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...
Some great observations Andrea, I suspehank you.
ReplyDeleteHI Andrea. Your post reminded me that I've been told that often the first question in our induction courses is about the YMCA's international work -- new staff have heard about our global connections and want to learn more about our work in this area. So we get to talk about not just our Canadian international partnerships and global education initiatives, but also about the great work being done by other movements around the world, like YMCA England, for example.
ReplyDeleteMary Anne
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete