My Story of the Global Gathering of World YMCA Change Agents

I should've mic dropped - next time.

150 plus young leaders, proudly representing 49 different countries from the regions of Europe, Africa, Middle East, Australia and Asia. So many personalities and values but we all share the same common love and common goal – the YMCA and empowering young people, we are ONE MOVEMENT. 

Our time in Portugal lasted 10 days in total, but those 10 days went by too fast, well I say 10 days, my time was extended to 13 days but more about that later oh, and the culture night that will come later too. The days involved stories, experiences, culture, sessions and interactive workshops. On Day 2, I myself presented a workshop on the theme of Young People and Civic Engagement which aligns with one of World YMCAs key areas of advocacy along with Health, Employment and Environment. 

I arrived in Lisbon a day earlier and took in some sights with another Change Agent from Czech Republic. The next day we travelled to our hosts in Setubal. YMCA Camp Alambre, a beautiful fit-for-purpose camp that was surrounded by the naturally beautiful Portuguese scenery and local vineyards that have produced award winning wines – what more would I need.

The Camp at YMCA Alambre

It was so uplifting to see familiar faces from previous Change Agent training in France, but more importantly the excitement of meeting and making new friends and networks was even more enriching. We were seen to our rooms and through prior information, I knew I was to share a bungalow with 5 other Change Agents from England. However, what some of us didn’t know is that they were to practice for the BBC Proms every night and on Day 2 they were dubbed by Joe as ‘the Sn-Orchestra’ - which still makes me giggle. Nevertheless, it was great to share a bungalow with some of the funniest people I have ever met. 

Arrivals

After the formal opening ceremonies and greetings, we dived straight into sessions around YMCA Research, the expectations of the gathering in addition to looking ahead to Word Council in Chaing Mai next year. 

Opening statements from Johan Eltvik, Secretary General, World YMCA

Environmental Immersions and Social Action was the main theme on the Monday. We were split up into different groups and split up around Setubal. As a total, we gave 19 days of volunteering and took part in cleaning up areas in the national park, renovation of Santa Margarita Chapel, restoration of the “Patience Fountain”, recuperation of a hiking pathway and where I was stationed, the rehabilitation of the oceanographic museum. 

Alli - Painting in Setubal

After our volunteering, we had free-time, and what a way to spend it, on the luscious golden beaches of the Setubal region. The heat of the sun was melting, but if you were crazy enough you could easily cool down in the water which was at an estimate around -50 degrees – Baltic.

Thanks to Igor; my face tells the picture of the freezing waters

Health and Employment was the focus of the next day, which took us into some of the social injustices that face young people today. Employment issues that were risen from the previous day steered us nicely into the topic of the next day where we would visit the Portuguese Parliament and meet with MPs of the Portuguese Government. Just like domestic politicians they evaded most of the questions but it was still an experience I will never forget, especially being given the honour to ask my groups question to the parliamentarians.

Portuguese Parliament

Question Time

Thursday was all about the 19th World Council which is held next year – it will also be the graduation of our Change Agent cohort. We also looked at the roles most of us may play next year from facilitating more sessions and workshops, being able to play a part in the opening ceremony and much, much more. I can easily say I am already looking forward to World Council.

Friday and Saturday was the backdrop for Youth Empowerment, we visited the region of Cascais, specifically Estoril. The region is to become the European Capital of Youth In 2018 – Stoke’s turn soon, maybe? The last full day began with more sessions being led around youth empowerment. In the evening, we were treated to locally produced sustainable food that was cooked and presented to us by the different YMCAs from the Setubal region. 

Cascais

The cultural night is by far one of the highlights for me. Every time I have been on international gatherings they never fail to amaze me. This cultural night was the best yet in my opinion. Like I said at the start of this blog, we were representing 49 countries, 49 cultures of food, dress, drink and 49 arts of music and dance. The different foods that burst the palette of your tongue into joy, the drinks we sampled – some you needed to be courageous to even smell never mind taste.

The night started with a fashion show that featured different countries traditional clothes, most countries paraded down the red carpet, Cambodia, Japan, Cameroon, Malaysia and Ghana just to name a few. We were also graced with the presence of Hotu who hails from Easter Island – he showed us a traditional war dance of the Rapa Nui people. It was so captivating to learn the history of his home. Near the latter part of the night we all engaged in something that is turning to be a tradition from Team England, we got everyone in a circle and brought the Hokey Cokey to the people once again and this time it was bigger, better and more chaotic than ever before. 

Hotu (middle) - Easter Island/Rapa Nui

By now we have all reached home with the learnings and stories we’ve all shared, new friends and new connections that spread across the globe. We are better prepared now more than ever to empower young people within our respected communities. ‘Be The Change’ a term we all know, use and all endeavour to be.

Portugal it has been a pleasure, special thanks to YMCA Alambre Camp for the hospitality, the smiles, the music, the coffees and your service. Also, special appreciations to the staff and volunteers of World YMCA for their knowledge and challenging work over the weeks and months; Romulo, Adi, Karina, Sharnelle, Maricris, Jose, Andrew and Johan, you guys are inspiration to us all.

There are no goodbyes in YMCA – only “see you again soon”. Thailand is our next gathering but the work and the CHANGE has already begun.

Look how close i got to the cancelled plane :(

P.S I mentioned 13 days instead of 10. My flight got cancelled, the reason, oh and what a reason it was, it beggars belief. RyanAir couldn’t locate the Pilot – seriously.

Change Agent……. over and out.

Change Agent Global Gathering, Portugal

We’re just over halfway through the YMCA Change Agent’s Global Gathering at YMCA Setúbal, in Portugal. There are 149 young leaders from YMCAs representing 49 countries.

While I have been reconnecting with those I met at our regional training in Avignon (read my post about this), I have been discovering new stories about the people around me and hearing from those around me about the impact, challenges, and work of the largest youth movement in the world.

Outside the Portuguese Parliament in Lisbon

We have participated in workshops delivered by World YMCA, YMCA Europe, the Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs alongside a programme of workshops and sessions led by Change Agents working and volunteering at YMCAs around the globe.

What has really stood out for me is despite the vast differences in what our different cultures would traditionally find acceptable and familiar, and the potential for barriers in communication that this presents, there is an overwhelming amount of understanding and respect that is unifying us.

A contemplative moment

The other night after dinner YMCA Setúbal arranged live music for us, and while I started writing this blog, I looked across the outdoor area and noticed that regardless of our backgrounds  people were dancing together, cheering, laughing, sharing their experiences and stories as if we had all been working together for years.

We also spent time in different parts of the region undertaking activities supporting the local environment, clearing invasive vines, improving community spaces and historical monuments, in the heat of the Portuguese sun it was hard graft but impressively in three hours - as a collective – 19 days was given back to the local community.

Social impact volunteering in the local community to benefit the environment.

Since we arrived, Johan Vilhelm Eltvik, Secretary General of the World Alliance of YMCAs, has spoken to us about YMCA’s journey and the untold story of injustice towards young people and the Portuguese Government’s Secretary of State and Minister for Youth and Sports welcomed us to the country. We’ve attended workshops on everything from how YMCA India engages young people in Global Citizenship; YMCA’s 2018 World Challenge; YMCA Norway's Stop Poverty campaign; YMCA Victoria’s Bridge Project in Australia, working with young offenders to support them into employment and much more besides.

Alongside this, the seven English Change Agents have also been presenting on Civic Engagement, our mental health campaign #IAMWHOLE and sharing information about our work in Birmingham, Derbyshire and Sutton Coldfield.

English, Scottish, Swiss and Greek Change Agents in Lisbon.

Karina from YMCA Fairthorne Group, who trained as a Change Agent in the previous cohort, has been supporting the facilitation and getting up just that little bit earlier than most to make sure people start the day the healthy way!

Today we visited the Portuguese Parliament, in Lisbon, welcomed by politicians from all the political parties. They hosted a panel presentation, where Change Agents put questions to them on how they are empowering young people, and what more can they do.

Cultural evening and party

While we are not yet finished I want to extend warm thanks to the staff and volunteers at YMCA Portugal, and especially YMCA Setúbal (notably Antonio and Tiago). Also to my colleagues and friends from around the world who have made this experience of discovery and learning so far such a poignant one. Over and out, more to follow once I return home.

The life of a World YMCA Change Agent Trainee

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.  

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.

Welcome message from YMCA France and YMCA Avignon

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).

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. 

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. 

Some story sharing after dinner with Jonas (Czech Rep), Emma (Greece), Chloe (Sweden), Mike (England), Yauheniya (Belarus) and myself 

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. 

 

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:

Facebook - Jerahl Django Hall Twitter - @JerahlHall  Instagram - @Jerahl92

You can also follow my local YMCA (YMCA North Staffordshire) 

Facebook - @ymca.northstaffordshire  Twitter - @ymcans Instagram - @ymcans

Thanks for reading, have a great day! Jerahl

My first YMCA Change Agent experience

It's quite difficult to find appropriate words to articulate my experiences from Avignon, France; however as a Communications Officer for YMCA England & Wales, I will try my best. As many a blog on this website will tell you, and for some reading this, a YMCA international experience is incredibly powerful – especially your first - and something you will never forget.

Joining up with trainee Change Agents and YMCA France volunteers to explore the city of Avignon.

In unfamiliar territories, with people who are often strangers, from vast cultural backgrounds and far removed from the realms of our comfort zones – one unifying theme becomes apparent quite imminently: a will to empower young people.

These last few days marked the start of a two year journey to become a YMCA Change Agent, and I’m feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information there is to digest and process as I return home.

Change Agent trainees Tom Truman, YMCA Birmingham and Jerahl Hall, YMCA North Staffordshire in the garden at YMCA Avi

Joining me were young colleagues from our national office, YMCAs across England, volunteers and staff from across Europe, Kosovo, Palestine and Russia. In total 22 nations were represented.

As a global leadership programme for young people we covered many subject areas that would enable us to develop, plan and deliver new projects to reach more young people in our communities, YMCAs and countries.

Discussing politics in our respective countries and the impact it has on young people.

This wasn't just a series of PowerPoints and lectures though, as the schedule was full of self-facilitation, delivery by inspiring participants and graduate Change Agents, management of our own learning, and through conversations that would start in the scheduled agenda and often end up continuing until all hours of the night.

However, I believe one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal as agents of change is the art of storytelling. Our first full day began with two hours on the subject. To both share our stories and with space to contemplate how we develop an emotional connection to them - that in turn can, and does, drive change.

Dren, from YMCA Kosovo, and myself.

And so I listened to the stories of what motivates those around me, who and what inspires them and their personal experiences of being a young person in their countries. I learned of political oppression and dictatorships, of fear to speak out, triumph over adversity, of those individuals who we have loved and lost that drives us forward every day.

These anecdotes continued into every aspect of the training, and I'm sure will continue for a long time to come. Stories that truly humbled me, and at times left me shocked, but helped me to develop a much deeper understanding of the diversity and differences in our world.

Change Agents and YMCA France volunteers together

I look forward to new-found friendships growing in the coming months as we now look ahead to our global gathering in Portugal where our Africa, Asia and Pacific counterparts will also join us.

I will return to our National Council offices with pages of notes, a renewed sense of vigour and motivation, ideas for collaboration with new friends by my side, and confident in YMCA’s global potential to be a movement for immeasurable societal change.

Cedric, YMCA France, supported by Adi, World YMCA, to 'Surf the Change' in an exercise of trust led by Change Agents and volunteers from YMCA France.

Be the change.

Communicate the vision.

Inspire impact.

If you want to read stories of young people working with YMCA in England and Wales, head to our website. Discover more about World YMCA’s Change Agents programme. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

YMCA Youth Ambassador posts from Bulgaria

I'm in Varna, Bulgaria as the official delegate for YMCA Europe to the European Youth Forum along with Ana Sofia Abreu from YMCA Portugal. We are tasked with representing the position of YMCA as a full member of the YFJ with voting rights. We will engage in the amendment of the YFJ strategy and work plan, vote on new members and a new board for 2017-19. We will also have opportunities to gain more insight around the work of YFJ and other member organisation through workshops on migration, youth rights, youth advocacy and much more.

This was the view from my morning jog after a very long first day at the European Youth Forum (YFJ) General Assembly in Varna, Bulgaria. This is the only glimpse of the outside world I will most likely see so I'll savour it.

Our journey here was slightly tricky but we made the most of it, even allowing Ana to have the quickest tour London at midnight on our way from Heathrow to Luton. I was unsure about the scale of the Forum but once we arrived it became clear the importance and responsibility that we had be trusted with. After settling in the hotel, we were taken to a large venue in Varna where we received a keynote speech from an executive in the UNFPA on our part in delivering the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. Very inspirational is an understatement.

Already overwhelmed, we were then lead to a “room” where 2000 people were waiting for us and received an almost Olympics style welcome. We were honorary  guests to the selection of the next Youth Capital, a prestigious award for a city working to empower young people. What then transpired was incredible (see images!). Performance after performance, with each one surpassing the last.

The next day marked the beginning of official  proceedings. Ana and I, being the newbies, were apprehensive to say the least but we have had amazing support from the many other youth organisations like the Scouts and Girl guides and of course Ilenia, Heidi and Tinna from YMCA Europe.We got our head around the online system, voted, listen, fought for our amendments and made some new friends. We watched a debate from all the candidates for the Presidency, Vice presidency and Board members. There is strong political machine at work and I hope we come out of it unscathed. We are make YMCA proud and represent them well and have already managed to get some amendments accepted after some gruelling debates and look forward to more. The day ended at 11pm and a cold Bulgaria beer in true YMCA fashion. We are thoroughly enjoying the experience and grateful for the opportunity to represent YMCAs across Europe to empower young people.

Bring on Day 2!

An Englishman Abroad

I was really nervous as he entered the venue and was focussing on how to bow, shake hands and say the required protocol. We chatted briefly about youth work, our partnership with YMCA England, opening the first NGO shop in Kosovo and he stated 'what would we do without the YMCA?'

 

 My experience meeting The Prince of Wales was over before I had time to really appreciate the magnitude of such a meeting. As I travelled back to my house that day in Gjakova... Kosovo, I reflected on what had been an incredible 12-year journey with the YMCA that had brought me to this very point. For those of you wondering who I am my name is Adi Davies and I am an Englishman from Bolton, who lives in Kosovo and works for the World YMCA in Switzerland. This is my story.

When I first walked into my hometown YMCA it had that air of former greatness and looked like an organisation that had stood still in time as the world changed around it. I sat on a broken sofa in a room with a different colour painted on each wall and the interviews were running 30 minutes behind schedule, a thought crossed my mind ‘should I just leave?’. 

6 years later my role had increased from that first 4 hours a week contract, I was now a full time youth worker and leading many initiatives, volunteers and staff. Throughout the years I had also worked in many different departments to try and increase my earnings, this had seen me work in administration, cleaning, charity shops, children’s work and building management but my passion was for youth work. I was very proud of the team and the work we had delivered at Bolton YMCA this had included forming a Youth Council, work with the skating community, a thriving youth café, Y Care projects and developing young trustees. 

 A chance meeting at the English national conference meant that I found myself next to Ken Montgomery, suddenly the best kept secret in the YMCA was out of the bag. There was this whole other international side of things, down at the local level we had maybe done a movement induction course but none of this seemed real or even a possibility. Like so many others my own YMCA experience had started and ended with the four walls of my local YMCA. Next started a chain of events nobody would have imagined. 

Internationally doors started opening not only for me but for other participants at Bolton. I soon found myself involved in YMCA Europe’s peace institute, I had a place on YMCA England’s International leadership program, I was attending the European and national Assemblies where I then found myself on YMCA Europe’s nomination committee. An incredible few years and I made many dear friends but because my personal network and universe was expanding, something was wrong at the local level. Differences of opinion on what I believed I could do and what the management believed were different and this led to one of the hardest decisions in my life, to leave my hometown YMCA which I did in December 2012 but not before I claimed YMCA England’s Youth Worker of the year award.

As I headed to Kosovo I had zero idea about the challenges and struggles that lay ahead. The movement had imploded due to the size it had grown to so quickly after the war and this itself brought new challenges for a young leadership team of under 30, it was almost as if the reset button had just been hit as I arrived. I volunteered where needed as the team built and 3 years later the movement here is strong and has just been accepted as a full members of YMCA Europe. Some great moments for me have been the opening of the first NGO shop in Kosovo, national aid projects, running national youth programs in 3 cities, young leaders travelling across the world and a partnership with Ys Men Denmark that will see the first summer camp built in Kosovo in 2018.

The lessons I have learnt in Kosovo have been vital, working in a different language and culture can be challenging but I still maintain young people are young people wherever they are in the world. I can still be found down at the YMCA centre in my town some weekends and evenings volunteering. In the last year I have had to take a step back due to other responsibilities but the future is very bright for this movement.

I was very fortunate to have been involved in YMCA Europe’s Roots for Reconciliation project, I instantly fell in love with the participants, the unifying fact that all these guys were from the YMCA and were all looking forward instead of backwards was an inspiration. I have witnessed in recent times young people from both sides of conflict come together, become good friends and look forward together despite difficult circumstances. The highlight of this work was when the Balkans tandem brought together all the Balkan YMCAs in Kosovo for an incredible event. Being part of this group and at times leading processes like the Council of Europe application were again huge stepping stones for me and this work and project will always have a special place in my heart. I often feel my role within European peace work is on hold but not finished. 

Around a year and a half ago I was informed about a position at the World YMCA. I poured my heart and soul into the job application as I figured working for the World Alliance is kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity. Then in January 2015 I started work on the programmes team, this meant Change Agents, Environment work, Programme innovations and once again new challenges for me. Until this point in my YMCA career I had conversations around working with 10’s even 100’s of people now I am sat in Geneva talking about how we reach millions more young people worldwide. Some days I can be waiting for different parts of the world to wake up so we can communicate and quite often I find myself bouncing around the world speaking with participants and leaders in every continent from the USA to Africa, from Peru to Hong Kong, from Ireland to Australia.

 I have never been someone who enjoyed camping and performing arts but recently I can be found at Scout meetings, sailing around oceans, leading the singing at camp fires, dancing or tensing, hiking around Switzerland countryside and skiing backwards down the Alps… all thanks to the YMCA and all in the name of youth empowerment!

As you can imagine the story is more detailed and much longer but through every stage of my YMCA journey I have met incredible people and made some of the best friends I have. I hope I have helped and inspired a few people along the way and nowadays my passion is training and developing young leaders and bringing opportunities to others. I said to a very dear friend the other day..

“I came to Kosovo and helped build a movement, I just shook hands with the Prince and I work for the World YMCA… not bad for a lad from Bolton’

Some of my very best friends i have met through the YMCA