YMCA NSW is proud to announce a rebrand to “the Y” as part of a national brand and logo refresh.
Governors of the 15 individual YMCAs across the nation came together to endorse the move on Saturday, November 23 at the 102nd AGM of the National Council of YMCAs in Melbourne, following a pilot of the rebrand by the Y NSW in November.
The YMCA is an iconic brand and has been in existence globally for 175 years – This logo change is the first in Australia in 52 years. The fresh new logo look was developed by a collective of the Y brand leads across Australia, but the actual design of the logo was led by a young person, a 26-year-old Y NSW graphic designer, Adrian Sorbello.
“The Y has a long legacy of celebrating and supporting diversity, and we need our name to reflect that,” CEO, the Y NSW, Susannah Le Bron said.
“We are so proud to be part of the world’s oldest and largest youth organisation, which has always been a place to belong. However, we appreciate and acknowledge the power of language and know that there is a lot in a name.
“This change will ensure that as an organisation we are crystal clear about our passion for offering all young people - regardless of race, age, language, gender, country of origin, cultural background, religion, sexual orientation or physical ability - pathways to live their best lives.”
The Y CEO for the National Office, Melinda Crole said the development of the new logo and brand was a collaborative and inclusive process.
“The new brand was created from the ground up, with hundreds of Y staff, volunteers and participants engaged in its development which started with agreeing that to be relevant today – we needed to be more relevant to young people,” Ms Crole said.
The Y NSW is currently in the process of having a Reconciliation Action Plan endorsed by Reconciliation Australia and this year elected the first gay, Indigenous Youth Premier, Hamani Tanginoa, as part of the Youth Parliament Program.
The Y aims to provide recreation centres, children services and programs that are inclusive for people with a disability and have lodged a re-registration application to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguarding Commission.
In 2019, 500 NSW Recreation Centre staff were delivered face-to-face LQBTI+ training and ACON’s (Aids Council of NSW) Welcome Here initiative was rolled out to eight Y sites with a target to register all sites as Welcoming Places by the end of 2021.
The new logo will begin to formally roll out in Y’s across the nation in the coming months.
MEDIA CONTACT: Madeleine Clarke on 0400 974 816 or Kate Hancock on 0439 427 522
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