My name is Gillian Sewell, CEO YMCA Derbyshire, Yesterday I embarked on my shared journey as a YMCA leader who has been given the privilege of going to Australia on a YMCA discovery visit.
As normal with the YMCA a group of individuals came together already as friends, why because we are YMCA. You never meet strangers in the YMCA you meet a friend you don't yet know!
Over dinner the group consisting of one English, two scots, two Welsh and our wonderful Irish man who was in the hotel (there's a joke there somewher as we did go into a bar!), Came together for a meal.
Again with the YMCA especially when it's with fellow YMCA leaders who have the ability to be opinionated, discussions started to take place around our view of the YMCA. During this debate I realised something fundamental, in the YMCA we love a good debate because there is an unspoken, unwritten ground rule enabling us to feel safe and be free to debate; mutual respect!
We don't have to agree with each other, we don't even have to like what is being said but we always, always respect the other.
Having met my fellow travellers I awaken this morning thoroughly looking forward to spending time with my YMCA friends and look forward to meeting our Australian YMCA cousins after the dreaded 24 hour flight! Good bye Blighty hello Australia.
Gillian
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