific emphasis on Youth At Risk. Our “Got2getajob” is a programme funded by TEC and is free to students and operates in Wellington and Masterton. Students complete a minimum requirement of NZQA units, which contributes towards NCES and NCEA. Students are encouraged to participate in all extra curriculum activities provided to them. Life skills are incorporated into each activity and include: camping, tramping, abseiling, kayaking, bridge swings, sports & recreation. Our Youth programmes run out of our Masterton and Dannevirke centres and we are looking to expand these programmes 2012.
Our Recreation section includes OSCAR After School and School Holiday Programmes are both convenient and affordable for parents/caregivers in a caring and fun environment. The programmes are recreational, creative, educational, with quiet spaces provided for homework and other activities. The OSCAR Manager and her team aim to meet the social and development skills of each child and always try to make the programme fun to attend. We also offer physical activities for school groups, indoor sports leagues, and programmes for special needs groups. We operate a community recreation centre in Trentham servicing the Upper Hutt area included at the centre is a modern fitness centre and sport stadium.
YMCA Greater Wellington operates YMCA Camp Kaitoke. Our camp is a 150 bed facility with a range of outdoor education options including horse riding, abseiling, kayaking to name a few. These activities foster leadership and personal development and social skills. 
As well as hosting school groups, community groups and sports groups we deliver a comprehensive year round camping programme to the wider Wellington region.
Our Core Values
The cornerstones that great foundations are built on; these are the values that we believe in:
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.
