Published: 03 February 2012
by ANDREW JOHNSON

The YMCA is to be kicked out of the Barbican home it has held for more than 40 years – putting at risk a host of programmes with disadvantaged Islington youngsters.

Organisers are now in a desperate hunt to find new accommodation for the 255 young people who live in the hostel – a 16-storey block – who face being made homeless by September, when the organisation has to vacate the building.

Gillian Bowen, the chief executive of City YMCA, said it will be a struggle to find new accommodation for the 205 students and 50 low-paid city workers who live in the block.

The YMCA has held the building – which was purpose built for the organisation – on a peppercorn rent ever since the Barbican building was opened in 1971.

Now the City of London Corporation, which owns the property, has decided not to renew the lease.

Although no reason has been given, the rental income from the block in the heart of the city would run into the millions.

“We need to move by the end of September,” Ms Bowen said.

“We haven’t been offered a new lease.

If we were offered a standard lease, though, it would be highly unaffordable.

We have students from Islington colleges who stay here, we run courses for young people with no qualifications to help them back into work.

We do a lot of street work in Islington, and have done a lot of work with the police, particularly after the riots.”

She added that the charity helps young people aged between 12 and 25 plan for the future by offering training courses and cheap accommodation for those aged 16-29.

“We won’t be able to find another place like this,” she said.

“If we could find somewhere with 30 bed spaces then we’d be interested in having a discussion.”

She added: “We are looking for partners and stakeholders in the City and local area to help us continue supporting our Barbican residents.

In particular we are seeking any support that can directly help the young people with access to affordable accommodation, so they can remain in education and maintain employment in the local area.”

The charity says it will continue to run its outreach and youth project programmes from its Islington site in Errol Street, Bunhill, but says it may be reduced by almost half.

Michael Wise, Islington Borough Commander, says: “City YMCA has undertaken significant outreach work with young people and I have no doubt that their work has contributed to a sustained reduction in serious youth violence in this borough.”

A Corporation of London spokesman said: “Running hostels is a difficult area and after 40 years, YMCA England will not continue with its occupation of this building largely because the original intention of letting to students of City organisations and young City workers is now outmoded.”