YMCA recognised for delivery of apprenticeships and qualifications

The training and education department of YMCA Heart of England - formerly YMCA Birmingham - has been successfully reaccredited to the matrix Standard - demonstrating the high quality of apprenticeships and qualifications it provides to housing associations, councils and fellow YMCAs.

YMCA Heart of England has been successfully delivering CIH housing qualifications since 2012 and housing apprenticeships since 2017.

The matrix Standard is the international quality standard for organisations that deliver information, advice and/or guidance (IAG), either as their sole purpose or as part of their service offering.

Roger Chapman, head of the matrix service for The Growth Company said: “This is a fantastic achievement for YMCA Heart of England, and I would like to congratulate the team on their success.

“We believe that at the heart of high-quality advice and support services are strong leadership, excellent service and a focus on continuous improvement, all underpinned by effective use of the resources available.

The matrix Standard is designed to benchmark organisations against best practice in these areas.

“With their accreditation success, YMCA Heart of England is working to provide the best possible support to their clients. ”

YMCA Heart of England 's training manager Cheryl Thompson-Davis (pictured) said: “This is a great achievement, especially in what has been a very difficult year for training providers.

“I am extremely proud of the way the team has responded during the Covid-19 pandemic, and this recognition has made it worthwhile.

“We are always looking at ways of constantly improving the service that we provide to our apprentices and learners, and feel that this is a culmination of 12 months of hard work and dedication. ”