Engaging
with YMCA on an international capacity always captivates me. I find the mixing
of shared values and diverse cultures incredibly powerful, to the extent where
I become extremely proud and honored to be involved in such a movement. A
movement which while 173 years old, is still as significant as the day it was
founded in 1844. Avignon, in France, was the setting for a group of European
Change Agents to train as global leaders to be the change, communicate the
vision and inspire action, so that the next 173 years of YMCA is just as
momentous.
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| Palais de Papes, Avignon |
The time came
for me to venture from YMCA North Staffordshire, in Stoke-on Trent. France was
the destination for the start of our two-year journey, a journey which will see
my fellow Change Agents and I from across Europe, and the world, embark on a
shared mission to create change, and spread the positive messages that
surrounds YMCA’s movement.
For the first
couple of hours I was making new friends, in total there were 50 young leaders
from 22 countries including Kosovo,
Armenia, Syria and Palestine to name a few. It is so powerful to share
stories, significant past moments, moments that have moulded us as people and our
YMCAs. We were all welcomed pleasantly by YMCA Avignon and YMCA
France, we all enjoyed their hospitality, and the interactions with the
volunteers of YMCA France.
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| Welcome message from YMCA France and YMCA Avignon |
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| A session and reflection led by Romulo (World YMCA) |
The Change Agent programme is organised by World YMCA. It
was introduced in 2012 and is a Youth Empowerment Leadership programme. I am
one of hundreds of Change Agents in the 2017-18 cohort. This event in Avignon wasn’t just a big meet
and greet, its purpose was to share knowledge of our practices in the countries
we represented. We worked in group sessions on issues such as political
injustices, global
issues (Health, Youth Employment,
Civic Engagement, YMCA global governance, our identity as a movement,
leadership and strategy planning. Some sessions were led by World YMCA’s Romulo
and Adi as well as other leaders in Cedric (YMCA France), Sofia who is a World
YMCA Change Agent graduate and fellow YMCA Youth
Ambassador, Gerald (YMCA Europe).
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| Sofia, leading a session on Day 2 |
The days
were long, we started early and finished late but the passion and information
sharing meant that time was well devoted.
Even after the official programme was over for the day, conversations and
stories ran further into the night. The diversity that runs through YMCA is truly immense. The cultural
evening also proves this, this is where we have a chance to engage in songs and
dances from across Europe, as we did at another event last year. England’s
contribution was a good ol’ hokey cokey, which judging by participation and the
smiles on people’s faces, it went down well.
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| One of the many traditional dances from the Culture Night |
I return to
YMCA North Staffordshire with pride, inspiration and hope for the future. I
look back through my book that is bursting with notes, ideas, concepts and
thoughts. I can sit here reflecting and easily recognise I have developed as a
person in less than a week. I know that I can say, evidenced by what I saw and heard
that we as a group of leaders can be the change not only around Europe but
around the world.
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| Some story sharing after dinner with Jonas (Czech Rep), Emma (Greece), Chloe (Sweden), Mike (England), Yauheniya (Belarus) and myself |
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| Out and about around Avignon with volunteers from YMCA France |
In Avignon,
we were just one group of Change Agents, we are joined by fellow Change Agents from
around the world (Asia, Africa, Pacific, Latin, South and North America) and I
can’t wait to meet these fellow colleagues September 2017 in Portugal.
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| The whole team in Avignon. World YMCA Change Agent trainees and YMCA France volunteers |
P.S Always double
check your train journey, so when you board a train anywhere or in my case Marseille,
you make sure you don’t end up 214km away and again as in my case in Valence -
the complete opposite direction. Four Change Agents leading by example. #BeTheChange
😊
You can keep up to date with my progress by following me on:
You can also follow my local YMCA (YMCA North Staffordshire)
Thanks for reading, have a great day! Jerahl
Great Blog Jerahl, you have a good way of communicating your experiences. Lovin the thought that four of you got each other lost. Looking forward to watching your progress.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog mate, and loved getting to hear more about what you do, YMCA NS, and your plans.
ReplyDelete