About | The Y Hawke's Bay

YMCA Hawke's Bay History

Serving Hawke’s Bay communities since 1890

The Y has been part of Hawke’s Bay for more than 135 years, making it one of the region’s longest-established community organisations.

Our story began in Napier in 1890, when the first local YMCA was established with 37 inaugural members and was known as the YMCA of Hawke’s Bay. The YMCA movement later expanded to Hastings, with YMCA Hastings established in 1910.

For generations, both organisations supported young people, families and communities across the region through recreation, education, youth development and community programmes.

In March 1994, the Napier and Hastings YMCAs came together to form the YMCA of Hawke’s Bay, bringing their shared history and community connections into one regional organisation.

Today, The Y Hawke’s Bay continues that legacy through a growing range of community-focused services, including Y-Kids school holiday programmes, out of school care, youth development , outdoor adventure programmes, community initiatives and volunteer opportunities.

While our programmes have changed significantly since 1890, our purpose remains much the same: to strengthen young people, families and communities and create opportunities for people to belong, grow and reach their potential.

We place a strong emphasis on young people, supporting their development, wellbeing, confidence and connection to their community.

The Y Hawke’s Bay also works alongside Y organisations throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, sharing a commitment to building strong people, strong families and strong communities.

From our beginnings in Napier in 1890, through the establishment of YMCA Hastings in 1910 and the formation of The Y Hawke’s Bay in 1994, our history now spans 136 years of connection with the Hawke’s Bay community.

Read our news article on the 2022 logo update

Leadership and Staff

Office Bearers

President: Paul Hursthouse
Vice President: Phil Matcham
Treasurer: Heather Hallam
Board Members: Roger Coleman, Sue Smith, Kev Carter, Leigh Gibson & Janene Dixon-Smith

Y Head Office Staff

Acting General Manager: Kev Carter
Programme Manager: Chanelle Dennison
Youth Development: Petra Goodhue-Morrison
Bookings & Administration: Gemini Henare-Hiki

National and International Connections

The YMCA movement has a long and proud history in Aotearoa New Zealand. The first YMCA was established in Auckland in 1855, and 170 years later there are ten YMCA Associations operating across the country, supported by a National Council. The Council is made up of representatives from each Association, who appoint a National Board to oversee national support functions. The Board then appoints a Secretary General to manage the day-to-day operations of the National Office.

YMCA New Zealand: https://ymca.org.nz/

YMCA New Zealand is part of the World Alliance of YMCAs — the oldest and one of the largest youth-focused organisations in the world. Founded in London in 1844, the YMCA now reaches over 65 million people each year across 120 countries. With deep roots in local communities, decades of experience empowering young people, and a strong global network, the YMCA movement collectively employs nearly 90,000 staff, supports around 920,000 volunteers, and operates more than 12,000 branches worldwide.