Building up to the Gdynia YES Seminar

Post by Chris Richards. 
ILP member, YMCA Wales trustee, Newport YMCA board member and YES member.

For my first involvement with the YES group, I am currently in Gdynia, northern Poland. It is not as cold as you would imagine, and the jokes that were shared about bringing swimming attire (the hotel is very close to the sea) may not seem to be as dumbfounded as first described. Still, I think I will pass.

We are meeting to discuss youth empowerment for social transformation. This is of high interest to me, as I deal with an extensive array of young individuals who are currently facing tough times, and are desperate to get out of a recurring circle of drugs, crime, jail and poverty that they live every day, looked down on and having no light at the end of the tunnel – no opportunities. I have a number of instances and questions I would like to put to the participants here in Gdynia, and hopefully through sharing experiences I will return to Wales with both focus and knowledge on how socially excluded young people can rebuild and look to the future.

Not only do I find these seminars knowledgeable and insightful with so many great young people, it really does give me that extra passion and drive to make an impact – no matter how big or small – for my people when I return home. I will keep you updated.

I haven't had chance to take a lot of photographs, but this is one after dinner on the eve of the seminar.