About Us

The Young Mothers Group Trust Ltd was developed in 1980 by two youth workers to bring isolated young single parents together in the Barton Hill area of Bristol an area of high rises and low expectations.  The Young Mothers Group (as we were called at the time) were instrumental in visiting schools in Bristol presenting the ‘Peer Education Project’ as a tool to inform school children about the realities of being a young single parent on a low income supported by the video ‘Too Much Too Young’ (of which we still have copies in a dusty box if you’re interested).  Around 1992 The opportunity to provide housing became our primary service objective.

In 1999 Tony Blair described the high teenage birth rate as Britain’s ‘shameful record’ and the government pledged to halve pregnancies for under 18s by mid 2010.  Launching the strategy to address what was perceived as a critical social and economic problem.  Although the 50% goal was far from met, there has been a big decline over the past few decades; ‘overall, teenage birthrates are now at around the same level as in the 1950′s, that supposed golden age of family’.

While many teenage parents manage very well, they and their children are more likely to suffer health, emotional and economic problems.  As the vast majority of teenage pregnancies are unplanned.  YMGT’s focus is to give young parents the knowledge, skills and confidence to make positive and informed choices about sexual activity and parenthood.

The Young Mothers Group Trust Ltd  provides support and housing to young parents to gain the necessary life skills to successfully sustain  independent living in permanent accommodation  and to access training and educational opportunities where this is an identified goal. Support is provided by encouraging service users to identify their own needs and aims and encouraging informed decisions and choices.  The Every Child Matters frame work and Centrepoint’s award winning Support & Development tool kit underpin the valuable work we do.

The Young Mothers Group Trust is a Registered Charity, Registration Number 1068712. It is also a company limited by guarantee, Registration Number 3438367. Young Mothers Group Trust Ltd is primarily funded by Supporting People but we cannot forget the other charities organisations and kind donations that allow us to provide new experiences to young people who may never have the opportunity.

 

We remain indebted and give thanks to all agencies that continue to support YMGT support Young Mums: Barnardos, SPAN, Bristol City Council, Bristol Charities, City of Bristol College, Staff and Trustees, Connexions, Adult Community Care, The Meriton, The Primary Care Trust, CYPS, Bristol Community Accountancy Project, Centrepoint, The Princes Trust, Avon Fire & Rescue, 2QAB, 4YP, Easton Community Centre, Harwood Lane Accountants, Kerry Russell, Bristol Library Service, NHS no smoking others that we forgot to mention (sorry) and of course the Young Mums and Young Mums-to-be

Trustees

Chair: Mike Wilson
Treasurer: Vacant
Secretary: Lindsay Flook
Trustee: Glynis Sampey
Trustee: Tim De La Rew

Staff

Project Manager: Vanessa McLean
Housing Support Officer: Grace Allen
Housing Support Officer: Laura Mitchell
Finance Officer/Admin: Rosie Browne
Housing Support Assistant: Cashan Campbell