Do no harm

We are on the second full day of work and there have been some heavy days and discussions, all very relevant and interesting! Today has been a day about looking at the Do No Harm matrix. You may ask what this is? It sounds complicated I thought, it is really not. Put really basically it is model to use in planning and evaluating any project. This project can be aid on an international level or local level, it has to be based in the realities of the community that the project is based in. This is a new tool that can be added to the tool box of ways to examine the way a project is set up to ensure that no harm is done. There is no such thing as a perfect project but this is a way to try and minimise the negative affects of any given project. There are a lot of resources online for this and there would be a lot to try and put all the information into one blog (especially when we have to deliver training on it when we return). What can I say about it? I have found it very interesting and will look forward to attempting to apply it to my project, where are the dividers? Where are the connectors? Are they balanced (a key part to the Do No Harm matrix)? It has been an interesting day, that I can say with certainty.

To end on a separate note, if you had asked me two and a bit years a go, when I joined the YMCA movement if I thought I would believe so passionately about the work it does globally, if I would have lunch with the head of YMCA Europe or if I would have the extreme privileged of listening to Juan (head of YMCA Europe) and the head of the global movement (World Alliance of the YMCA) I would have responded with, you must be joking. I work in a local community. This week I have had the privilege of this and many many more inspirational people from all over Europe and the world. The reason for my passion...well why not when you work for an organisation as big and awesome as the YMCA?

Stay tuned for more from Istanbul and the YMCA England delegates...