19th YMCA World Council 2018

Blog written by Emma Osmundsen. Trustee YMCA England & Wales

It may be hot, it may be humid but as we gather as a YMCA family, it feels like paradise.

A kaleidoscopic of nations rejoined this morning for day 2 of the 19th YMCA World Conference. In anticipation of another busy day, I invested some small local currency to release a small basket of finches - for luck ....apparently!

Releasing the finches for me was not luck, it was enabling the finches freedom. 

Today’s theme is ENABLED FOR GOOD and the mornings devotions set the tone. The reading from 1 Timothy 4: 4-5, 7-12 recalled St Paul encouraging young Timothy to be an example, to be a leader that others emulate, and that his youth should be no barrier. Paul’s advice is to prepare yourself, be enabled, so that you can serve others. When we allow our skills, our abilities to be used by God ..... Paul says, we can do all things, through Christ at work within us.

The programme today has been packed, powerful and poignant, and that is before the evening’s entertainment starts! It has also been hard work as the morning was largely spent in working groups, discussing and debating the issues affecting young people across the globe. Sharing a working space with colleagues from every corner of the globe adds a degree of depth and experience unimaginable. From youth injustice in Zambia, unemployment in Japan, poverty and lack of education in Bangladesh, and poor self-esteem and youth mental health challenges in Germany, Denmark, Australia and the UK. Sadly many of the themes were uniform to all YMCA nations but the working group provided the space to share experiences, highlight opportunities for joint working and no doubt as the week progresses enable us to shape a common approach to dealing with some of these challenges for our young people. 

The challenges facing young people were reflected in the early afternoon’s presentation by Prof Marek Rymsza on the follow up research he has been conducting for the YMCA movement on ‘One Million Voices’ 2. This is follow up research on the original One Million Voices research conducted across 55 countries culminating in the largest survey of young people ever. Marek shared with us some of his preliminary findings highlighting 4 areas of concern for young people; employment, health, human rights and environment. Of particular interest was the recognition that young people identified 3 aspects of health: physical, psychological and spiritual and that they sought a balance of each. With regard to mental health, young people identified 5 main reasons for mental illness and disorder:

1. Stress

2. Internet and social media

3. Loneliness

4. Addictions to psychoactive substances

5. Unsafe living conditions

The conference stage welcomed Nyarrsdzayi Gumbonzvanda, a Human Rights Lawyer and former YWCA member for an inspirational speech on youth empowerment and active citizenship. She challenged us all to SPEAK UP! And SPEAK OUT! To go beyond the status quo,to deliver a clear and transformational agenda; to lead with impact; to harness the power of the rootedness of the YMCA movement and it’s legacy of never giving up and to further the evidence base for this work with more research and liberation of technology. 

The afternoon concluded with a Council Business Meeting featuring acceptance of the Safe Space Learning Report, the YMCA’s 2018-2022 Strategy and rememberance of former YMCA stalwarts including John Casey, Desta Girma, KM Philip, Erika Tysoe Duelken and  Phil Denison.

The day has certainly lived up to it’s theme, enabling for good, there is certainly lots to do but somehow being part of a global Christian movement gives you the sense that anything is possible.

Here’s to another evening of busy conference activity - I think the Harlem Globetrotters are in town!