Strategy

YHA (England and Wales)’s 10-year strategy “Adventure - for the first time and a life time” is ambitious. It will see them reaching more people and growing their impact, with a particular focus on those who could benefit the most. And it will establish YHA as a leading national charity and social enterprise.

Finding their future in their past

In 1930, they were born of social reform – a determination to improve the lives and life-chances of young people lacking access to activity, adventure, fresh air. That’s a situation many young people still find themselves in — a situation compounded by new, complex and varied challenges.

Building on all that’s been

Their last strategy has been a real success. It focused on putting YHA on a firm commercial and operational footing. If the last 10 years has been about modernising their business, the next 10 will be about continuing that journey and modernising their mission and becoming a leading national charity for young people.

Our charitable object

To help all, especially young people of limited means, to a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside, and appreciation of the cultural values of towns and cities, particularly by providing youth hostels or other accommodation for them on their travels and thus to promote their health, recreation and education.

They have revised their mission and vision to match the ambitions of the strategy.

Vision

Everyone has access to the benefits of adventure, for the first time and a lifetime.

Mission

To enrich the lives of all, especially young people, by providing brilliant hostel stays and experiences that improve physical health, mental wellbeing and life skills.

YHA (England and Wales) five-year targets:

• For 5 million people of all ages to stay with YHA
• To be certain that access for all means all – that those who stay with us, benefit from their provision and support, their employees and volunteers, reflect the demographics of England and Wales
• To ensure at least 2.5 million children and young people have an overnight stay with YHA
• To ensure at least 250,000 of these children and young people are those with the most challenging lives