YMCA George Williams College trustees said the decision to close the organisation which opened in 1970, followed an "extended period of careful consideration and evaluation" of its place in the sector, against a challenging backdrop.
The statement paid tribute to "dedicated and hardworking staff" who will be profoundly impacted by the decision.
The college's executive director Bethia McNeil said: "With deep sadness, we are announcing the planned closure of YMCA George Williams College on 31 March 2025."
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In their statement, the trustees of the college said: "Since the merger of the Centre for Youth Impact into YMCA George Williams College in April 2022, we have worked diligently to define our role within both the youth sector and the wider YMCA movement.
"Our aim was to build on the rich legacies of both institutions while identifying new opportunities to support and empower our partners across the youth sector.
"Despite these efforts, we have faced persistent challenges in transitioning to a new environment.
"Over the past few years, the college has implemented a range of measures intended to create a stable and sustainable future.
"Despite the support of our partners, the measures undertaken, and the good work completed, we have reached the conclusion that we do not face a sustainable future.
"The external environment remains challenging, and we are very conscious that we are not the only infrastructure organisation in our sector to formally close our operations. This context has contributed to our current position.
"We are deeply thankful to our dedicated and hardworking staff and recognise the profound impact this will have on them.
"We are committed to supporting them through this difficult transition.
"We are also so very grateful for the dedication, hard work, friendship and commitment shown by our partners, and stakeholders over the years both for the Centre for Youth Impact and the College."
Vicky Browning, UK Youth interim chief executive officer, said: “YMCA George Williams College has played a vital role in strengthening the youth sector for decades. Its contributions to youth work education, training, and evaluation have left a lasting impact and we thank college staff – past and present – for their hard work and commitment to improving the lives of young people.
“This is just another stark reminder of the enormous challenges facing our sector. At a time when young people face increasingly difficult challenges, this continued erosion of support structures for youth work and youth voice is deeply troubling. The government’s National Youth Strategy must reverse this trend and provide the long-term vision and funding the sector needs to thrive.
“Now, more than ever, we must all champion the importance of evaluation, learning, and evidence-based practice. The work pioneered by YMCA George Williams College has helped shape best practice in youth work. At UK Youth, we remain committed to driving this forward. We will continue to work alongside partners across the sector to ensure that youth voice, impact, and learning remain at the heart of how we support young people.”
In their statement, the trustees of the college said they will work closely with funders and YMCA England & Wales to "explore opportunities for some areas of our work to live on".
