Latest News

Massey’s YMCA Raise Up crew are asking for the public’s help to secure a dedicated space for youth at the YMCA Massey Leisure Centre.

With Round the Bays fast approaching, a group of runners are setting the pace with their fundraising efforts for the Family Camp programme at YMCA Camp Adair Hunua.

In October Seven Sharp covered one of our members and group fitness instructors who has been on an outright incredible journey.

During his last interview, Chris shared his goal with us. Sometimes it's the little things in life that matter the most, but Seven Sharp helped make it happen - click here to check the story out.

Few organisations can boast four wins at any awards ceremony, yet at the NZ Exercise Industry Awards, last weekend, YMCA Auckland enjoyed just that.

YMCA is super proud that our centres, our programmes and our people have been recognised at this year's Exercise Industry Awards

Kerry and John Edwards had just retired and were looking for a gym to join but never having been ‘gym people’ they weren’t sure where to begin. After a recommendation from a friend they ended up finding never2old at Jordan Rec Centre and found it was perfect for what they were wanting.

Eleven-year-old Manahal Arshad from Hay Park School has been coming to Cameron Pools for four weeks now as part of our GAAAP (Greater Auckland Aquatic Action Plan) Programme. The GAAAP programme is fully funded for targeted schools in the Auckland Region that provides swim and survive education lessons to students.

Erin Conroy from TVNZ does it, so does Megan from ZM. Together with Chris Kanuta from Avondale, they're coming clean about their habit.

Last week Seven Sharp visited Cameron Pool & Leisure Centre to help our guests come clean. Find out what their big secret was.

Daniel remembers his first week at camp like it was yesterday.  “I was scared and afraid that I wouldn’t be good at anything and I remember picking up the bow and arrow, it was so much bigger than me” and with a smile on his face, he realised how silly he’d been, he says, “but as I pulled and released each arrow, over and over again, it felt really good…. I was pretty good at this” with a smirk on his face. 

That experience was the first of many challenges for Daniel as he quickly learned that camp would require meeting new people, listening to and following camp leader instructions and giving every activity a go.  On one occasion, the rest of the camp kids were challenged to a wall climb which Daniel recalls as one of his hardest days at camp.  “I was climbing the wall and as I reached the overhang I wanted to give up” he says, and with a glum look in his eyes followed by a victorious tone he continues, “I was really tired but I kept going and when I got to the top I was so happy.”

Juggling the finances is a tricky game for many families. Shannon Keane, the Centre Manager at YMCA Manurewa Early Learning Centre, has witnessed firsthand just how tough it can be for families. She’s on close terms with many of them, and likes to help from month to month, as she can, to ensure that the debt doesn’t pile up.

Find out how YMCA is working with BNZ to improve financial literacy in the Manurewa community.

If you're part of the YMCA Lynfield Family, you will have received a friendly "Hello" from Paul during one of your visits to our Centre.  

Paul is YMCA Lynfield's Centre Assistant and has been at the Centre for 16 years. He has earned himself a renowned reputation - there is no job he cannot do!  Paul's hard work, friendly nature and can-do attitude was widely recognized and rewarded by the YMCA Auckland, as he won the Annual "Star of the Year" award, going up against 700 staff members from 23 different Centres.

Star Awards are how the YMCA recognizes staff that goes above and beyond their call of duty and displays our core values in all they do. Our values are honesty, caring, respect and responsibility. Paul was greatly honored with the award during YMCA's AGM in October.

YMCA welcomed dogs of all shapes and sizes for a splash around in the outdoor pool at the Onehunga War Memorial Pool before they closed for winter.

Dogs and their people came from all around to spend the day having fun in the sun. While there was fabulous representation from the local Onehunga community, we also had a visitor from Tauranga come all the way up, just to have a really special day with his dog and new canine pals. Local councillor Denise Krum came along to see what we were up to, and Centre Manager Cameron Kerr brought his whole family along for the fun and festivities.

Find out how YMCA is engaging the fury and four legged members of our communities as well as their people.

We’ve all seen the literature around minimising children’s ‘screen time’, but many young Kiwis are still far exceeding the recommended ‘no more than two hours a day’ limit! The school holidays are especially challenging, with long days that drag on and on and televisions, computers and game consoles at the ready. 

Find out how YMCA teamed up with the Ministry of Social Development to deliver Breakaway, a fully funded programme that both encourages and provides physical activity.