Appeal focus: Yellow House (Liverpool)

Since the 1980s, the Yellow House in Liverpool has been working directly with young people. Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh, its founder George McKane named the charity after the artist’s house in Arles, a house where the door was always open, anyone was welcome and art was at the heart of the community.

A member of Localgiving since 2011, it operates as a charity and is open daily.  It runs various workshops in the space, as well as community outreach projects where staff and volunteers visit both mainstream and special needs schools providing tailored programmes around bullying, inclusion, diversity and much more. Around 800 young people are supported each year, with approximately 40 attending the core group sessions several times each week. But now, it faces some very sharp challenges, and Luke Upton spoke to George  to find out more, and learn how you can help.

Luke Upton (LU): Why are donations right now are so critical?

George McKane (GMcK):  Any Donations to Yellow House will make an immediate impact on our daily work with isolated Neurodiverse young people. More importantly, my life’s work over the past 40+ years is in danger of collapse, mainly because of my own fight over the past 3 years against life-threatening blood cancers, which has included more than 12 months in hospital and a further 6 months bed/housebound. This meant that most of my energy had to be directed towards my health and recovery.

Sadly, Yellow House suffered as a result - regular funding has fallen by 80%, and finding new funds is becoming more difficult, and the administration takes up a great deal of time, then waiting months for a Yes or No.  We do not have massive overheads; Yellow House uses funding and donations to work directly with young people, not for salaries. We normally apply for and rely on small grants under £10,000: sadly, even these are drying up. If we manage to get just 500 people donating a minimum of £5 per month, we will not only survive this difficult period but also carry on our vital work now and in the future.

LU: Thank you for sharing this. Can you tell us more about the particular challenges your community faces right now?

GMcK: Yellow House users are facing particular and unique difficulties right now. They are neurodiverse, isolated, and lonely young people already feeling left behind and at the bottom of the ladder, and the gap between those already on the ladder is growing by the day. This is borne out through all National Surveys and Statistics. Most of our group have never had a job and feel there is no possibility of one in the future. Many never went to school and have few friends or contacts. Many have spent most of their time alone in the bedroom. Yellow House is their lifeline - to friendships, support, advice, engagement, to art and literature and going out together on walks and visits. Being part of something. In the general scheme of things, these young people are being left behind. Yellow House needs your help not only to support them but also to help them take the first steps toward belonging.

LU: Okay, you’ve been with Localgiving for 15 years which is fantastic. We love having you as part of our community, how has your membership helped in these years?

GMcK: Localgiving has been of tremendous benefit to Yellow House over many years. For a Charity of our size, it is easy to set up, with most of the management done by Localgiving, and it helps tremendously with special projects and appeals. I can say without hesitation that Localgiving has been a wonderful asset to Yellow House, not only financially but also through great support from the very helpful staff and their services.

Want more? Check out this short film made by some of the young people which tells their story during this current situation at Yellow House:  

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