The various groups and activities we currently offer include:

• Adventure Walking, kayaking, climbing, camping, biking and more – it’s fun to live at the YMCA!
• Arts and Crafts Watch out for pop-up creative sessions in our lounge and Lighthouse Cafe.
• Football A weekly, fun and social  football session with ENC  (Exeter Network Church) .
• MoodBoost Friday afternoon cafe drop in that includes inspirational talks, trips or walks with the resident community.
• Music Are you a budding songwriter or performer? The YMCA has a music studio and musicicans  to help you follow your passion and explore your gifts.
• New Beginnings A series of walks and talks where we have the opportunity to go out on trips and also to talk about some common issues that people face.
• Therapeutic Horticulture Spend time in nature by nurturing our gardens and green spaces or learning rural skills such as green woodworking or forging. Find out more here.
• Ascend A climbing and mental health group set up to springboard you into achieving your goals- both on the climbing wall and in Life!
• Running Group Train with a team and compete in Exeter’s Great West Run fundraiser!

Our Lighthouse Training Programme helps prepare residents for entering employment.

Residents can participate in 40 hours of voluntary experience in a project placement, increasing technical skill in one of two roles: Horticulture and Rural Skills trainee (in our community allotment) or Café Assistant (in our on-site cafe).  Residents will be assigned a volunteer mentor who will facilitate 1-2-1 skills assessments, CV writing and mock interviews.

Upon ‘graduating’ from the programme, we host a ceremony where staff and residents celebrate each resident’s achievement. In collaboration with the young person, we look for relevant external work and volunteer placements with our partner agencies: Exeter Cathedral, British Heart Foundation, CoCreate and Sidwell’s Bakehouse and more.

A weekly session where you can explore faith, the bible and ask the important questions in life.

We also offer residents the opportunity to attend a local Alpha Course, as well as a Christian Festival for men called ‘The Gathering’.