If last year was about survival and resilience, this year has been about patience and hope. The Y will continue to persevere through the face of hardship. We will do everything we need to do to ensure we are still here, ready to welcome the community back through our doors.
This year, we faced many challenges. With over 90% of the Y closed for the majority of the year, we had to come up with new initiatives to support our staff and the community. Here's a snapshot of how each business area at the Y was impacted and how we responded.
Despite the many challenges the Y faced this year, we continuously came up with new ways to support young people and Victorian communities. In this year's report you'll find a range of stories that demonstrate our knack for innovation, as well as our resilience and perseverance.
At the Y, our breadth of programs and services means we reach communities in many different ways. Whether it is through swimming lessons, early learning or the high ropes course on camp – we make a big impact. This page provides a snapshot of the reach and impact we have had in 2020-2021.
Our shining beacon of hope and one of the good things to come out of the pandemic, Virtual Y launched in June 2020 thanks to a grant from the Victorian government and a special bunch of passionate Y staff and volunteers determined to pivot our product offering to a digital landscape and keep supporting our communities.
The Y could not do the incredible work it does without the support from generous contributors in the community. This year, we needed your support more than ever before, which is why we would like to recognise and thank each and every person, organisation, government agency and industry partner who has supported us.
It goes without saying that our financials are reflective of a year in which many of our services were fully closed for an extended period of time. Despite these major setbacks, we are proud of what we were able to achieve, with all decisions made with the sustainability of our organisation at the forefront.
Thank you for reading this year’s annual report. We hope that you’ve gained an insight into how the Y supports all Victorians. While this year has been challenging, the Y has and will continue to provide physical and virtual spaces where people from all walks of life can find a sense of belonging and connection.
