International youth work experience

I was invited to run a one day session at YMCA Fairthorne with Karina for a youth work international program for Volunteers from England, Ireland and Kosovo. Before I got there I was very nervous traveling to Fair Thorne YMCA, I even question myself “ am I ready for this? “Are they going to enjoy the session? At the same time, very excited for having this opportunity. Anyone could have been selected to do this that me and Karina got selected, something I always be going I’m grateful for.

This was my first time actually running a session to an international group.  Our role was to talk about YMCA international opportunities.  I introduced myself and told my story, how I started at my local YMCA, something I am always proud of. While telling my story made me realize how far I come, its almost been a decade since I have been at the YMCA. I also talked about YES which I attended for first time this year, it was a great  insight for a young person like myself to see what YMCA Europe does and meet inspiring young people that show so much passion for YMCA.

After we talked about the International opportunities we took the group to the hall, we did leadership games something which Karina and I learnt at our regional training in Switzerland. Great way to develop their communicating skills and initiative.
  It was great to see what we have been learning on our Change agent program playing leadership games, something simple as that can be very effective. The participants were laughing enjoying them selves, engaging with each other that put a smile on my face. Great feeling to see young people coming together from different cultures having fun.

Next day we did the George William tour in London the founder YMCA 1844, a  great story by a great leader  the reason why we are here today. 

This was great experience for me, hopefully me and Karina will have the chance do something like this in the future.She is someone I'm comfortable working with. We ain't just Change Agents, we are good friends as well. We will probably be working with each other after the Change Agent program.

    

Home

Well.... i have now arrived home after extending my Canadian Discovery visit. 

After a fantastic first week with a great bunch of YMCA folk i headed back to Toronto to meet up with the family. We took in some more sights, got to see a lot more of Toronto that wasn't possible in the first week and also had the chance to visit a couple of other YMCA projects.

A project that stood out for me in the second week was one that we didn't get chance to see the first week; this is the YCafe Training and Education project which is located in a municipal authority facility - Metro Hall in downtown Toronto. 
Adam the centre director was very welcoming and spent a good amount of time showing me around and explaining the philosophy and outcomes of the project using catering and life skills as a means to gaining fulfilling and lasting employment. This is done whilst also being a social enterprise serving 300 meals on wheels per week, operating a cafe and also providing 2000 meals a week to homeless and young people agencies. Excuse the pun but real food for thought......

Ross' Reflections

Hello readers my name is Ross and I am a part of the Bridging Bonding & Linking Capitals Leadership course. I had no clue of what it was before I arrived, I was really nervous and anxious on what to expect and even had thoughts of turning round and going back home when I arrived at London Kings Cross. I had never travelled as far as I did, from home in Northumberland, by myself so it was a big challenge for me. The journey took about 8 hours and was very exhausting which made me even more nervous. Fortunately when I arrived I was greeted by a great bunch of people from different places in England, Northern Ireland and Kosovo. We all bonded really quickly and I instantly knew I was with a group of amazing people.

Throughout the week we did lots of activities and the group bonded really closely. All the activities were really good and inspiring but my highlights were, my inspiration/my hero, The George Williams tour and the final campfire.

I really enjoyed the my inspiration/hero session because not also did it give me a chance to tell the group about my hero and why am I here, but it gave me the opportunity to listen to the groups stories which I really respect them for sharing. It was really emotional and hard for me to share my story and the whole group thanked me after which was really nice. It was also good to hear other stories because it makes you realise that everybody has problems in their life, some worse than others, and it’s good to hear how they were helped to deal with them and how they are now inspired to inspire.

I also really enjoyed the George Williams tour as it really expanded my understanding of the YMCA roots. I had no clue that the YMCA had such an epic history. To find out that George Williams, a peace keeper, was buried next to two great warriors, Nelson and Wellington, and to stand were George Williams had his first gathering to find the YMCA was probably the most inspirational time of my life. To be the runt of litter and really have no hope, then to go on and start a massive organisation, made me think that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.   

Another one of my main highlights was the final campfire. The final campfire was really touching. We gathered round the fire with the people we had only known for 6 days, although it felt like I had known them for a life time, and gave a leaf to the 3 people we bonded with the most. It was quite challenging as I wanted to give a leaf to everyone as they’re all amazing people. After we done that we said our good byes and thanked people for being so understanding, honest and for giving the best of themselves. It was really hard as it felt like the end of an amazing journey, but deep down I knew it was only the beginning of what will be an outstanding adventure.

Naomi's Reflections

The Inspirational Emotional Rollercoaster - My First International Conference.

Anxious and worried are words that come to mind when I think of how I was feeling on my way to YMCA Fairthorne Manor on Friday evening. I did not know what to expect and I was worried if I would fit in with the others. As soon as I arrived at Fairthorne I was greeted by Andy, one of the facilitators and a board member of YMCA Ireland, and I instantly felt welcomed and at ease. I met the rest of the team and were chatting until we had to meet for a welcome evening.

At the welcome evening we met all the facilitators: Dorina, National Secretary from YMCA Kosovo George Williams Youth Association, Adi from World YMCA, Andy from YMCA Ireland; Rachel from YMCA Romford. Karina from YMCA Fairthorne Group also welcomed us to Fairthorne Manor. Later that night we had the chance to socialise with each other more and get to know one and other a little better.

Overwhelmed (in a good way) is how I felt by the end of the second day. We learnt all about the YMCA Europe and World YMCA. We learnt about the global movement and what YMCA is doing worldwide and in Europe. We also learnt how we are trying to bring YMCAs together. We learnt about each other’s stories of how they got into the YMCA, and by the end of the day I was inspired by my peers and even more proud to be a part of the YMCA community.

On Monday we watched a film called the Freedom Writers. The film was about a new teacher in a gang riddled town in America. The teacher managed to bring together young people from conflicting backgrounds and great accomplishments, learning and friendships developed from that. It taught us the risks and the sacrifice’s some youth workers have to make in order to influence young people in a positive way. After the film we got into our groups to discuss the film and answer some questions on how we felt about it. At dinner we got into home groups, groups of four, to answer some questions about the highlight of the day, and changes we would make and how we were feeling. We learnt that watching films like this can be a great way to learn about youth work.

Energised is how I felt after our evening activity, Night Orienteering. We were given a map in our Home Groups and let loose into Fairthorne Manor to find orange orienteering flags. This was a great team activity and our group won as we stuck together and played on each other’s strengths when trying to find each flag.

On Monday we had the chance to go through different scenarios in small groups that may happen to us as youth workers, and discuss what we would put if we were put in that situation. This was interesting as although sometimes you have personal beliefs, as a youth worker, you may have to give advice or make decisions that challenge your own beliefs. That afternoon we got to do some outdoor activities that challenged our team work. We did Crate Challenge, Jacobs Ladder and Fire lighting.

On Tuesday we got the chance to plan and lead activities with the young people at Fairthorne Manor Daycamps. It was great to be out there with the children and although we all felt exhausted afterwards, it was a valuable experience for us all. My team had to use our initiative as we planned to use a parachute in our activities however this was unavailable so we had to change it on the spot. In the evening we had an intercultural experience with the international staff of Fairthorne Manor. We got to taste food from around the world and take part in a dance from Kosovo.

Wednesday was the day we met Ken Montgomery for a YMCA Tour. We saw the stained glass window in Westminster Abbey that had reference to the YMCA. We also visited the place where the first YMCA meeting was held, near St Pauls Cathedral and also Sir George William’s grave inside the Cathedral. George Williams’ plaque on the wall of St John’s cathedral is what touched me the most. The message he left under it was very moving (PLEASE SEE BELOW).

On Thursday, our last day, we were involved in a session called My Hero, My Inspiration. We got into our Home Groups and shared our stories of how we got to where we are today. This got very deep and emotional for our group as we shared stories we had not told to anyone else before. This just proves how far we have come together in one week and how close we have gotten.

To conclude this experience has been a big eye opener for me. I am so excited to be a part of something special. I am excited about the global movement and proud to be a part of it. I want to try and share my passion with other in my local YMCA and hope that they can start to be excited by it too.

Michael's reflections

Well, how to start this… I guess I will start from the beginning. When I was accepted onto this Bridging, Bonding and Linking capitals Leadership course I was unsure of what to expect when I turned up, but writing this post, five days into the course, I have to say it has been one of the best choices I’ve made. The leaders of the course are full of information, inspiration, energy and I am proud to have been given the opportunity to take part! They know how to bring 16 strangers together to perform tasks, work together, communicate and most importantly, to bond together… I have managed to open up to people I have only known less than a week which should be proof enough that these leaders are unique and have achieved massively in their aim of the first week.

I would like to talk about some of the activities we have done which have helped us bond better as people and work together to a common goal, these include plenty of “Ice Breakers” which are just small activities which gets energy up and allows the group to communicate as a team on a more personal level, these Ice breakers are silly little games where people embarrass themselves, but without the embarrassment so to say, it helps build team skills so that other activities seem much less awkward and enable us all to work together comfortably.

Two activities come to mind while on this course, one was a day trip to London, and the other was to plan and work with children during outdoor activities. The trip to London was a tour dedicated to the founder of the YMCA; George Williams. This inspiring and emotional tour of London shown lead us to Westminster Abbey where we saw the window dedicated to World YMCA and YMCA and to George Williams and his plaque, where we were told a short story of how he was just a young man from a farming family who had seven siblings, he being one which was the shortest and weakest, seemingly not destined to achieve much, but when he moved away to London and joined a draping company, who would have known this man would achieve so much by founding the YMCA. After visiting the beautiful window in Westminster Abbey, we moved to the underground and came out at St Pauls Cathedral to visit the crypt of George Williams and where he lays, resting in peace. Overall the Trip was an emotional one and thanks to Ken Montgomery for giving us this tour dedicated to such a legend and such a saviour of young people.

Now, on a more cheery and energetic note, the more energetic activity which was working with the children of our host, Fairthorne YMCA. As a group of mixed people from different parts of Europe and the UK (Northern Ireland, Kosovo and England) we had to all plan activities for young children and what activities we could do the entertain them for half hour after assisting with their main activity. Luckily for us, their main activity was an assault course in which the children ran around a course of various obstacles to get to the end the quickest. As the helpers, we had to help include and make sure that all children were taking part and that they were not left out and alone, I remember one child in particular, older than the rest, quiet and reserved but full of energy at the same time, I was able to talk with him and get him involved in a One vs One race around the assault course, in which I took part, and lost to no surprise. we were thankful to this as it wore down the tremendous amount of energy of which resides within these quirky and fun children, allowing us to apply our previous planned activities which was focused more on teambuilding and competition without a hitch, and to our surprise, the games we “Invented” were common games these children would play so explaining the rules was simple and we all had fun. After our half hour was up, we lead them all back to the sports hall where they met up with the other groups in little fun games, which I describe more of a free for all to get to the best toys first. I ended up getting a Frisbee and playing with four random children, while running from another who was supposed to keep me on my toes (by whacking me with a space hopper) it was hectic to say the least, but I will say this now, I have never had so much fun in my life, playing games with these young, non-judgemental children with all their smiling faces as they manage to throw and catch successfully, the noise, the energy and the amount of laughter was just spectacular.

Now this is the part where I am supposed to close this blog post, I have no idea how to do this, so I am just going to say thank you for reading and I hope you have a great day!

Louis blog day 1&2

I will be writing roughly from what I have rewrote on my notebook to then be able to go back and help inform other YMCA users what is happening here. On the first day it was very nerve racking in the car journey up here but as soon as I walked through the door clutching my bag I instantly felt accepted as I was one of the last people to show up. The first thing we did was an ice breaker called human bingo where we get a sheet of paper with loads of boxes full of different things about each other like who has two pets, who has an allergy and then by speaking to people we were able to find out things about them once we had found the box for the person we put their name in the correct box the first person to get a line up or down they call bingo after that we were given our time tables and lanyards and after that people where so tired then went to sleep, jet lag I guess.

On the first day we had a nice early start at 8 in the morning where we walked over got breakfast of a full English breakfast followed by a nice message of the day from Adi who showed us a video of a guy who was in the Olympics who pulled a hamstring in the race and his dad came running down and carried him round the track with a standing ovation of 60,000 people and at the last 10 meters let him hop across the line. The message was when to help people and when to let them help themselves and let them try on their own very touching way to start the week and the day then we continued with a lot more ice breakers just to get each other familiar with everyone as some people had people they come with and other had never met anyone. For the end of the day we done a nice I believe session where we talked about our own perspective on certain situation like drugs or alcohol and a lot more we did these separately and didn’t share unless we wanted to which I found to be a very eye opening as it helped me see what my own opinions on certain things are very good.

On the second day we started once again at a nice 8 o clock start followed by a England group message of the day; basically all of the people from England where asked to make a message of the day to help get everyone focused on the same thing. We used a video of a guy who had no arms and no legs but was not letting that stop him from completing all the things he wanted to do from kayaking to waterslides even powerboating afterward we followed it up with some messages from team England like stay strong don’t give up and a few other messages. We were then shown a history PowerPoint of youth work about how it had developed and how far it has come from being all male based youth work to being mixed race, gender and a lot more of changes that are still in use today. We also watched the film ‘Freedom Writers’  which was used to show how far a person would go to help people who are a lot different to herself and how she risked everything she had just to help them. Very motivational to help other people who maybe are not in your situation but that doesn’t mean you can’t help them. At the end of the day we done a team building exercise of orienteering where we had markers placed all over the 120 acer area of Fairthorne which was very fun and very tearing and took about 2 hours the winners got shirts from the YMCA (very jealous)

This has been my blog I hope you all have a very good day and had fun reading about all the amazing things that the YMCA are doing to help young people thank you and goodbye

Louis Cozens

Tenant representative of YMCA Southampton

 

Nous sommes arrives a Montreal

After a fantastic day in Niagara we finally arrived in Montreal and to my surprise it was a lot more vibrant than expected also a little cooler in temperature. Montreal is described as Canada's cultural capital the neighbourhood is crowded with cafes animated with literary and music activity. And is one of the cities in the world with the highest number of restaurants. Montreal is also renowned for its churches, nicknamed la ville aux cent clochers ("the city of a hundred belltowers") which makes very picturesque.

The first YMCA in North America started in Montreal in 1851. It was revolutionary for an organisation outside of the church to offer religious discussions and activities. The YMCA goal was to put religious teachings into practice and to lead by example. Today the YMCA in Montreal continues to answer the needs of the community through its innovative community outreach programs, providing refugee and immigrant settlement services, language assessment and instruction, substance abuse intervention services, shelters, programs for single mothers and teenaged moms, and youth drop-in centres.

Posted on behalf od Mark Owens

Visite des installations

Wow, today was our last full day in Canada and in Montreal. We had the pleasure of the Operations VP, Dan showing us around and explaining how their facilities work.

From small to large the Montreal YMCA is working across varied sites and facilities that engage communities.

I have come away learning a lot today; some very practical examples to take back to my Y for our current redevelopment project and some aspirational programmes that may just be possible in the UK.....

'Beneficial, inspirational, cross cutting, communities, serving, mission, vision' are just a few words that come to mind when trying to capture what i have learnt.

A tiring day and a tiring week but one well worth it; thanks Canada and watch out England!

Bonjour Montreal

After an action packed day yesterday AKA 'Rest Day'! we have arrived in the cosmopolitan city of Montreal.
Yesterday we took in Niagara Falls via air and boat, Niagara whirlpool, Niagara Town, a winery and not to mention a plane journey to get us to Montreal.

The welcome we have received in Montreal has been very warm, sincere and humbling. My first impression apart from the French language is the akin nature of the YMCA here to my YMCA back at home; strong vision, big plans, good staff but all coming with challenges and difficulties.

The willingness to understand local need to inform decision making is impressive and the desire to see further development in advocacy work is encouraging. My golden nugget from today apart from some great ideas and projects that could easily be replicated or add value to existing in the UK has been the clarity around the approach to a branch model - i came with this as one of my burning questions and today it has been 90% answered - thank you!!!

Tomorrow we take in some site visits but that's not before i sample some culinary French cuisine.

Hmmm, Bon appetite tout le monde

Well, What a Day!

It was my birthday, and one I'll never forget. I thought I'd kept it quiet but Denise Hatton, the CEO of YMCA England, is always one step ahead!

It was our day off (not only for me, honest) and we were heading out of the city sightseeing. As the bus left Toronto for Niagara Falls I was treated to a rousing rendition of happy birthday. Who knew Ken had such a lovely falsetto?

Wearing my birthday ribbon we explored Niagara Falls by both boat and helicopter. Both trips were an experience unlike anything I’ve ever known. The views from above are breath-taking. Being on the boat feels more real, especially when you come away drenched. Luckily the salmon pink poncho we received did a decent job.

There was even time to sample some local wine. The winery specialized in ‘ice wine’ made from naturally frozen grapes. They were very sweet, but clearly to the taste of some of our delegation as we walked out with a bottle or two.

Since starting writing, we’ve arrived in Montreal. It immediately feels more European than Toronto, even accounting for the use of the French language. We started the day with a session on the history of YMCA Quebec, which became a very engaging discussion on the history of the province in general and our context within that.

We’re working in smaller groups on more specific topics this afternoon, so keep checking the blog as I’m sure plenty of interest will be posted.

Posted on behalf of Joe Curran

A Taster of Toronto

We're 4 days into our YMCA Canada Discovery Visit so far and what I have to say is 'wow'! What I have got from our first stop in Toronto, is an overwhelming sense of what a professional and skilled staff team YMCA Canada and Greater Toronto Area  (GTA) YMCA really have. I've been particularly struck by the similarities between the YMCAs in Canada and England, and the journeys that both organisations have been through, as well as the paths that the Ys in both nations are both currently on. 

The time and effort put into developing great staff and leaders is really inspiring, and my backpack is stretching under the weight of all the materials/literature I shall be taking back to share with my colleagues in England! In regards to leadership development, one thing that really sticks out is GTA's model of Assistant General Managers, who are recruited 3yrs before opening up a new YMCA, and enter into a robust training and induction programme before taking on the General Manager role. We've visited a number of YMCA sites in Toronto and met a variety of staff members in a number of different roles and it's very clear how much their personal development has been invested in, and this is demonstrated in the quality of work being delivered. 

It's encouraging to see that we are on a similar journey to the YMCAs in Canada, and as Canada are slightly further along their journey, I look forward to being in the same place as them in a year or two. The welcome we received from our hosts was absolutely fantastic and it will be a pleasure to reciprocate this when Canadian staff visit England next year.

Reflecting on Toronto

As I sit and wait to move on to the next part of our Canadian Discovery I am left to reflect on what a whirlwind/amazing few days in Toronto it has been. Learning about YMCA Canada and Greater Toronto Area (GTA) YMCA has been an inspiring experience. The information they've shared with us, the sites they've allowed us to visit and the staff and members we've met has blown my mind. I had the honour of meeting the CEO of GTAY a YMCA with a turnover of 175M in a morning and then end the day with a quick swim at the Central Y and be greeted and assisted by a very able and friendly volunteer. One thing that easily sticks out to me here at the Canada YMCAs is no matter what position a person is in they are still offering the same friendly, welcoming and knowledge attitude. Also the similarities between our organisations really stand out,  just the sheer scale being the main difference. 

A particular highlight for me was having the opportunity to spend time in small groups with Vice Presidents and leaders of particular areas. All willingly sharing their expertise and knowledge and advocating for us to go back to England and do the same! Leading me to think why do we duplicate so much work as individual YMCA's. Would we all benefit from sharing more resources? Something I know goes on in parts but could we be better at this. 

I look forward to seeing what the next stage of our trip in Montreal has to offer and what more I can learn, take back and help me improve within my YMCA. 

What a truly amazing experience to be part of. Thank You YMCA Canada and GTA YMCA for being such great hosts! 

Grace Harrison 

Good morning Montreal Welcome Kosovo and Ireland

Stage two of our YMCA Discovery visit to Canada begins this morning. From Monday to Wednesday this week we spent our days with YMCA Canada and the YMCA of Greater Toronto.

Yesterday we took time out to visit Niagra Falls and surruonding area, participants took a helicopter ride and boat trip. Simply fabulous.

Today we commence our visit to Montreal with great anticipation. We hope we can maintain our energy levels to do justice to the planning and  preparation that has gone into making the visit inspirational and enjoyable. At the same time I am mindful of a gathering clan of young YMCA people from Kosovo, Ireland and England who will spend the next week in England building relationships and friendships that will last a lifetime, at the same time as engaging in leadership training sessions that will equip then to develop communities where young people can belong contribute and thrive. As I reflect I feel in my being that this is why I am Canada today. Changing lives and building communities, one step at a time!

One of these days I will share with you a story about flying kites! Until then I welcome our new authors, young people engaged in leadership development in England during the next few days.

Contributing a verse to the song of the giants. #standingontheshouldersofgiants

Helicopter rides, boat trips and time to reflect

Yesterday was our "day off" and we made the most of it with a trip to Niagara Falls (including helicopter rides and boat trips for some of us), Niagara on the Lake and a winery.

The day also gave some time for reflection as we had time on the bus and on the plane. Building on the learnings shared at our debrief on Wednesday afternoon, I had chance to think about what I have discovered and what I will take back with me.

The overriding thing for me is is the enthusiasm and passion that I have seen in all the YMCA staff we have met and how well they articulate it. I know that many of our staff have that same passion and when I go back I am keen to look at ways to encourage that in all staff and to also give them the tools to articulate it.

I met with the VP for HR and was impressed by the investment they make in their induction course (2 full days (recently reduced from 3 days) including overnight stays). I don't think there would be appetite from staff, their line managers or our budet for this but I am considering how we can improve what we do to incorporate more elements of the particants being encouraged to think what they do and why they do it.

The VP responsible for communications, marketing and branding spoke to Grace, Ken and myself about how at some meetings staff introduce themselves by their name and why they do what they do rather than by their job title - again encouraging that consideration and helping staff to develop their skills of articulating their motivation.

I couldn't attend the session on volunteering as I was in a session with the VP for HR but she told me that 25% of their staff started as volunteers. I was also struck by how the CEO of YCanada referred to chairs of the Boards as their most senior volunteers. I will definitely take this back with me and incorporate some of this into our volunteering strategy and recruitment options.

And now we are in Montreal and looking forward to more learning and sharing...

YMCA Canada - Half way there!

We’re half way through our discovery visit to Canada and the value of visiting another YMCA could not be clearer. Firstly, I’d like to comment on the wonderful hospitality we’ve received. The warmth with which we’ve been welcomed has not only made the visit more enjoyable, it has fostered an environment where everyone is comfortable, creating the most fertile ground for learning.

This is helped further by it being an incredibly exciting time to be in the city. The Toronto Blue Jays baseball team are in the play offs for the first time in over 20 years which has electrified the city. Coupled with an election earlier in the week there is positivity everywhere.

Our agenda is packed and the days are long but at every turn there is advice and knowledge being exchanged, hosts and visitors benefiting alike. We’ve split our time so far between Y Canada and the YMCA of Greater Toronto and I’ve learnt an awful lot from and about both organisations.

It is fascinating that despite our countries being 500 miles apart, we’re facing the same challenges and are driven by the same mission. Not only that, it is heartening to see areas of work Y Canada have advanced further than us. I’ve seen our potential with my own eyes and it’s exciting.

The journey here was long but I believe the lasting relations I’ve forged here could not have been done with technology. Skype and email are perfect tools for keeping in touch but those inherent human qualities of sharing space are lost. I feel I’ve got to know those at Y Canada as people and not just colleagues and you can’t put a price on that.

Working hard from a desk it’s easy to forget we’re all part of this huge global movement. This discovery visit is more than just a reminder of that, but also highlighting what a privilege that is.

It feels appropriate to sign off as a Toronto native would, so…Go Blue Jays! 

Posted on behalf of Joe Curran

Au Revoir Toronto

So, today was our last full day in Toronto. Tomorrow we get a day of relaxation by visiting Niagara Falls before heading off to Montreal to visit our YMCA colleagues there and learn more....

The last three days have been inspiring, rewarding, thought provoking and challenging. The welcome and facilitation by our Canadian counterparts has been nothing short of brilliant. The time given to us by a wide range of staff has been sincere.

I leave with many learning points, golden nuggets and challenges for me to take away, reflect on and renew in the UK. I am however, reminded of three main headlines that have particularly struck me:-

1. There are huge similarities between our two federations and countries.
2. With due processes and checks and balances in place our Canadian friends in Toronto get on with it; delivering to the needs of the community it serves.
3. Albeit the is huge with a healthy turnover, strong staff and resources, it is inspiring to see that the driving force behind the motivation is still mission focused; to serve those in need and less fortunate.

All in all i come away willing to aspire to some of the new discoveries that i have made. Goodbye Toronto and Bonjour Montreal.

YMCA In Canada committment to Community

My first thoughts turn to our Canadian hosts, were I would just like to say a big thank you for the way in which they are supporting us. THANK YOU…

Over the last few days I have been inspired by the spirit and commitment to  the community thatour Canadian cousins deliver. They have great feelings and beliefs on delivering an inclusive society where everyone, regardless of their background, experiences, or circumstances, participates fully and their passion to deliver is shown throughout all the projects I have seen so far. The work they have described and shown us, clearly defines a positive approach that builds towards a community characterised by strong supportive connections between individuals and groups.

A thing that always comes to mind whenever you are with a  group of like minded individuals discussing engagement, is that more often than not a discussion about diversity usually emerges. One point I found particularly interesting with the team in Canada is there programs are built around inclusivity by Involving the community through a range of mechanisms that ensure the issues and concerns are understood and considered as part of the decision-making process. Through collaborating with the community to develop strong partnerships that formulate options and provide recommendations, and by empowering the community to make decisions that implement and manage the required changes.

I did also manage to get up the CN tower today an amazing experience…………..

Looking forward to visiting some projects and attending further discussions today…

Posted on behalf of Mark Owens Nottinghamshire YMCA

More than words

You can’t help but be bowled over the size and scale of the YMCA in Canada and the extent to which they are part of everyday life here for so much of the population.

But four days into our discovery visit what has really impressed me is the outlook and language of everyone we’ve met who works for the Y.

Regardless of what service they are involved in and the level at which they work within the Y in Canada, for everyone we’ve met it’s not about ‘can’t’, ‘weaknesses’, ‘obstacles’, it is about ‘can’, ‘strengths’ and ‘opportunities’.

To give just two examples from the visit so far, on Monday Don who heads up the amazing YMCA Academy in Greater Toronto talked about his pupils having ‘learning differences’ not ‘learning difficulties’, and yesterday the staff at the housing project in Vanauley Street YMCA talked at length about the resilience and strengths that the young people who have been sleeping rough have.

For the Y in Canada this isn’t just about the words they use, it penetrates through to all they do.

Their strategies at a national and local level are uncompromisingly and unashamedly bold and expansionist, because they are focused on the opportunities they see all around them not barriers preventing this.

Too often when we talk to and about the young people we work with in England we still focus on what’s wrong with them not what is good. They are vulnerable, disadvantaged and troubled.

Because how you see the world does make all the difference in how you approach situations, the reality is that this does impact on the work we do.

So the challenge going through my head right now and hopefully what I’ll be able get some answers to in the next few days is how can YMCA England, like the Y Canada has, take a leadership role in transforming the work we do from a deficit to asset approach?

I’ll let you know how I get on…

Big numbers and big scale in a big city

Another busy day today where we visited two different sites of Toronto YMCA also known as GTA (Greater Toronto Area).

We heard about and took in; the Canadian National YMCA approach to brand marketing, toured the GTA's programme and strategy support function(we would usually call it 'head office' or 'support services'), heard about the GTA capital campaign strategy, how GTA's branch model works, the challenges facing GTA's main source of income, namely, health/fitness & aquatics and finished off with a visit to a 40 bedroom emergency accommodation unit that worked with hard to reach and vulnerable young people - all of which is being driven and packaged as 'Centres of Community'.

I mustn't miss out though the great presentation given by Richard Hughes from YMCA England on the success and progress to date around the great Advocacy work that is happening in the UK. I believe everyone was suitably impressed. Well Done Richard!!!

The enormity and sheer scale of things in the Greater Toronto Area is quite unbelievable, but believable it is because Toronto YMCA are doing it and getting on with it! This is an organisation that delivers to 75,000 members per year, has approximately 4.1million visits per year, covers an area of 150km from East to West, has 1000 staff & 2,500 volunteers and all delivered across 8 main locations.

A pretty amazing and staggering day, that should be viewed as aspirational and challenging whatever the size of Y we come from. I am also reminded that we are indeed 'All One' and that we are all are aiming for the same goal, whatever our scale. The aim to create communities that are Healthy, Happy and Connected.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring????.....

Discovery Visit Day 1

Day one. Today was spent at the Grosvenor Central YMCA which has membership of around 11,000 members. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area YMCA and over Toronto the YMCA has an annual turnover of 170m CAD and a Capital Appeal current in place to raise 100m CAD. Wow.

Scott started off the day with a presentation on the YMCA in Canada. He stressed that it is co-owned both Nationally and locally. The National Federation was formed in 1912 today the YMCA is a household name across Canada.

He referred to two key underlying principles that informed their strategic plan.

The first was; The Canada we want and the YMCA we need. I think it is interesting to think about that in an English contact – The England we want and the YMCA we need ….discus

Some very stimulating thoughts from Scott for us to consider.

There Strategic Plan was written in 2011 and had four main aims.

Build our Brand

Extend our Reach

Strengthen our impact

Increase our capacity.

We were told that there had to be an unexpected outcome so far and that was the need to concentrate on the first two. Perhaps others will say more on this

Toronto YMCA

The first session this morning saw us gain an insight into the Canadian YMCA National Movement and Toronto Central YMCA - Scott and the whole team obviously have a deep passion for the YMCA movement.

It is interesting to learn that similarities and challenges exist between the UK and Canada even if we are separated by the odd few 1000 miles, the need to; increase capacity, understanding our impact & reach, build on brand, have a check and balance around the health of the organisation and understanding that competition is increasing both locally and globally.

I love the idea of creating a 'summer jobs programme' that creates opportunities, experience and income for young people. Something that goes further than the current NCS programme operating in the UK.

It is true for the Y here as well back in the UK that the "YMCA is well known, but not known well".

Touch Down Canada

We finally arrived into Pearson airport in Toronto Canada at 15.40 local time and made our way to the Hotel that will become home for the next four days in Downtown Toronto.

Thirteen souls who choose to work for the oldest and largest young people’s organisation in the world. There is an incredible diversity in the roles participants perform in their professional positions within the organisation. Even with this variation we have one goal, to see the life chances and opportunities of young people in England transferred in local communities to enable each to have a sense of belonging, to be able to contribute and to thrive.

We have travelled to Canada to meet with YMCA colleagues and others to discover what the YMCA is doing in communities across Canada, and in particular across Toronto and Montreal. You see, this Movement, the YMCA, operates in 120 countries worldwide, reaching some 58 million people, isn’t that an incredible statistic? One of the unique things about the YMCA is that we will tailor our services and support to best respond to the needs of people in communities, regardless of their context or location. I hope during the next few days you will get a glimpse into the thoughts and learning of the participants of this Discovery visit.

Last evening, we were warmly welcomed by the President and CEO of YMCA Canada. Today we expect to hear about the strategic work of YMCA Canada and to meet some of the passionate people who have committed to contributing to building a Canada where, in our words would say, all people have the opportunity to belong, contribute and thrive. 

first thoughts, first blog, first time in Canada...

Well this is my first ever blog and my first time in Canada so here goes. The flight and subsequent taxi journey here were smooth and easy (once  we had worked out how many people and luggage can get in various sizes of taxi...think GCSE maths problem solving and you will get the general idea!)

Last night we were taken out to dinner by Scott the President / CEO of YMCA Canada - he is such an engaging, passionate ambassador for the YMCA that even in our slightly jet lagged state we were all entertained, informed and engaged.

Today we have meetings, visits and tours lined up and I am really looking forward to seeing how the YMCA in Canada is the same as in England and how it is different. I am also looking forward to seeing more of Toronto and getting to know the rest of the delegation better.

And we're off.....

The morning has arrived for the YMCA England Discovery visit to Canada. 

The trip over the Atlantic will, i know, take in more than; geese, a Canadian general election, cold weather, pancakes, moose's, friendly people and Justin Bieber!

The learning i hope to take in from our Canadian friends and colleagues will be exceptional if the itinerary they have produced is anything to go by.

So, as i wait for my Toronto bound flight in Terminal 5 at Heathrow (why do they always use the word 'terminal' at an airport?!), i reflect on my loved ones i leave behind and the tropical North East weather but I am anticipating an inspiring, rewarding, fun, tiring and action packed trip where new learning's will happen and new friends made.

Interesting Canadian Election
As the English delegation fly into Toronto, I notice there's a national election taking place! Apparently a close fought battle between the incumbent Conservatives and the Liberals. I wonder what this will mean for the young people of Canada. Hope to learn more.

Destination Canada

As I write I am checking through the arrangements for YMCA England's second Discovery Visit. Discovery Visits are a programme that seeks to link aspects of our Leadership Strategy with the fact that we are the oldest and largest Youth organisation on the planet.

The Discovery Visits are an opportunity for a group of CEOs and strategic leaders from YMCAs across England the chance to travel to a different part of the world and to discover what the YMCA is doing in that location. Our first visit was in October 2014 to South India, on 18th October 2015 a group of 13 people will travel to Canada to discover what the YMCA is doing there and how they deliver services across Toronto and Montreal.

During the visits participants are encouraged to reflect in real time on what they are learning and to use this blog as a tool to help in that reflection. A couple of the group have posted in the preparations for the visit and I trust you will enjoy the posts from others during the coming week.

Watch out Canucks, the Brits are coming!

Really looking forward to visiting YMCAs Toronto and Montreal. Just 2 sleeps until the English contingent fly out of Heathrow. It will be so good to step out of the intense routine, take some lung-fulls of Canadian air, and experience a variant of the YMCA spirit.

My particular interest is to see how the Christian Ethos has migrated and evolved over 170 years. I expect it will be expressed in as diverse a way as in England, but perhaps there'll be a Canadian distinctiveness?  I know the hospitality will be great and hope the pancakes and syrup doesn't totally wreck my recent 1 stone weight loss!

Pre Maple Syrup Tour

I am about to embark on the YMCA England Discovery visit to Canada and the Canadian YMCA and i need to test out this 'blog' thingy...I thought Mac books were meant to do it all for you but apparently not! 

Anyway, 2 days until we fly (that's me and a good number of others from YMCA's around England) - case packed; check. Money sorted; check (thank you Canada for currently having a weak economy). Passport, tickets and other important stuff sorted; check. Mobile phone sorted; check (no thank you this time to O2 for being so excessive with extortionate charges). Book packed; check. Work done and desk cleared; sort of check!!!!

The programme looks packed but enticing - hoping for a break at the end to recover from long days but as we all know, i cant complain and why would i?
As James Faust once wrote: -

A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of humility. It is a foundation for the development of such virtues as prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being.

Thanks for the opportunity YMCA England & YMCA North Tyneside, now where is that laptop charger........

Leadership Program, Romania

The beginning of a 11 day leadership training in Romania has begun and so with 11 countries including England we begin to open our eyes to ways we can present leadership to other people back home and to make new friends and have new experience's upon the way wish us luck

Ocean dream global gathering

OCEAN DREAM

15O change Agents over 60 countries I ‘m one of lucky ones in 6 resenting my National YMCA England and my Local YMCA Thames Gateway. First day was great atmosphere all Change Agents introduce them self’s.  We did few games from our countries great fun.

We were divided in three of groups. Group A is the small group which was to recap on the topics we learnt and present our ideas. We had have meeting with everyone in our group. We had roles in our group e.g. time keeper, someone taking notes and Facilitator and rotate the roles so everyone had a turn for each role. Group B we have to get involved with activities. My group was the Morning Show 2. Morning Show 2 we had to recap the day before we have learnt also entertains everyone in the morning for e.g. quiz or games.

Before we lefted for Japan everyone on the was invited for the Peace Boat orientation. One of the Change Agents Maria gave a speech about youth empowerment “I want to start by asking you: Why are we here? Why are we part of the YMCA CA program? Why is it important to empower young people?”

We had to attend all nations’ party. All change agents had to wear something traditional from their country. To be honest couldn’t think I could wear from England I choose to wear a normal suit . but was great good music very interesting outfits

The topics we covered before the Philippines were untold story of youth injustice our community based on what young are not allowed to do in community or country. We look at Facilitation, how to facilitate in a group and what is difference between Facilitation and presentation. Strategic planning which was very important topic because it good method structure your goals for long period not just YMCA use this a lot for future projects e.g. Values, purpose, situation, strategies, goals and perception. We talked about Advocacy which included Health, Civic engagement, Environment and Employment.

Employment is probably one of most common global issue. The global economy will need to create more than 600 million productive jobs over the next decade. We took part on leadership exercises. We were puts groups and talk about leadership. We looked at motivations quotes about leadership.

Other topic we looked at was communication. What the best ways of communication for e.g. blogs Skype and social network. The keys things we had to discuss were, how to present yourself as a CA, how to engage people with ideas, how to influence people. We did Personal planning for our future what do we what achieve and skills do need to work on.

Philippines Experience

Group Challenge this group was for the university in the Philippines to talk the Injustices in our country and there’s. We talk about we do as YMCA movement, the Change agent model – SPACE-TRANSMATION- IMPACT.  We visit to a university in Cebu between  15- 30 years year old students.

University was amazing experience never been a place where people so happy to see you. On a  personal level made me change person looking at life in different prospective , appreciate what got in life , how lucky I am be in this position. Also taught me even giving little bit can make huge impact someone life. Read about poverty and seeing on the news to actually have it right front of your face did make me express my emotions which I really known not to do and i known that hush reality as people have accepted we don’t live in a perfect world. I am going work a lot hard to give back .

After that we went to culture festival where some of our Change Agents perform a dance routine from their countries front of the university students. We stay at local YMCA for night next morning I took feeding the homeless.it was great experience seeing them happy faces. My group visited a rehabilitation centre. I find very interesting because in my job I work with special needs. The technology very advanced I walked in to a class where visual impaired people taking exam by using machine also taught how give a massage. Philippines is amazing country and I have a lot respect for Philippines people because doesn’t matter how bad they situation is they such kind people.

The remaining days we look at Risk assessments, Fundraising, the overall Project, Power space and One million voices. I was selected to be interview for one million voices. We attend musical show on the peace boat.  myself other changes agents took part in. We perform a dance based we do a YMCA movement to Japaneses. 

 

My reflection

I believe better understand culture differences learn how different YMCA work. My goals changed if you asked me a year ago where I want to be next to 5 or 10 years couldn’t give you an answer now  could say maybe CEO or taking part helping the next generation of young people in a movement. I have decide get more involved with young people doing youth work. I am becoming more confident in myself taking leadership role. I am detriment work as hard I can to be successful change agent hopefully by working with other England change agents and other internationals. 

There was quote I heard made me really think about the change agent program “if you want to travel fast then travel alone. If you want to further then travel together” simple quote but had a lot of meaning.