We’re delighted to launch our new organisational values, shaped by the voices of staff, volunteers and young people.
Our new values are:
- We do what’s right
- We work with heart
- We build real connection.
Over the past 18 months, we’ve engaged colleagues across our services and projects in Sussex and Surrey and held in-depth discussions with our trustees, leadership and young people at different stages of the values’ development.
CEO Emily Brock said: “Getting these values right took time, and for good reason – we wanted them to truly reflect a culture we can all be proud of. The result is a set of clear, positive, and inspiring values that reinforce our mission helping children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be.”
What young people said
We shared our new values with young people at Hastings Foyer, in our Brighton High Support Services and in our Youth Advice Centres in Crawley and Brighton. They told us what matters most to them:
- Relationships with our staff: they appreciated help completing tasks and encouragement to talk about what’s on their mind.
- Kind and considerate staff: they valued being challenged to find different solutions and being supported to achieve more.
- Safe and supportive spaces: they liked being listened to, speaking freely and even having a laugh while discussing serious topics.
As a result of their feedback, we simplified our value descriptions to be more relatable and easier to understand.
What our values mean to us
We do what’s right:
- owning our decisions and being true to our word
- working safely, taking time to reflect and learn
- speaking out and calling out what’s not ok.
We work with heart:
- acting with care in kindness in all we do
- being there for ourselves as well as one another
- feeling supported and encouraged to grow.
We build real connection:
- creating spaces where we can really understand and listen
- celebrating what makes us unique because it makes us stronger
- coming together to make each other laugh, as well as graft.
Bringing our values to life
These values belong to all of us at YMCA DownsLink Group and they are designed to connect the whole of our whole community. They will:
- Shape our behaviours at work and how we deliver services
- Help us attract the best talent and build a thriving place to work
- Guide us in creating a culture where everyone feels valued and supported.
Emily added: “This isn’t about words on a wall – it’s about how we live and breathe our values every day. From recruitment to leadership, they will underpin how we work together and support children and young people.”
