MERSEYSIDE YOUTH ASSOCIATION LIMITED

What MERSEYSIDE YOUTH ASSOCIATION LIMITED does

MYA is a Liverpool-based youth charity that traces its roots to 1890 and serves children and young people across Merseyside. Its portfolio combines open-access and referral-based provision across youth work, education, employability, mental health, disability support, creative arts, music, outdoor education, health education, food support and community participation. It reports 12 established projects, 4,796 young people served and 133,430 direct contacts in the latest reported year.

The organisation does not have a proprietary technology platform; service delivery is people-intensive and relies on direct youth work, mentoring, counselling, training, detached outreach, performances and activity programmes, with a website and digital communication tools supporting engagement and referrals. Its commercial model is institutional rather than beneficiary-paid: local-authority commissioning, DWP and other programme funding, charitable grants, fundraising, events and facility use provide the revenue base, while services for young people are largely free.

Name

MERSEYSIDE YOUTH ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Legal name

Merseyside Youth Association Limited

Website

https://mya.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Merseyside Youth Association is a Liverpool-based charity delivering youth work, education, employability, mental health, disability support, arts, outdoor education and community services to young people across Merseyside through commissioned programs, grants and referral partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth and Community Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Youth work services
• Mental health programmes
• Employability training
• Outdoor education
• Creative arts programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Local Authority Commissioning: MYA's primary revenue comes from commissioned services with Knowsley Council (Integrated Youth Service contract awarded in 2022), Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and other local authorities across Merseyside. These contracts fund youth work, detached youth work, health education, and outdoor education programmes.
2. Charitable Grants and Fundraising: MYA receives funding from charitable sources including Big Lottery, Youth Futures Foundation, UK SPF Levelling Up Fund, and others. They conduct fundraising events such as the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge and Santa Dash for specific projects like the Young Person's Foodbank.
3. Venue and Facilities Hire: MYA hires out facilities at three venues (Hanover Street, Our Place, SPACE) for events, meetings, performances, recording sessions, and training. Revenue is generated through hourly or daily hire charges with block booking discounts available.
4. DWP and Employment Programme Funding: Talent Match and Talent Match Plus programmes are funded through DWP, ESF, Youth Futures Foundation, and UK SPF Levelling Up Fund to support NEET young people aged 16-24 into employment, training or education.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Merseyside Youth Association Limited (MYA) is a registered charity that designs and delivers youth work, education, employability, mental health, creative arts, outdoor education, and disability support programmes for children and young people aged 11-25 across Merseyside. The organisation operates 12 established projects through three physical venues (Hanover Street, Our Place in Huyton, SPACE in Bootle) and an Outdoor Education Centre on the Lord Derby estate, supported by detached youth work and commissioned contracts with local authorities, DWP, and NHS partners.

Product overview

MYA operates as a multi-project youth services organization offering a diverse portfolio of programmes. The core offering includes youth clubs (MYA YOU/Splice), employment support (MYA YOUTH HUB, Talent Match Plus), youth work services (MYA KNOW, MYA Navigators), mental health programmes (MYA RAISE), creative arts (MYA SPACE), music (MYA NOISE), outdoor education, disability support (CHOICES KNOWSLEY), and community facilities (Our Place). These projects serve children and young people across Merseyside through both open-access and referral-based provision, with funding from various partners including DWP, Knowsley Council, and charitable foundations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MYA YOU: Fun and inclusive youth club provision where young people can try new things.
• MYA YOUTH HUB
• MYA KNOW
• MYA OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE
• MYA SPACE
• MYA RAISE
• MYA CHOICES KNOWSLEY
• MYA NOISE
• Talent Match Plus
• MYA Navigators

Products and services

• MYA YOU A fun and inclusive youth club provision for young people aged 12-25, delivered through Splice, a citywide youth club offering activities from basketball to cooking and music, chosen and delivered by young people themselves.
• MYA YOUTH HUB A holistic alternative to the Job Centre offering young people aged 16-24 a safe place with informal support and referrals, featuring DWP youth work coaches, private appointment rooms, and wraparound services including Fitness for Work and Wednesday Afternoon Sessions programmes.
• MYA KNOW An inclusive, youth-led support service for 11-19 year olds (up to 25 with SEND) in Knowsley, commissioned by Knowsley Council as a borough-wide youth work partnership spanning detached youth work, intensive trauma-informed mentoring, participation and engagement, health education, and the Our Place community facility.
• MYA OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE A lakeside outdoor education centre on the Lord Derby estate in Knowsley offering kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddleboarding, raft building, archery, bushcraft, and offsite activities including rock climbing and caving, with provision for school groups, families, and NGB qualification courses.
• MYA SPACE MYA's flagship project for performing and creative arts, standing for Sefton Performing Arts and Creative Education, offering workshops in dance, drama, music, musical theatre, and media/film at their purpose-built 150-seater venue in Bootle.
• MYA RAISE A mental health programme delivering training for children, young people, parents and professionals, featuring six different programmes including Mental Health Support, ROAR Response, Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP), Youth Connect 5, Serious about Suicide Prevention, and the annual NOW Fest festival.
• MYA CHOICES KNOWSLEY Inclusive, needs-led support for children and young people with a disability and their carers in Knowsley, offering Core and Enhanced level services through term-time Saturday sessions and school holiday programmes at various venues.
• MYA NOISE A music programme providing artistic, musical, pastoral and career-based support for aspiring musicians aged 11-25 since 2002, offering sessions in singing, piano, guitar, bass, recording, production, rehearsal space, and artist development at their Hanover Street facility.
• Talent Match Plus A pioneering programme supporting young people aged 16-24 across Liverpool City Region who are economically inactive and/or socially excluded, providing intensive mentoring, personal development workshops, and pathways to employment through dedicated Intensive Mentors.
• MYA Navigators A hospital-based support service working with young people referred through Alder Hey A&E who have experienced violent abuse, providing trauma-informed support, referrals to counselling and mental health services, and school advocacy.
• Our Place A community hub in Huyton offering main atrium, meeting/counselling rooms, dance studio, climbing walls, and office spaces, bringing together partners to provide wraparound services under one roof with access to a young person's foodbank.
• Our Place Foodbank A young person's foodbank specifically supporting under 30s in Knowsley, providing food parcels, hygiene products, contraception, and access to other support services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95.7% of young people increased their aspirations; 93.5% improved motivation; 94.5% increased skills; 97.1% grew their sense of belonging
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• THinK (Teenage Health in Knowsley)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTHinK team member El collaborated with MYA's Our Place to deliver free period products and wellbeing resource kits to the Knowsley community. The partnership originated through the ReCITE (Reducing Childhood Inequalities Through Engagement) project, delivering 'train the trainer' sessions to young people who re-deliver content during HAF programmes.
• Activate Body and MindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJanine from Activate Body and Mind donated 50 wellbeing kits, 100 period pants, and 15 boxes of sanitary towels to MYA Our Place for distribution to the Knowsley community. Activate focuses on supporting communities to make positive choices towards health and wellbeing.
• ReCITE (Reducing Childhood Inequalities Through Engagement)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative project through which THinK and Activate Body and Mind connected and developed their partnership with MYA Our Place. ReCITE aims to reduce childhood inequalities through engagement with young people.
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDWP funds the Talent Match programme and DWP work coaches refer young people to MYA. DWP Disability Employment Advisors and Employment Advisors collaborate with MYA's Youth Hub as an alternative to traditional Job Centres. DWP representatives participated in the Talent Match Conference.
• Youth Employment UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Laura-Jane Rawlings of Youth Employment UK spoke at the Talent Match Conference, providing insights on the youth employment challenge and the importance of supporting young people into sustainable employment.
• ARK ConsultancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany Director Helen Scurr from ARK Consultancy provided insights at the Talent Match Conference on measuring the social impact of the programme and highlighting return on investment.
• LIMF (Liverpool International Music Festival)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIMF collaborated with MYA NOISE on the LIMF X Noise project during COVID-19 lockdowns, culminating in a collaborative performance streamed at Melodic Distraction. Yaw Owusu of LIMF/Nothin' But The Music has continued to support subsequent programmes including Next Gen: Music Boss and Incubator Pen.
• What StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional recording studio partner for the Autonomy project. Ni Maxine recorded her debut track 'Strange Love' at What Studios as part of the programme.
• Culture DeckminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPR partner for the Autonomy project at NOISE. Provided public relations support for the release of Ni Maxine's debut single 'Strange Love'.
• Melodic DistractionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity radio station where the LIMF X Noise collaborative performance was streamed live during COVID-19 lockdowns.
• ROAR ResponseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvidence-based mental health training programme for teachers and school staff. MYA's RAISE team promotes and delivers ROAR training as part of their mental health agenda across Merseyside.
• Liverpool CAMHS PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMYA is a member of the Mental Health Support for Children & Young People in Liverpool partnership. RAISE team co-ordinator Leigh participated as Participation Coordinator for the Liverpool CAMHS Partnership.
• Youth Connect 5minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent and carer support programme that MYA's RAISE team promotes. YC5 helps develop knowledge and skills to assist children in developing emotional wellbeing.
• Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeer education programme to tackle gender-based violence, bullying, and abuse. MYA's RAISE team delivers MVP sessions in schools as part of their mental health and wellbeing offering.
• Serious about Suicide PreventionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramme that increases workforce confidence in addressing suicide among young people. MYA's RAISE team delivers Serious training to professionals across Merseyside.
• NOW FestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual festival founded in 2015 by MYA that allows young people to think about current issues and express themselves creatively through performing arts. Planned around and by young people.
• Knowsley CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowsley Council commissions MYA to deliver the Integrated Youth Service contract (since 2022), which includes detached youth work, intensive mentoring, participation and engagement, health education (THiNK), and the Our Place community hub in Huyton. This is MYA's largest single commissioned contract.
• Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (Travel Safe Partnership)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned MYA to deliver an 11-week bus safety pilot across Knowsley as part of the Travel Safe Partnership, with detached youth workers deployed on bus routes to engage young people on travel safety.
• Knowsley Safer CommunitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioner with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority of the bus safety pilot project delivered by MYA's Knowsley team.
• Foodiez CateringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatering provider based out of MYA's Our Place commercial kitchen, providing refreshments for events and hires at the Huyton venue.
• FREVOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnsite café at 65-67 Hanover Street that can provide catering for events and hires, from refreshments to full meals or buffets.
• Bill Shankly Football AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation that participated in the Yorkshire Three Peaks fundraising challenge to raise money for MYA's Young Person's Foodbank at Our Place, Huyton.
• Youth Focus NorthwestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal youth sector organisation that participated in the Yorkshire Three Peaks fundraising challenge alongside MYA staff for the Young Person's Foodbank.
• Lee Cooper FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate foundation that participated in the Yorkshire Three Peaks fundraising challenge alongside MYA staff for the Young Person's Foodbank.
• Canal and Rivers TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutdoor education partner organisation with whom MYA is developing professional links for the delivery of water-based activities at the Outdoor Education Centre.
• THRIVE KnowsleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDay centre and respite service for young adults aged 18+ with learning disabilities and complex needs. MYA's Knowsley team raised funds for THRIVE through the 50-mile smoothie bike challenge.
• Liverpool CAMHS PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Liverpool's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services through which MYA participates in mental health support for children and young people. RAISE team coordinator came from this partnership role.
• Sefton CVSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInfrastructure organisation for the voluntary and community sector in Sefton. Tom from MYA SPACE serves as a Young Advisor for Sefton CVS, contributing to media and design work.
• Youth Focus NorthwestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional youth sector infrastructure organisation. Participated in Yorkshire Three Peaks fundraiser for the Young Person's Foodbank.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Centrepoint: UK charity supporting young people aged 16-25 experiencing homelessness, with wraparound housing, health, learning and employability services. Comparable target demographic, multi-service delivery model and local authority commissioning.
• The Prince's Trust: Major UK charity focused on NEET young people aged 11-30, delivering employability, education and enterprise programmes. Directly comparable to MYA's Talent Match Plus and Youth Hub offer, with overlapping DWP and corporate funder relationships.
• YMCA England & Wales: One of the UK's largest youth and community charities, operating youth clubs, housing, health and wellbeing, and employability programmes for young people. Highly comparable mission, multi-vertical delivery model and reliance on local authority commissioning and charitable grants.
• UK Youth: National membership organisation for the youth sector, supporting youth work delivery and advocating for young people aged 9-25. Comparable youth-development focus and similar reliance on public sector and charitable funding streams.
• Shaw Trust: UK charity delivering disability employment, skills and inclusion programmes, with strong NEET and SEND pathways. Comparable to MYA Choices Knowsley and Talent Match Plus offer, and overlapping DWP commissioning relationships.
• Groundwork UK: Federated charity working with young people on outdoor learning, environmental programmes and community engagement. Comparable focus on outdoor education, youth work delivery, and multi-project commissioned service model across English regions.

Broad incumbents

• National Youth Agency: Statutory sector body for youth work in England, providing standards, training and policy advocacy. Operates in the same youth-development space as MYA but as a national infrastructure body rather than a direct-service provider.
• Catch22: Large social business delivering youth, education, justice and employability services across the UK. Overlaps with MYA on Talent Match Plus referrals (Catch22 is an existing MYA partner), but operates a much broader national portfolio at substantially greater scale.
• NSPCC: UK children's charity focused on child protection, with broader societal impact programmes including young people's mental health. Comparable children-and-young-people orientation but a substantially larger national operation with a safeguarding-led mandate.
• Barnardo's: One of the UK's largest children's charities, delivering services across safeguarding, mental health, disability and employability. Shares a child-and-young-people mission with MYA but operates at national scale with a far broader service mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/merseysideya
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/merseyside-youth-association-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/merseysideya/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MERSEYSIDE YOUTH ASSOCIATION LIMITED