News from the Family Centre Service
We are pleased to share the news that One YMCA has changed its name to 'YMCA Chiltern Group'. ✨
💜 Why is One YMCA getting a new name?
Over the past 140 years, the charity has grown from the first YMCA meeting in Watford to becoming one of the largest YMCA groups in England and Wales, serving communities across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. As One YMCA celebrates this important anniversary and reflects on the positive impact it has made, they also wanted to look ahead to the future. So, the new name ‘YMCA Chiltern Group’ aims to unite all services under a new collective name and reflects ambitions going forward.
💜 Why did they choose 'YMCA Chiltern Group'?
This new name helps connect the group to the regions it serves, be more recognisable to local communities and is meaningful to the vision and purpose. The name is inspired by the Chiltern Hills, which many of you will know is the beautiful range of hills that stretches across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
Just like the counties connected by the Chilterns, YMCA Chiltern Group is a mix of regional services connected by a common thread: supporting local young people and families to belong, contribute and thrive. 👏
To read more about One YMCA's name change, please visit: https://oneymca.org/one-ymca-becomes-ymca-chiltern-group/
The Incredible Years® Preschool Parenting Programme
The Family Support Service, in collaboration with Best Start Family Hubs in Watford and Stevenage, are excited to be introducing The Incredible Years® Preschool Parenting Programme to families living in Hertfordshire.
The programme is designed for parents and carers of children aged 3–5 years, and aims to strengthen parent-child relationships, support positive behaviour at home and promote emotional regulation and problem-solving skills in young children. With support from trained practitioners, parents and carers will explore ways to encourage positive behaviour through play, praise, and positive attention. Sessions focus on building strong connections, supporting children’s language and social development, establishing effective routines, and managing challenging behaviours calmly and consistently.
The programme runs over 15 weekly sessions, either online or in person, giving parents and carers the time they need to learn, practise and build confidence in using new strategies at home. Each session follows on from the last, allowing families to make lasting changes that can make a real difference to their child’s development and behaviour.
Incredible Years courses will begin in the Autumn term. Please contact your local Family Centre on 0300 123 7572 and ask for Watford or Stevenage for more information.