Peace

Hi, this is Rachel in Strasbourg at the third and final session of the Peace Work Institute. A programme ran by YMCA Europe Roots for Reconciliation programme. So we are coming to the end of the first full day, we, the planning team, have welcomed participants from 14 countries, launched the session into full swing and started to get down to work. I arrived on Saturday and while the participants were arriving on Sunday, the planning team were busy making the final preparations to the programme. I think I speak for all of us, Dorina, Vardan, Rezi, Marius, Ankica and Ivana, were all really excited about the programme. It has been a long time planning with meetings in Prague (August, yes, at the festival) and Strasbourg (in September) with Skype meetings between now and September. But we are now here, and so are the participants so it is time to start reaping the rewards of all the work and, hopefully, have a successful session.

Today has gone to plan. We have had a lot of fun, interactive learning with a lot of laughter coming from the room! There is a point to the fun stuff, I promise. With later in the week some emotive conversations needed, it was felt that we needed to bring the group together...what better way to do it than with laughter hey? Plenty of fun and games with lots of different team games, introduction to the Council of Europe through a quiz followed by a self reflection exercise to share why we are here, why we do what we do, why we do peace work with others in our group. This self reflection was done with an exercise called River of Life, where the participants and facilitators will reflect on their life and identify the key points in their life that motivate them to do the work we are doing here; peace! It was powerful stuff, the energy in the room was, almost, electric. There was so much emotion put into the session that you could feel it in the air surrounding everyone.

As I sit in the European Centre of Youth surrounded by participants, no, friends, talking, having a drink while other participants are off enjoying the city. I wait for 8pm to come so that I can have a skype meeting about the GLYN conference in January. It is a pleasure to be surrounded by so many like minded people, to feel at home in a country where none of us are from, to feel happy, to be at peace.

Spirit of Transformation

Hello Kim here in Gdynia & Gdansk's historic ports where east conclusively forged the way to meet west.
Light snow is crunching under foot but we have all arrived safely....
Gdansk was the birthplace of the Solidarity movement which, played a major role in bringing an end to Communist rule across Central Europe.

During this seminar we will be focusing on Global Awareness and Civic Engagement, look at the theory of change and social transformation.

We will be learning from Gdansk's shipwrights, who in 1981 barricaded themselves in & striked against communist rule, how this small action of social transformation started the wheels in movement to change the culturally the face of world globally at that time. So following in these shipwrights footsteps... we are looking this week to bring the ripples of the spirit of transformation back to our YMCAs, that will cause waves for change globally.

Building up to the Gdynia YES Seminar

Post by Chris Richards. 
ILP member, YMCA Wales trustee, Newport YMCA board member and YES member.

For my first involvement with the YES group, I am currently in Gdynia, northern Poland. It is not as cold as you would imagine, and the jokes that were shared about bringing swimming attire (the hotel is very close to the sea) may not seem to be as dumbfounded as first described. Still, I think I will pass.

We are meeting to discuss youth empowerment for social transformation. This is of high interest to me, as I deal with an extensive array of young individuals who are currently facing tough times, and are desperate to get out of a recurring circle of drugs, crime, jail and poverty that they live every day, looked down on and having no light at the end of the tunnel – no opportunities. I have a number of instances and questions I would like to put to the participants here in Gdynia, and hopefully through sharing experiences I will return to Wales with both focus and knowledge on how socially excluded young people can rebuild and look to the future.

Not only do I find these seminars knowledgeable and insightful with so many great young people, it really does give me that extra passion and drive to make an impact – no matter how big or small – for my people when I return home. I will keep you updated.

I haven't had chance to take a lot of photographs, but this is one after dinner on the eve of the seminar. 

Blog Stastics

Just been reviewing the stastics or this blog

We have had 47,660 page views and are on target for a fnatastic 50,000 pageviews by Christmas. This blog carries the reflections of young leaders from the YMCA primarily from England, while engaging with the Global YMCA. It has a readership across the world. During this past week for example we have viewers from China, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Netherlands, France, Malaysia, Russia, the UK and USA. This week, young leaders from England are in Poland with 37 of their peers from accross Europe exploring Social Transformation in local communities. Next week others will travel to Strasbourg for a seminar organised by the YMCA Peace Work Institute based in Eastern Europe.

Social Transformation. Community. Diversity. Youth. Impact. Focus. Change.

At a time where cuts are looming, the government is changing, communities are feeling let down and young people the future but not taken as it the two words of ‘Social Transformation’ could not be any more relevant to myself at the moment in many different aspects and for many different reasons.

When I received the email from Ken about this seminar I jumped at the opportunity. I couldn’t think of anything more relevant to my work in the current climate and for my YMCA in Worcestershire.

I will be blogging throughout the week but there are 6 documents in the picture below that I will be reading, scanning and taking in every last bit of as I make my way to Poland at 7.15am tomorrow morning. 6 documents that are very important to me but also my YMCA and everyone associated with it.

This seminar for me will be a chance to share ideas, learn new skills and knowledge but most importantly how can social transformation impact on my work, my YMCA and my local area but how does my work, my YMCA and my local area impact on the other 37 people I will meet in Gdansk. Now that is an amazing prospect that I cannot wait to find out.

 

Meet Our Bloggers

Over recent years we have captured the thoughts of our Global Link travellers, accompanying them on their journey as they experience some of the most memorable moments in their lives.

They tell us who they are, what they’re doing and what they want to achieve - before they travel - and allow us to follow them as they share their memories during their journey. With dozens of young people, staff and volunteers travelling every year, it's always an exciting read. Enjoy!

What a week it was!

Reflecting on the last paragraph of a blog post from the Secretary General of the World Alliance of YMCAs after a week long meeting in YMCA Dunford House in England earlier this year.

'And in the late evening Surinam was dancing Salsa with Bangladesh and Argentina was dancing Tango with Ghana while the Netherlands were drinking tea in the corner together with Togo and Peru and Sierra Leone was putting logs on the open fire place for France, Germany and Brazil to feel warmer. Gaza and East Jerusalem took a torch to walk in the dark forest as South Africa and Denmark were discussing fair share with Sweden and India and Pakistan. And still some of the nationalities had gone early to bed in the silent night in the country side of England and slept the sleep of the just under the shining stars of hope and joy. What a week it was!'