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December 2012 • YMCA WORLD • www.ymca.int

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YMCA WORLD – No 4 – December 2012 A biannual publication of the World Alliance of YMCAs. Published in English and Spanish.

President: Mr. Ken Colloton Secretary General: Rev. Johan Vilhelm Eltvik 12, Clos Belmont, 1208 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: (+41 22) 8495100 Fax: (+41 22) 8495110 Email: office ymca.int Website: www.ymca.int Facebook.com/ymcas Twitter: www.twitter.com/ymcaint Editor: Carlos Sanvee Editorial Assistant & Distribution: Suzanne Watson Graphic Design: messaggio Resource Material: Claude-Alain Danthe, Jose Varghese, APAY

Editorial We are at an important crossroads in the development of our communication strategies and related tools.

Since the launching of the World Alliance Strategic Plan ‘The New Way’, many changes have been introduced with regard to how the World Alliance communicates and builds awareness of its constituencies.

We have now reached a point where we have to say goodbye to something which is much loved and part of our history; Yes, the current issue of the YMCA World is the last printed version of this legendary magazine.

It took courage and vision to take this step but it is comforting to know that the rationale for ending such a traditional way of communicating is because we now have the means to produce something more up to date and with a far wider reach.

It is not easy to write the last editorial of such an historical and deeply rooted part of our world movement but, as you know from our Christian tradition, “ unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12, 24.

I could not trace when the first magazine was published but I found that, at its inception, there was a quarterly periodical called World’s Youth. This later gave birth to World Communiqué in 1947.

World Communiqué informed YMCA members about the developments taking place in YMCAs around the world, in order to inspire YMCA members to realize the Christian objectives of the YMCA at all levels of its activity.

The bi-monthly publication, World Communiqué gained acceptance rapidly. By 1948, 8,000 copies were published along with German and French editions. The publication became popular and reached 22,000 copies by 1954.

The magazine was a welcome source of news that appeared five or six times a year. Since 1964 it has been published in English, French, German and Spanish. Special issues were published on topical subjects such as ecumenical developments, international affairs, health and physical education.

Carlos Sanvee

In 1993 “World Communiqué” progressed to “YMCA World”. It was hoped that the new identity of the magazine would inspire and remind the YMCA constituencies that they live in a new age and that the demands of that age are different from those of the past. In the YMCA, the 90’s were marked by moving beyond the charity or project phase and entering new areas of work that mobilised people to address the root causes of the problems. This clearly shows that each era adapts to its realities with appropriate tools.

The time has come for the YMCA World, like the seed, to “die” so that it can become a new tree.

Over the last 5 years the publication has dropped to less than 2,000 copies.

There is a clear lack of interest from active subscribers in the magazine either because of the content or because of a change in the interest of the key audience.

That is why it was decided to phase out the publication of YMCA World and to explore new avenues of communication that reflect the realities of our digital era as well as the needs of the various audiences.

Today the core focus of the World Movement is on Youth Empowerment and all strategies, and tools are being aligned to build ownership by the Youth.

The new generation of the YMCA Magazine will be an online publication which will target different key audiences. Its main target will be to reposition the YMCA with a clear message; YMCA empowers Young People.

At the end of an era, we shall say goodbye to YMCA World so that a new generation of publications can come to life. Remember, if the seed does not die there will be no new plant.

This last issue of YMCA World takes us back to the Spirit of “World Youth “ and focuses on “Youth Empowerment as the core identity of the YMCAs worldwide”. To illustrate this, we are taking you to Latin America and the Caribbean to hear their stories on how they empower the young people and transform their lives.

The YMCA is a great Movement with its unique culture and traditions but from time to time it knows how to let go and reinvent new spaces and ways to pursue its mission.

Good Bye YMCA World! www.ymca.int • YMCA WORLD • December 2012

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S G N I T E GRE

a h o J d n a n e K m fro

n

Waking the Sleeping Giant!

Dear friends, It is late autumn in the northern hemisphere and big animals go to sleep for the long, cold winter. Autumn is also a time to say goodbye to the warm, sunny summer and long, sometimes lazy, days. Sleeping and saying goodbye. Those are the two themes we want to touch on in this issue of the YMCA World Magazine.

We have launched the ”Waking the Giant Campaign”.

We are now recruiting 200 Change Agents from around the globe to help us to ”Wake the Sleeping Giant” during the next two years up to the World Council in Estes Park in 2014.

The Sleeping Giant is not the local YMCAs. It is not the national YMCAs. You are all very much awake and working hard every day to deliver the YMCA mission in 11,000 local communities in 119 countries worldwide. It is fantastic to travel and visit vibrant, socially relevant and future oriented YMCAs. It gives both Ken and I trembling hearts and proud feelings and happy optimism to see what is happening in this colorful world of the YMCA. The Sleeping Giant is the collective image of the YMCA. It is the global coordination of the YMCA, the potential of a huge, worldwide movement to change the world into something better, a place of more hope and better perspectives for the future. This collective potential is sleeping. This is what we want to wake up through the NEW WAY strategy. That is why we need 200 Change Agents to help us. And that is why we need all of you to help us fund these new, young leaders of the YMCA movement through the Waking the Giant Campaign.

You will find more about the Giant in this Magazine.

You will also find the latest report on the very successful World Challenge last Saturday, the 13th of October. In 75 + countries and in so many local communities the YMCA showed its face and presented itself to its neighbours and friends. A global image is slowly waking up. We are many, we are empowering young people. We belong to a very large movement of change.

Then it is saying goodbye to the paper version of the ”YMCA World” magazine. This is the last paper issue. We decided two years ago to slowly fade out the paper version and start an online communication tool. After Christmas you will see the first signs of a new communication strategy. For those of you who do not have easy access to internet connection, we will still be sending copies on paper of some of the communications we will produce. But for the vast majority, future communications will be electronic.

We say thank you to all our subscribers and partners, to all of you who supported us by using the magazine for advertisements and to all of you who helped us write articles and send photos. We shall need all your support more than before, and we invite you to join us in a more interactive world of communication. This is also one of the ways to wake up the Sleeping Giant.

And as Christmas is coming closer, and we look forward to celebrate the coming of Christ, we wish all of you a blessed time in your local YMCAs, may God bless you and keep you and give you the strength you need to continue your important YMCA work.

Ken Colloton 4

December 2012 • YMCA WORLD • www.ymca.int

Johan Vilhelm Eltvik

Ken Colloton

Johan Vilhelm Eltvik

Youth t n e m r e w o p m E in

Action

Reinforcing our Image and Impact: towards Estes Park 2014.

In our previous edition of the YMCA World we reported on the Stakeholders meeting which took place in Nairobi at the end of March 2012.

More than 80 world leaders from 30 different YMCAs discussed the direction and the core competency of the worldwide movement which

focuses on Youth Empowerment.

The key outcome of the meeting is a joint statement which includes the following agreements:

The YMCA wants to achieve its

> full potential

We therefore must be a

> stronger Movement

We therefore must attract

> greater resources

We therefore must have

> more visibility

We therefore must demonstrate

> greater impact

We therefore must have a

> shared focus

- relevant to the world - grounded in our mission - worthy of our aspiration - connected to our current work We therefore choose to collectively stand for The world movement committed to advance a common focus and vision on youth empowerment in action. This agreement is centred on a common framework for a change model of youth empowerment focused on space, transformation, and impact.

YMCAs on all continents and in all communities work in youth empowerment. The NEW WAY Strategy has therefore opened new perspectives so that YMCAs now will have the opportunity for increased coordination, learning, and sharing of our common work in youth empowerment.

Through this coordinated effort, YMCAs will achieve increased strength and visibility in programmes, scale, and impact. With the affirmation of the vision, the worldwide YMCA will now focus on implementation of youth empowerment in action in the NEW WAY. The Global Staff Team - GST (led by the World Alliance Secretary General and composed of Area Executives from Africa, Asia and Pacific, Europe, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean,

> Youth Empowerment USA, and the Middle East) has been working together discussing key elements of the vision, the change model, impact measurement, the implementation plan, and resourcing the vision.

Moving ahead to the 18th World Council in Estes park, Colorado, USA, the first action is focused on the recruitment and training of the 200 Change Agents. The GST is working to raise and leverage resources with local and national YMCAs to support the training and development of these 200 Change Agents. Global level training is planned to coincide with the Prague Festival in August 2013 where it is expected that a large number of the 200 Change Agents would be present. Additional training will take place at each Area level.

Change Agent leadership is expected at the World Council which will be an extraordinary opportunity to showcase and demonstrate results, evaluate the process, and plan for the next phase of implementation.

www.ymca.int • YMCA WORLD • December 2012

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s t n e g A e g n a Ch

eam T Training

A very special group of experienced YMCA leaders was brought together in July this year to form the ‘Change Agents Training Team’ (CATT).

This group was given the task of designing the training curriculum for a 2 years capacity building component of the Change Agents Initiative which is being undertaken by the World Alliance of YMCAs in Partnership with the Area Organizations and National Movements.

The curriculum includes areas such as Leadership, Networking, Civic Engagement, Global Citizenship and other topics. It also covers the “YMCA Change Model” which incorporates our organization’s history, the strategic goals of the World YMCA and youth engagement at different levels in the movement.

The training was designed by taking into account the various skillsets that are needed to support a change process at the institutional level of the YMCA and also to better equip young leaders to function in increasing leadership roles.

CATT, is a group of trainers that will work within the YMCA family organizations as part of a strategy that

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aims to wake up the “Sleeping Giant” – The world wide YMCA movement.

CATT’s scope of work includes implementing the training programme in their own regional areas as well as the training which will take place in Prague 2013 and the on-line training programme. All those initiatives are merging together to support a world training system and to guarantee minimum standards and quality in this training process.

In July 2012, the CATT met for the first time in Long Beach, USA, for an orientation on their roles and to discuss the steps needed to achieve the goals of the Change Agents Initiative.

YMCA Bolivia Name of National YMCA: YMCA Bolivia President: Francisco Rivas Larrea a.i.

Sotomayor Victor Vargas a.i.

Secretary-General: Antonio Ramos Marquez Number of members of the Board: 14 members Number of direct participants in programs: a) 88 women b) 34 children The major programs or projects: a) training workshop in sewing techniques b) Communication and Information Technology c) therapy workshops for women with relationship problems Main target groups: a) low-income women. b) Children and young schoolchildren c) Womens’ groups.

From the left: USA ob Cabeza, •B Africa onia Rasugu, •S loisa Borreo, •E Pacific Asia and the erica dán, Latin Am • Margoth Rol eean and the Carrib , Canada • I da Thomas ams, Europe erard Tosser •G tas, • Romulo Dan of YMCAs ce an lli A World

After studying the different ongoing processes lead by the World Movement in the past years and discussing the aims and objectives of the Change Agents Initiative, the participants in the Long Beach sessions are now equipped to support other levels of the YMCA movement and to assist them to engage meaningfully in this process.

The team have diverse backgrounds and are involved in different signature programmes of the Area Organisations such as “From Subject to Citizen”, Y Governance (YGOR), Global Citizenship Education, Young Leaders Initialize, YMCA European Spectrum and others. This diverse programme experience is essential to ensure integration and coordination of the different initiatives.

The meeting in Long Beach also put a lot of effort on building personal relationships among the members of CATT and some time was also invested in social programmes.

The whole meeting took place within the context of the YMCA Youth Institute of the YMCA of Greater Long Beach, USA, which served as an inspirational component; the group continuously interacted with the young participants of the local programmes and learned from their experiences. This was an example of one empowering YMCA programme feeding energy to another one!

YMCA Argentina Name of National YMCA: Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes/YMCA de la República Argentina or Argentina President: Eduardo Ibichian Secretary-General/CEO: Norberto Rodriguez Number of members of the Board: 150 members Number of direct participants in programs: 17.000 The major programs or projects: National Congress on Values, Critical Thought and Social Network, YMCA Communicties Forum; 24 Hours of the YMCA Swimming; Leadership Programme “Vitamins for NGOs”; Forum on the Rights of Indigenous People; Formal Educational Programme with seven schools own and 2500 Students.

Main target groups: Most programmes are designed serve mainly to socially vulnerable populations. Others support leaders of NGOs and some are more broad and inclusive from the institutional perspective.

www.ymca.int • YMCA WORLD • December 2012

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Latin n a c i r e Am and the

n a e b b Cari

: t x e t n o c l a n o i g e r e Th nges and opportunities Challe Youth for the

The current state of affairs, as well as the projected trends for the coming years for the youth in Latin America, and to some extent in the Caribbean, can be assimilated to “a glass being either half full or half empty”.

As we are now publishing stories of YMCA empowering Youth in the region, we need to take into account the situation of the youth, their problems, needs and risks whilst also seeing them as strategic actors for development and agents of change.

In Latin America, the majority of young people in urban zones live with their families in nuclear home structures. Opinion surveys have highlighted the importance that young people between 18 - 29 years old continue to give to families. In addition, there is an increasing inclusion of women as contributors to family income and in decision making structures.

Despite this however, changes within values and culture regarding the place of women clearly lag

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behind progress made in the developed world.

Contextually, youth in the region have higher educational levels than adults, but continue to face bigger barriers to employment. They handle more information through education and virtual networks, but despite this have less access to deliberative instances in public policies than adults.

Similarly, despite having better health compared to other age groups, youth do not have appropriate attention systems for their specific health problems and related concerns, especially those related to violence, accidents, sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. In Latin America, adolescent pregnancy is a public health issue with direct ties

to the lack of reproductive rights of young people, social exclusion and intergenerational reproduction of poverty.

In the last 5 years there has been a decrease of the percentage and of the total number of young poor in the region, due to the general drop in poverty associated to economic growth, social policies, remittances and better demographic dependency ratio. Nevertheless, the level of juvenile youth poverty continues to be very high relative to the average social income and continues to affect rural youth, Indians and Afro youth, and young women specifically.

In the field of education, we do see an increase in the average years of schooling for the youth of today compared to youth of previous generations. But the penetration rate continues discriminate against lower income groups. The link between education and employment reproduces, and eventually widens, social inequalities. Because of this, there is an obvious low level of public investment in young population groups in the region. In fact, the proportional public spending on Latin American youth is approximately half that of countries in the developed world. To see any real achievement then, education policies must, in future, be linked to other efforts of social promotion and protection to redress inequality in the transmission of educational opportunities to young people.

While the youth of today are more educated than older generations, they also face very high levels of unemployment, earn lower salaries and have less access to social protection systems put in place for the employed. There is still good news however when considering averages for the 17 countries of Latin America. Between 2000 and 2005, the unemployment rate of young people between 15 - 29 years was reduced from 16,1% to 12,5% between 2000 and 2005 with a high incidence of those being young women.

The increase of violence constitutes another of the issues in the growing debate in the public agenda especially as they relate to the criminalisation of young people and escalating repressive policies.

A reduction of the age of criminal responsibility in the justice system is feeding a cycle of greater violence that makes youth both victims and offenders. This sense of insecurity is fed by the media that tends to stigmatize youth, re-enforcing the cycle of exclusion and normalizing violence in the everyday context.

Latin America has one of the highest homicide rates in the world amongst 15-24 year olds (36,6 per 100,000). The growth in drug trafficking, organised crime and complicity of police sectors in criminal

activities have generated complex situations that have no quick or simple solutions. Much of this violence, including physical, sexual and psychological violence, remains hidden and is occasionally socially approved or expected. The social and health consequences associated with violence represent a gross cost of approximately 145 billons dollars annually, 12% of the domestic product (Unicef).

Politically, youth in the region participate less than adults in political parties and vote much less than adults in elections. Satisfaction with democracy varies from country to country, with 80% or more of young people feeling unsatisfied in regions like Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay & Peru, to countries with lower levels of dissatisfaction at 50% in Uruguay & Venezuela.

Even though youth manage more information and sources of information, this is not seen in their access to and presence in politics. This is troubling as this provides their capacity to redefine politics and use information to generate alternative spaces they can claim, balance political forces, and create public mobilisation and visibility.

Finally, young people themselves are redefining what they understand by social inclusion. For many young people this is not exclusively limited to traditional models of employment and formal education. Instead, this includes participating in remote communication, power to join new physical spaces through migration, managing resources and services in a collective way through the strategic use of the information, participating in networks where expressiveness and esthetics constitute fields of mutual recognition and being part of social movements and associations of peers of the most diverse purposes.

This context constitutes a field of great challenges and opportunities for the regional YMCA which should continue processing important changes to answer in an effective way to these needs, but at the same time develop standards of excellence in governance and management, promote high competence and compromise leaderships and seek for the necessary resources for this.

In the next five years the YMCAs in the Latina America and Caribbean region will contribute significantly to transforming the lives of young people generating opportunities, spaces, resources and accompaniment to achieve relevant impacts employment opportunities, education in values, health and wellbeing, conflict resolution and violence prevention, socialization and social inclusion and citizen participation.

www.ymca.int • YMCA WORLD • December 2012

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d n a a c i r e m A n i t a L The n o i t a i c o s s A n a e b b i r a the C ) laca ( of ymcas

Now into the second decade of our new century, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean face the challenge of global financial and economic crises whilst carrying out the development of their societies. The region is very diverse. It has countries with different stages of development, multiple nations and cultures and an impressive variety of natural resources.

In this diversity lies untapped richness and vast possibilities for development. However, it is necessary to overcome models and practices that have marginalised material and cultural production from most of its inhabitants, making it one of the most unequal continents in the world.

These situations of inequality and social disruption, together with drug trafficking, have produced a significant growth of violence and public insecurity.

Latin America and the Caribbean in general, and some countries in particular, have the highest rates of deaths from violence. There is a high number of

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December 2012 • YMCA WORLD • www.ymca.int

young people who neither study nor work, many of them are victims and perpetrators of violence. But there is hope, as never before, there is a generation with an untapped depth of knowledge and skills in information and social technologies.

In this context, YMCAs are challenged to work for social inclusion and integration through citizenship education and to help define the role of young people as actors of change and peace-building. To start this road, the first step has been the revival of Christian and Ecumenical identity which sustains and develops the multiple processes of change.

YMCA Cuba Name of National YMCA: YMCA of Cuba President: Rev. Profesora Figueroa Basilia Profesora: Rev. Profesora Figueroa Basilia Secretary-General: Rev. Hector Mendez Number of members of the Board: 8 members Direct participants PROGRAMS: 450 The major programs or projects: RECREATION with children; Your phone FRIEND (hot line service); Ecumenical News Service (Ecumenical Press Service); Leadership Training Workshops; Publications (About HIV, alcoholism, drugs etc) Main target groups: Children; Youth; Seniors; Mixed audience.

The YMCAs in Latin America have jointly agreed to five main priorities 1. Improving governance ollaborative work of associations operating in a 2. Cnetwork to generate learning igh impact programs with a special focus on 3. HYouth Leadership transformation ystematic development of procurement and 4. Sresource generation

5. Positioning and brand building within the YMCA

GOVERNANCE The problems of governance were identified as priorities by the YMCA. As a result of intense consultation and collective development, the YMCAs in the region are completing construction of a regional system of governance. In the international seminar held in May in Viña del Mar, Chile, presidents and general secretaries worked for three days to draft the minimum standards of excellence, the code of conduct and a protocol for implementation and monitoring governance indicators. Since then a work committee has done some very intense work of systematisation and production which has made it possible to advance the process. The system goes into effect next year creating instruments of mediation and conflict resolution, regional certification of excellence in governance, training and advisory services and mechanisms for intervention in severe cases.

NETWORKS More than 120 professionals and volunteers lead the six thematic networks in different fields including, youth volunteers, professionals working with young people, principals and teachers of the YMCA Schools, professionals working in social development, Christian Mission, fundraising, education and physical health. Coordinating teams of each of these networks meet every 30 to 45 days using virtual meeting rooms. There are coordinated and organised events and training opportunities are designed from the best practices. Each of the networks designs their own annual plan of activities and secures their own resources. Over 300 people participated in activities organised by the networks in 2011.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP For ten years, the LACA YMCA together with partners in Uruguay have organised the University of Citizen Participation, which is part of the University Network of Youth and Global Citizenship which provides an important space for the construction of the youth agenda and for the exchanging and development of cooperation agreements. In this context, we are promoters along with three other European and Latin American organisations of the first distance learning course on Global Education.

The YMCA LEADERS programme is the regional training programme for leaders that work in eight countries and this year reached 500 leaders and 160 graduate teachers.

YGOR is the training and promotion programme designed for youth in governance roles. Conceived and developed by the Youth Committee of LACA since 2010, this initiative includes 30 young people in a training programme with three components: a distance learning course, a component of individual coaching with 15 youth mentors and the implementation of projects that enable the application of learning.

FUNDRAISING Each year fundraising becomes a more difficult process to manage for development organisations.

While fundraising supports the growth of the movement, as more volunteers bring more value, the movement becomes better recognised by the population and alliances are developed with social organisations and enterprises, the growth can also put pressure on existing structures. In recent years LACA has seen a growing commitment of the Board of Directors and the General Secretaries in the administration of funds, which is expressed in Governance and the schedule of events sponsored by national associations: Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, etc.

Two factors have contributed to this cultural change: The fraternal encouragement of YMCAs of USA and Canada has been significant, especially through the annual conferences of NAYDO annual agenda of professionals and volunteers with more than 25 representatives each year. Not least, the solidarity and support of these processes have guided the YMCAs in the region such as Mexico, Sao Paulo, Bogota and Montevideo.

Through this system, the LACA is able to generate a high impact with a very small operating structure.

www.ymca.int • YMCA WORLD • December 2012

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A C M Y e h t g n i g a Man in La

a e b b i r r a C e h t d tin America an

n

In 2007, the Latin America and Caribbean Alliance of YMCAs adopted a process of strengthening the YMCA brand in the region.

This process looked for consensus amongst the 27 members of the Alliance in order to move towards a single image of the YMCA for Latin America and the Caribbean.

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During the initial period, activities were directed mainly towards the approval of graphics, reducing the digital gap between local movements and communication strategies that incorporated electronic media, to the development of a regional branding strategy.

colours were an important means of transmitting all the happiness and diversity of the Movement. It was decided to establish, as first show of unity, the use of clothing with a lot of colour and without annotations to any one country.

During this time, workshops and presentational activities with volunteer leaders of several countries took place. The purpose of these was to identify the messages that young people felt represented them and that they wanted to see embodied in the YMCA. One of the most impressive realisations of these consultations was the identification of the colors youth were engaged by. Young people identified that

Currently the team is developing training manuals to identify testimonies, tell stories and create a register of professional images for programs and projects. They are also developing a collection of graphic material to tell the story of George Williams, James Naismith and other historical personalities of the YMCA in a more funny and illustrative way to children and young people across the region.

December 2012 • YMCA WORLD • www.ymca.int

The Development Process An important step in the process was the first meeting of the Communications Managers of the national Associations. This event included a training workshop entitled ¨How to tell the story¨ which was led by Erica Hess of YMCA, USA. During this workshop attendees from all participating countries worked to develop a branding strategy.

Between March and September 2012 very positive results have been achieved.

•C reation and active participation in the Virtual Group - YMCA Brand Nineteen YMCA representatives are part of a group in the social network website Facebook named YMCA Brand. This group includes all Directors of communications, marketing staff, team members and volunteers who officially represent their local/

national associations. This is a space where they can share information and generate technical debates.

•B uilding a national case YMCA Colombia is one of the biggest Federations in the South American region, with a significant national presence.From April, four members (two professional and two volunteers) joined the team of communication representatives. In addition, the Area organization enabled the realization of an internship for an expert in marketing and branding for a six month period. It was a very productive experience, resulting in several communication tools of high quality and also the development of a technical space.

The Unified brand design The growth of social networks and the greater access to design tools highlighted a lack of consistent brand design. Each Association generated their own materials and graphics that were used to communicate via the internet.

This proposal was presented and widely debated with many different points of view being voiced. Finally it was agreed that the inclusion of new colors was positive for the construction of brand Y and would bring us closer to our target youth community.

A design proposal was launched and led to: a) a review of the colour scheme used traditionally in the YMCA (red, blue, white and black) logo and typeface and the introduction of a new range of bright more youthful colours (orange, light blue, yellow…) b) a conversion of our symbols into another colored background. The differences in Logo and the different logo colours (that still need working on), disappear.

The method of including symbols, data and images together with color spaces highlights the message to be communicated.

The YMCA of Porto Alegre, Brazil proposed an alternative to improve the first design presented by Colombia including more graphic details.

The proposal was approved unanimously.

www.ymca.int • YMCA WORLD • December 2012

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Photographic style In 2011 pilot tests of varying photographic styles were made in Peru, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. This analysis produced the creation of images of young people wearing different coloured t-shirts with the YMCA logo on a white background without making any country reference.

This proposal was made flexible allowing application of either Y or YMCA on white t-shirts which facilitated the inclusion of more countries by enabling people to choose the symbol they feel more close to.

Given the neutrality of the concept and scenarios, it became possible to share these images concluding in very positive results.

This idea was well received by the Team who then proposed to generate 50 pieces in each country up until November. The aim of this project being to understand whether or not we are capable of generating professional photographic records in different countries while maintaining the same quality and style.

The pilot scheme was launched in Colombia where, taking advantage of their annual event, they generated multicolor t-shirts (in most YMCA events uniforms are created in matching colours) and added the symbol Y alongside the national denomination.

Social networks and regional coordination We have started a process of presence approval and content control on Facebook pages. The new opportunities offered by this social network to customize personal and group profiles, provide an alternative to strengthen brand presence.

In this sense it is important to highlight the experience of the YMCA of Sao Paulo, Brazil which achieved a notorious growth in the quantity of contacts

and impact in their partner campaigns.

On the other hand, Peru and LACA are in the first phase of development of a manual for Community Managers (administrators of social networks) with the aim of giving basic recommendations to those who manage these virtual spaces in the region, hoping to include them in the long term.

Timetable From June, a schedule of international dates in which YMCA should participate was created and for this reason a virtual calendar http://www.lacaymca.org/ recursos/prensa/calendario was developed.

Having achieved significant progress in using the same graphic style, it was agreed that a unique image which we all share through our respective communication channels be developed to commemorate each event.

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This instantly unified the messages about the same event and also reduced the amount of work the team had to undertake as the Facebook group is used to advising teams about upcoming events, anticipating proposals and defining who is responsible for their development. The original design is also shared by email in an editable format, so if there is the need to make a local or national adaptation is possible to do it independently.

YMCA Dominican Republic Name of National YMCA: YMCA of the Dominican Republic President: Hiran Juan Vega Secretary-General: Andres Fortunato Number of members of the Board: 11 members Number of direct participants in programs: 2.996 The major programs or projects: School education for children and adolescents; Preschool Children; Skill training to youth and adults; Youth Leadership; Gym and swimming to the general public; Repair and construction of housing for poor families.

Main target groups: people and families of limited economic resources with emphasis on children, youth and single mothers.

A C s r e YdeM d a e l g n u o y g n i velop YMCA Leaders in Latin America Since youth are the principal focus of the standard YMCA message from George William’s: “My last, most precious legacy is the Young Men´s Christian Association. I leave it in your hands, dear youth of all countries” was echoed during the 2010 World Council of the YMCA´s held in Hong Kong, as the challenge to empower and professionally train youth was reasserted.

With this in mind and responding to the challenge, in 2004, young representatives of the YMCA´s of the Southern Cone, Brazil, Peru, and Mexico decided to create a program towards the formation of young leaders. The following year, the youth worked for months, electronically, in order to create a draft of what would become the unified curriculum for the formation of leaders. In 2006, the methodology to be followed was decided upon. In the following year, Miguel Blasco, Executive for Programs and Projects of the Latin American and Caribbean Youth Alliance (ALACJ), was commissioned to combine all the material gathered and produce the United Curriculum for the Formation of Young Leaders.

its teaching body. In short, it is a leadership course intended to prepare youth and transform them into opinion-leaders, awakening in them critical awareness and a concept of limits in order to positively influence not only youth but all those who coexist with them.

After so much preparation, in 2007, the “YMCA Leaders programme” was finally put into practice and in 2008 held at the São Paulo YMCA.

2. G enerative Topics

Succinctly put, the “YMCA Leaders” is an international project for the formation of young leaders in the YMCA´s of Latin America and the Caribbean, a project which intends to unify the formative process of young leaders through its unified pedagogy, common criteria for evaluation, sole system for certification and the preparation of

The teaching methodology, “Teaching for Understanding”, and was developed by Harvard University and consists of the following 4 elements:

1. O bjective for Holistic Understanding or Central Link This informs the vision of the purpose of a course or project. It is the general objective.

These are the ideas which form the base of the general objective. They are themes, questions, concepts and ideas that offer a sense of depth, meaning, connection, and variety of perspectives in a degree sufficient to support the development of students´ understanding.

3. U nderstanding Goals These are the means by which youth will understand the ideas (generative topics) which

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form the base of the general objective. They are the comprehensions the instructor desires his students attain.

4. P erformance of Understanding These activities require students to use their previous knowledge in a new manner or in different situations in order to construct understanding. With the performance of understanding, students reconfigure, expand, go beyond and apply what they know, in addition to challenging biases, stereotypes, and the students´ schematic, rigid thinking.

This year, the “YMCA Leaders” event occurred in an extraordinary manner! During the very weekend of the Brazilian Carnival, from the 17th to the 19th of

February, a delegation of more than twenty youths from various Brazilian YMCA´s came to the São Paulo YMCA, where the meeting was held.

As a result of its differentiated methodology, the content is not transmitted in the traditional vertical manner, wherein the instructor speaks and the student only listens. All the content is transmitted in a horizontal manner, whereby learning comes first by practice and youth have the freedom to share opinions with their colleagues and instructors, in addition to debating and expressing criticisms and constructive opinions.

In light of all this, the latest event was a great success and the future of the programme looks encouraging.

“

It was a deep experience for me. I have participated before on other leadership trainings in the YMCA, but YMCA Leaders was much more complete.

It brings a lot of different issues from recreation to sexuality and history. It is very beneficial for the participants. I felt that I was really developing myself throughout the debates around nowadays themes and I have increased my ability to take part in discussions. It helped me to have a different way of solving personal conflicts and opened up eyes for themes related to the labor market.”

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Juliana Kahan Bomfim, 17 – YMCA Lapa, São Paulo - Brazil

“

YMCA Leaders was a very special activity for me.

I met a lot of new and nice people and, among other things, I learned about entrepreneurship which is something vital for us nowadays, especially for those like me, who will start a career. The exchange with the participants was very meaningful and important for me to know about other realities. The class on sexual education caught my attention because even though we have a lot of information around, we don’t find much spaces where we can talk about it openly without judgments.

In the last day of the programme we had a big class with all other YMCA Leaders students from the city of São Paulo. It was a great opportunity to make new friends. Big fun!”

Nicole Lima, 15 – YMCA Downtown, São Paulo - Brazil

“

To implement YMCA Leaders was a challenge but also a big fun. We have seen a lot of staff development while preparing and applying the different methodologies that involve the programme.

The journey to prepare all materials and customize it to the local youth took a lot of research but the result was fascinating. At the beginning we did not believe we would be able to “keep” young people for 16 consecutive weeks in such a programme, but it turned out to be an easy task. It is rewording to see so many testimonials coming from various parts of Brazil and Latin America approving this initiative.

The programme was born from youth ideas back in 2004 and after some years of preparation it was successfully launched in 2009.”

Romulo Dantas, 30 (Past) YMCA Leaders Coordination Team

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YMCA HAITI Youth leadership and cultural exchanges More than ever, after the earthquake of January 12th, 2010, there is an ongoing need to enhance or reinforce the intercultural understanding between young Haitians and young people from other countries. Also, there is a need to rebuild the YMCA image and improve international relations which can be done through the large scale engagement of the Haitian population. This process can be greatly supportive with the creation of structural bridges through structured international exchange experiences, helping overcome misperceptions, stereotypes and incorrect information. These international exchange experiences will allow them to gain skills and competencies that enable them to interact positively and powerfully as global citizens, because international exchanges foster deep personal growth, the development of individual and group leadership skills and lifelong commitment to civic engagement and global citizenship.

Testimonies Two Haitians have recently taken part in the international exchanges with the USA through the Youth Ambassadors program and the Cabins of Hope Camp.

Philémon St-Jean Luc Cardin Nineteen year old YMCA of Haiti member, Philemon St. Jean is the youngest of 6. He studies Computer

Literacy in Jérémie, his hometown. Last year, Philemon discovered the Y through the Youth Ambassadors program. He had found it interesting so he signed up and began doing research on the YMCA. “The Youth Ambassadors Program has been a great experience. I didn’t know it was such a big deal. The people of the organisation marked my life” Philemon explained. A few of his acquaintances at the Youth Ambassadors Program in New York, motivated him to live a good and serious life.

“I want to inspire the life of others.” Philemon says with pride.

Philemon likes that the YMCA of Haiti is different from other organisations. He is able to do regular work; every Tuesday, he helps younger members of the Y with their homework. “I feel that I’m doing something important. I am happy to make others happy.” Philemon would like to see many things happen at the Y: swimming lessons, a fitness centre and driving lessons. He would also like to see a greater variety of sports. “I play basketball because that’s all there is to play.” Philemon would also like to see a YMCA at his home province in Jérémie.

The YMCA of Haiti has changed Philemon’s life for the better. He feels that it prepares children for the future. “The YMCA is a refuge. It’s something to do.”

When asked him to describe the Y movement in two word, he says with confidence: The future.

YMCA of Trinidad and Tobago

YMCA Trinidad & Tobago

YMCA Leaders

Name of National YMCA: YMCA of Trinidad & Tobago

The YMCA of Trinidad and Tobago hosted a Regional Youth Leadership Development workshop from 28-30 at the YMCA’s headquarters in the Port of Spain. Seven youth leaders from the YMCAs of Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago participated in the YMCA Leaders of the Caribbean Workshop.

The workshop emphasised and promoted knowledge and application through capacity building, skills training and volunteerism. The youth leaders were able to develop a consensus on what leadership development is and how it can be implemented, utilising the YMCA Leaders’ system.

The YMCA Leaders programme has been functioning in Latin American YMCAs since 2004 and, now through this initiative, is being introduced to the Caribbean. The workshop was conducted

by Mr Christopher Smith and Mr Gleeson Job of the YMCA’s Youth Outreach Services.

President: Fitzherbert Niles Secretary-General/CEO: Marva Rodriguez Duncan Number of members of the Board: 11 members Number of direct participants in programs: After School Care-52 Programme Participants: Swimming-800, Early childhood Care & Development-188, Men Touring/HIV/ AIDS – 250, Aqua Aerobics-25 – TOTAL - 1315 The major programs or projects: Early Childhood Care and Development and Men Touring Programme Main target groups: Pre Schoolers and At Risk Youth.

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A C YedM h t u o y g ucatin YMCA MÉXICO: 120 years of youth development For over a century the México YMCA has developed its’ work through different guidelines for the benefit of society.

One of the most important of these is focused on youth development and empowerment.

In Mexico, the young leadership training activities are developed by working on three main strategies which include; horizontal peer-to-peer work, recreation as a methodological tool through “learning by making” and institutional endorsement.

The practice of youth leadership is essential as it provides the chance for youth to develop their roles as change agents in the promotion and consolidation of social transformations and through meeting the needs and interests of children, youth and the vulnerable in their communities.

There are important cases of success regarding programs and concrete actions:

Social and community leadership This program focuses on improving the lives of marginalised and vulnerable communities, children, youth, fathers and mothers from rural and indigenous communities (Nahuas), and children affected by cancer. This is achieved through the joint participation of the individuals, government and civil institutions such as CDI (National Commission for Indigenous Communities Development), Escuela siempre abierta and AMANC (Mexican Association for Children with Cancer Support).

The main work guidelines are focused on after school programs that provide support, community development initiatives, environment protection campaigns, and projects benefit low income families through health and sports (professional oral hygiene attention), delivery of basic food, social integration with the empowerment of young community leaders.

In the north area of our country, some initiatives have been organised by young leaders in order to give a response to the urgent needs of the Raramuri community (Indigenous population) which has been affected by the historical marginalisation, social exclusion and adverse natural conditions such as drought and lack of food. Young YMCA leaders have coordinated different actions such as gathering and delivering food, medicine and clothes, as well as recreational activities in order to provide support to the most needed sectors.

In México, the institutional work addressed to train and develop leadership started on 1917 and continues nowadays with a constant innovation of programs that provide responses to the local and national needs through tools that enhance youth skills and talents in order to face the challenges they face and build appropriate social alternatives. www.ymca.int • YMCA WORLD • December 2012

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O C I X E M N I Y T I S R UNIVE

YMCA

The YMCA University in Mexico has almost 2,000 students in different degrees and post graduate programmes. The university serves young people from all over Mexico and also from other parts of the world via international programmes.

The University’s mission is to offer high quality education and to motivate research and cultural development to serve the Mexican society. It stands for the full development of the human being and its dimensions of mind, body and spirit and disseminates the values of love, service and caring for others.

The programmes offered cover the areas of sport, recreation, business, finance and technology and the programmes are recognized and accredited by the Mexican Government and other institutions such as “FIMPES” (Federacion de Instituciones Mexicanas Particulares de Educacion Superior).

The YMCA University in Mexico is part of the coalition of YMCA Universities and, as such, benefits from

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intense networking and exchanges, especially with Springfield College in the USA. The University has developed at a fast rate in recent years and is located in a very modern facility in the Mexican capital. The programmes are also developed in other sites in the country, including Camohmila Camp, where several post graduate programmes are held every year.

The YMCA University is a true example of youth empowerment and it has been contributing to the lives of Mexican youth for many years. This has been achieved by preparing new generations of young leaders and professionals with a vision of responsible leadership and social justice.

YMCA

HAITI

Potekole Programme Orphaned through the loss of her mother and father, Bernadine Jeune has found the support needed to continue schooling through the POTEKOLE (Scholarship) program in 2010. So far, the YMCA of Haïti regularly pays the school fees, and contributes towards the school uniform, books and school supplies needed.

Bernadine is thankful for the opportunity she has received “I am completely grateful to the YMCA, and I translate this recognition by studying diligently to continue to have good scores in School. Now my average is about 8 on 10, and I am constantly improving. I say thank you to the YMCA that allows me to go to school and accompanies me on the

path that will allow me to achieve my dream to become a doctor one day. Without the help of the POTEKOLE (Scholarship) program, I would be probably among those who have dropped out of school. My wish is to see more children like me with the opportunity to attend school through programs like this.” www.ymca.int • YMCA WORLD • December 2012

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YMCA

Y A U G U R U

The YMCA of Montevideo was founded on April 6th 1909 with one hundred and twenty members at the time.

Nowadays, the YMCA is represented in Montevideo, Canelones, Paysandú, Salto, San José y Rivera. The mission of the YMCA Montevideo is to put Christian values into practice through an array of models and programs for physical education, formal and non-formal education, values education, as well as through cultural programs, camps and programs that promote healthy habits. The Montevideo YMCA has two branches fully equipped with sports and cultural facilities and their membership now amounts to over 9000 members. Their facilities include a camp, a school with preschool and primary education, four community units and ten social programs.

YMCA School Since 5th March 2012, the YMCA in Montevideo has had its own school. The YMCA acquired ownership of a building, specially chosen and remodelled and which is conveniently located only one block away from the Downtown Branch (Unidad Centro). The facilities are used for swimming lessons, P.E. classes and sports. The preschool facilities range from ages 2 to 5 and primary school from 6 onward. The YMCA School bases its teaching program in ANEP’s program for preschool and primary education. In addition to this, classroom teaching is complemented with cross-learning instances such as workshops, camps, educational outings and family activities. It

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also includes a significant number of hours of English and a strong content of YMCA style values education.

The Educational sector involves the Downtown and the Portones branches, where there are classes for Nursery and kindergarten students and then the building mentioned with students in 1st grade of Primary School. In all, they make a total of 200 children attending the different courses mentioned. ANEP is the National Association of Primary Education which is the government body in charge of designing and supervising the official programs for Primary Schools.

ANEP Educational Camps The Educational Camps Project was born through an agreement with ANEP following a public tender call for different private organisations, including the YMCA with its three locations: Camp Artigas, San Gregorio de Polanco and Termas de Guaviyú. The main goals of the project, which has been operating since 2009, are: to provide an opportunity for children and young people in rural areas and peri-urban areas to experience a different environment from the one they know; to appreciate its diversity and contribute to their education and holistic growth in rural areas; to help them to develop the ability to assess problems; and provide them with support for the development of their potential in the physical, emotional, social, communicative and cognitive wellbeing.

To date, 9,200 children from fourth through 6th grade schools and high schools of different contexts across the country have participated in an educational camp experience in the above mentioned locations of the YMCA destined for this use. Over 8,000 children from Artigas, Salto, Paysandu, Lavalleja, Soriano, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Florida and the outskirts of Montevideo have attended the camp in groups of 100 people for a duration of three and a half days. Camp activities contribute to the development of balanced personality and promote values with an educational purpose to ensure a democratic life that is in touch with nature.

The project has been running for 3 years and has over 50,000 beneficiaries.

YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM The YMCAs of Uruguay have developed different training and labour insertion programmes with young people since 1995 which have been organised through State organisms and private enterprises. The program is aimed at young people between 17 and 24 years old, who are not in the formal education system, have scarce resources and

“

RAMON

Ramon entered the program in the year 2,000, taking the course “Elaboration and Making of Pasta”. At the time he was 24 and lived with his mother and youngest brother. He wasn’t studying or working. He arrived through a private clinic that was treating him for drug addiction. He had been in and out the clinic several times but he finally was able to finish the treatment at the same time he was taking the course.

YMCA Panama Name of National YMCA: YMCA Panama.

President: Francisco Beens Secretary General: Lourdes Alvarez Number of members of the Board: 9 members Number of direct participants in programs: 800 The major programs or projects: College programs or projects, ethical and cultural values, youth training, youth center Community Work. Child and corporate social responsibility.

Main target groups: children and youth, Youth at risk, child labor, families.

no previous formal working experience. There is also a four-month training for young people of 25, plus a year of personal accompaniment for the insertion in the labour market. More than 30 courses have been carried out, in which 800 young people participated, achieving 50% of their labour insertion once the courses ended.

“

He finished the course with great effort and responsibility. After training in the classroom, an accompaniment was offered for his formal labour insertion. An interview was arranged at a company that imports and distributes rubber. He started working there in 2001, first doing different tasks in the warehouse and a few months later, due to his personal characteristics, he was moved to the sales counter, dealing with the public.

Nowadays, in September 2012, Ramón, 36, is still working in the same company. He has become independent and has his own family, with one son.

SABRINA

Sabrina entered the program when she was 22, in 2001. At that time she lived with her mother and didn’t work. She was studying in in a Public High School. With the YMCA she took a Basic Administration Course.

She ended the training process successfully, with great responsibility and commitment. Right after she finished it, she attended an interview and started working formally as an administrative clerk in a small company. Also, she continued studying and was able to finish High School.

At present Sabrina is 33 and is working formally as an administrative clerk in a public telephone company. She is studying to become a Notary Public at a private university, financing her career with a great personal economic effort.

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A t C n e m YSoM e g a g n e c i v i c cial and ces i v r e s y t i n u m m o c and YMCA

CHILE

YMCA Valparaiso, Chile: one hundred years in the service of god, the young and the community.

The YMCA of Valparaiso was founded on September 2, 1912, crystallising the efforts begun in 1883 by members of the British colony settled in the city. It was the first YMCA in the Pacific West and the fourth Latin American country that had joined the global YMCA family.

Since then, through the swift movement of history, the movement has spread to six cities in the country.

The YMCA of Valparaiso today stands as the first in Chile, a pioneer in introducing basketball and indoor soccer to the country and to ensuring that physical education and health, literacy, youth leadership development, camps, fundraising and social development bring enrichment to its beneficiaries.

Now extending throughout the entire region of The Valparaiso YMCA also has a modern branch in the city of Vine del Mar, a primary school in the Placeres Hill in Valparaiso, a camp in the town of Quileute, three shelters for youth and families in the region and various social development programs located in

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41 high-risk areas in Valparaiso and the region.

It was a founding member of the current Latin American and Caribbean Alliance of YMCAs, the Chilean Federation of YMCAs, the Mission Network, the Network of Valparaiso Partners, and the Ecumenical Fellowship of Valparaíso.

It maintains fraternal ties with sister YMCAs in The United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

For its contribution to the development of children and youth, social action, and quality care of the elderly, it has received several awards from the regional government as well as other regional and national entities.

YMCA

colombia

Civic empowerment and peace promotion in Colombia The YMCA contributes to the contribution of peace in Colombia through the education of young people, enabling them to develop their leadership skills and encouraging them to become actors of a peaceful coexistence.

Young people in Colombia are currently unable to participate in society in a full and constructive way, or contribute towards a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.

The principal obstacles are the prolonged nature of the civil conflict; perpetuation of an institutionalised culture of violence; and the exclusion of young people.

Every year, largely thanks to the support of international partners, the YMCA of Colombia empowers hundred of marginalised and disadvantaged young people, enhancing conflict transformation through informing local, municipal and national policy-making, strengthening local democratic and development processes, and recuperating cultural heritage. The YMCA does this through educating young people and advocating

for the implementation of the youth laws at a municipal and national level and implementing local development actions to address the root causes of conflict.

As a result of the above, young Colombian people have developed the skills, knowledge and confidence to effectively participate in local, municipal and national government structures; successfully implement local development and advocacy indicatives that address the needs of the most vulnerable children, young people and victims of conflict and promote conflict transformation; advocate through youth-led peace promotion networks for the needs of disadvantaged young people and children to be met; and promote cultural heritage through participation in dance, music, drama and arts performance groups.

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“

LIFE HISTORY - Jefferson Aguilar

I was born in Neiva Huila, I lived in the “country”1 in Huila for approximately ten years, and then my parents made the decision to come to Bogota because in that part of Huila there was lots of violence with the guerilla and the paramilitaries.

My mother explained to me that the guerilla almost took me; that’s why she did not let me turn ten there, because at that age the children are recruited and I almost was, thank God my family and I were able to leave that violence. Now I live in Cazuca where there is a different type of violence and you cannot be on the streets at tall hours of the night, because you can be robbed and killed for what you have and also, here too young people are taken away by groups called BACRIM2.

I study in a public school until mid-day and I would go home because my mother was afraid of me being in the streets, but I would be very bored. Then I met a teacher at the YMCA and he taught me many things that I could do in my free time, how to use dance to solve conflicts in my neighborhood, with the workshops I also learnt to do origami figures and he would explain to us their meaning in life and what we can learn from these figures and the coolest thing is that we make them with our hands, I never thought I couldn’t make such beautiful things; also with the workshops about sexuality I have learned to value my body and women and to not treat them like objects.

All of this has helped me to have the knowledge to

lead activities, to conform and coordinate a dance group, and as a leader I have felt strengthened in relation to the community, I have learnt to value life, now I know why my mother takes care of me so much and wouldn’t let me go out and so I try to make young people take care of themselves and not get involved in things that will ruin their lives. Now I also value my mother more and everything she has done for me. In YMCA I have been taught important things that I apply in my everyday life; in the midst of all the problems I have in my neighborhood I manage to be well and I even have a girlfriend whom I love and who loves me very much.

I remember one time when I arrived here, they killed a friend that was in a gang and it hurt me a lot because we were friends from school and it was ugly because it was a mistake, a friend of mine fought with another girl and when he tried to defend her he ended up hitting the girl, then the girl’s brother couldn’t stop himself and stabbed him with a tin and my friend bled out. When they told me that I cried a lot and I was at the funeral and afterwards I didn’t want to have best friends I just thought about killing those who were my enemies. Now it’s different, I have many friends and the will to keep going forward, because I realized that life is beautiful and that when you discover that you have qualities, others admire you and you gain the desire to live.”

YMCA Colombia Name of National YMCA: YMCA Colombia President: Cesar Dario Guisao Secretary-GeneralCEO: Alveiro Valencia Number of members of the Board: 10 members Number of direct participants in programs: 67,556 beneficiaries; 1,076 volunteers; 344 staff The major programs or projects: 85 programmes in 38 municipalities in Colombia.

1

Rural part of the department.

Urban criminal gangsconformed after the dismantling of the Paramilitary groups and of the organization of the Guerilla in the top marginalized areas of the principal cities of the country.

2

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Main target groups: 1. Home abandonment prevention program; 2. Civic empowerment and peace promotion; 3. Youth clubs and rural libraries; 4. Programs for special populations; 5. International programs; Camp counselors, leaders in training, campers, English camps.

YMCA

HAITI

r experience

ng he while discussi Gaëlle in 2012 CA Camp. at New York YM

Gaëlle Lubin

lle Lubin was on her way home from school when the earth started to shake. As she ran towards her house, she was stopped by friends who told her that a wall had collapsed on her house, trapping Gaelle’s mother and 2-year-old sister beneath the rubble.

Neighbours dug Gaëlle’s sister out from under the rubble two days later. She had a large gash on her face, but was otherwise okay.

Gaëlle’s mother did not survive the ordeal.

“It was so painful. I did not eat. Even now, I cry, thinking about it,” says Gaëlle, 16. “I did not want to live.”

With her house destroyed, Gaëlle was one of the 1,5 million displaced by the disaster, ultimately moving into a tent with her aunt, uncle and 12 other relatives. The tent was unbearably hot, and there were days when they did not have food or water.

For the first six months in the tent, Gaëlle kept to herself in the corner, crying, and often refusing to eat.

“She stayed alone, she would not even play with her friends,” says Gaëlle’s cousin Francelise Nommelus, 28, who also lived in the tent. “She would not talk to any of us about what she was feeling. She was just sad, all the time.”

Gaëlle did not attend school for several months after the earthquake, in part, because more than 80% of the schools in and around Port au Prince were destroyed. With diminishing spaces for youth, her relatives encouraged her to go to the YMCA, so that she would be around other children.

In April, Guerline Frederic, a Program Director at YMCA d’Haïti, asked Gaëlle if she wanted to go to New York as part of the Cabins of Hope summer camp program.

“Guerline told me that if I went, I would meet new friends, and it would help me feel better,” says Gaëlle. “I was still sad, but excited because it would be my first visit to the United States.”

In August 2010, Gaëlle and eight other youth selected by the YMCA of Haiti left Port au Prince for camp in Huguenot, New York. During her first few days at camp, Gaëlle spent a lot of her time alone, crying, because she was still thinking of her mother.

But she quickly made friends with the five other girls in her cabin. One of the camp counsellors, Lucy, spent a lot of time with Gaëlle encouraging her to participate in activities.

“I was sad in the beginning, but step by step, I started to feel better,” says Gaëlle. “The counsellors got me to play, to interact with others, and little by little, things got better.”

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YMCA PERU Name of National YMCA: Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes del Perú – YMCA PERU President: Gerardo Medina Paz Secretary-Genera/CEO: Edgardo Crovetto Moreno Number of members of the Board: 10 members Social Development Area: 2,801

While Gaëlle was in New York, she and the rest of the campers walked around Manhattan, went on a boat ride, took in a broad-way show, learned archery and jewellery making. Gaëlle enjoyed the various activities, but her favourite memory of her time in New York was her first day, because of the way she was welcomed by the camp counsellors and the other children, as if they were all family.

At the end of the two weeks, Gaëlle was happy to return to Haiti to see her family, but sad to leave the friends she had met at camp behind.

It was very hard to come back to Port au Prince, to return to living in a tent: “I came back to the same reality, not just living on the streets, but also being in the tent, which brought back the same memories of what had happened, of my mother’s death,” says Gaëlle.

Still, Francelise her tutor, says that when Gaëlle returned, she seemed happier.

“She was more joyful, and she played more with the other children,” says Francelise. “At camp, Gaelle learned how to make bracelets with plastic thread, and when she came back, she started making them for her friends.”

Guerline Frederic, as the Program and Activities Director also noticed a change in Gaëlle when she came returned to the YMCA for the afterschool program.

“Gaëlle was traumatised. Before, she used to stay in a corner crying. If you offered her food, she’d say, ‘I don’t want,’ or if she ate, she would just vomit,” says Guerline. “Now, she’s stopped crying. She says,

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‘The earthquake is behind me, my mom is behind me. I have my life and I have to live it.”

Gaëlle now lives with Francelise and Francelise’s three children in an apartment in Nazon. She still attends the YMCA’s afterschool program, and on afternoons, after finishing her homework and helping the younger children with theirs, she spends time with her friends. Like most teenage girls, when she is not with her friends at the YMCA, she is texting them.

Gaëlle cannot pinpoint what it was about her time at the camp that eased the deep pain caused by her mother’s death. She thinks it was simply that she was in a new environment, doing new things, and when she was playing with the other children, she did not have as much time to dwell on all that she had lost because of the earthquake. She also realised that her mother would not have wanted her to mourn forever.

“I still think of my mother, but not as often,” says Gaelle. “I think my mother would not want me to stay all alone crying. She would want me to go to school, to play, to live.”

In working with children and young adults at the YMCA, Guerline tries to enable them to realise their full potential so that despite their limitations they are able to go beyond the little that people tell them is possible.

“I think every child should have a dream, to have something to believe in,” says Guerline. “Though Haiti is poor, even though Haiti is damaged, if you have a dream, you will succeed.”

Non Formal Area: Summer Program: 8,141 people; Programs throughout the year: 1,800 families Number of direct participants in programs: Social Development Area:Entrepreneurs Club (youth economic initiatives) ; School of Leadership and Citizenship (citizenship education for young people) ;We Grow Happy (eradication of child labor);Accompanying Inclusive Business (sustaining formal enterprises created by women);Health Mission (promotion and health prevention) Non Formal Education Area: PRE – LEADER (Leadership Training Program for children under 13 years, currently have 20 participants;PRO - LEADER (Leadership Training Program for teens 14 to 18 years old, we currently have 270 participants); YMCA VOL (Leadership Training Program for young graduates of Pro Leader, between 18 to 25 years, we currently have 100 participants) YMCA LEADERS (Leadership Training Program for youth 18 to 25 years, we currently have 40 participants); YMCA VOL AM (Leadership Training Program for adults over 60 years, we currently have 40 participants) Social Development Area: The main target group is young people (15 to 29 years). But we also reach the second childhood (6 to 11 years), young and adult women (18 to 45 years) and early childhood (6 to 5 years) Non Formal Education Area: Infants 6 months to 5 years; Children 6 to 13 years; Youth 14 to 18 years; Young Adults 19 to 29 years; Adults 30 to 60 years;Elders from 61 years.

YMCA

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO The YMCA Youth Outreach Services continues to build the emotional, social and professional competence of youth in Trinidad and Tobago.

Our Projects and Programmes have always been innovative, dynamic, youth-led and radical.

MenTouring The YMCA’s MenTouring Programme was developed as a tool to address issues of male criminality and marginalisation. In MenTouring, male mentors work with male youth in an interactive circle of trust to facilitate dialogue on what it is to be a male in Trinidad and Tobago. In local cultures, the role and perception of masculinity has been limiting; providing both boys and men with few outlets for their mental and emotional development and positive expression. Although the programme was developed to target young men, girls have been included as this as an important factor when addressing issues of gender roles and interpersonal skills amongst peers.

The participants are also exposed to a variety of topics such as; sex and sexuality, relationships, gender roles and responsibilities, conflict resolution, self-esteem and self-confidence, peer pressure, school violence, aggression and other pertinent youth issues. These sessions help build a sense of morale and develop their decision making and rationalisation skills. With these valuable tools, the young men often find themselves better able to ascertain, bargain and negotiate on a myriad of issues concerning and affecting today’s youth.

Shoot To Live Shoot To Live is a component of the YMCA’s MenTouring Programme. Shoot To Live is a positive twist on the expression ‘shoot to kill’, an all too prevalent term in a society permeated by violence. Shoot To Live provides its participants with alternative avenues of self-expression. Using the shutter of camera to aim, target and capture societal images, the participants are taught a skill and encouraged to use this skill to tell a story.

The fifteen (15) week violence prevention initiative comprises sessions in MenTouring, and photography and video production which is used to document the

young men’s life through a ‘gendered lens’.

It provides an opportunity to build self-esteem and reflects the creative qualities of a talented youth.

To date, Shoot To Live has had 5 cycles with approximately 75 participants between the ages of 12-19 years who have created; 6 short films and 150 photographs that have toured Trinidad and Tobago. The participants were selected from Homes/Institutes such as; St. Michael’s School For Boys, Rainbow Rescue, CREDO Foundation and high-risk communities such as; Diego Martin –Patna Village/River Estate and Beetham Gardens.

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YMCA Ecuador

International Men’s Day The YMCA of Trinidad and Tobago in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) embarked on a quest to celebrate International Men’s Day 2011 with a week of key activities in Trinidad and Tobago. The theme for International Men’s Day 2011 was ‘Giving boys the best possible start in life’. The theme directly coincides with the YMCA’s mandate to develop the social and emotional competence of youth, in our quest to develop caring honest and responsible individuals through our outreach initiatives. Celebrating, congratulating and acknowledging men and boys for

Name of National YMCA: YMCA Ecuador

positive lifestyle choices were the key focal points of the various activities on the day.

International Men’s Day is celebrated annually on 19th November and was founded by a Trinidadian; Dr Jerome Teelucksingh in 1999. The significance of day is two-fold; it coincides with the birthday of Dr Teelucksingh’s father whom he reveres as a role model and the day the Strike Squad brought Trinidad and Tobago together in a way that transcended ethnicity, religious, race, cultural and political divisions.

HIV/AIDS For the past decade, the YMCA has been in the forefront of HIV and AIDS awareness in Trinidad and Tobago. During the 2011 World AIDS Day our HIV/AIDS awareness campaign themed ‘Give a Hand 4 HIV’ was a smashing hit!

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The HIV and AIDS information caravan was accompanied by a large canvas which the public was encouraged to decorate with a painted hand print, signifying their commitment in the social fight against HIV and AIDS.

Sheldon Francis

Cris “Kesz” Valdez a thirteen (13) year old Filipino boy was recently awarded the “Children’s Peace Prize” at a ceremony in The Hague. According to reports, at age two, Cris became a street kid. He slept in a coffin and old derelict vehicles and at age seven was astute enough to start a Foundation.

“The Championing Community Children Charity” was formed by Cris to raise funds to assist other street kids.

He was granted the award and was celebrated by Nobel Laureate, Desmond Tutu. The junior version of the Nobel Peace Prize carries a monetary award of one hundred and thirty thousand dollars. (US$130,000).

Sheldon Francis, now a thirty–two year old Trinidad and Tobago national, was not that fortunate at age thirteen but was just as determined, at that age, to succeed and leave the violence and tough street-life behind him. His story is one of ambition, determination, inspiration and strength.

Sheldon grew up on St Paul Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad, a tough neighborhood by any standard.

The sixth of twelve children, he attended Piccadilly Government Primary School, but failed to gain entry to the Secondary school system through the Common Entrance Examination.

He hit the streets after the Examination failure. He begged, pilfered and did all the things kids in similar situations do to survive. “Sometimes for six months I never returned home,” he said with a faint smile, no school, no father in the home and the chance of nothing to eat if he did return home.

While he was unsuccessful in his quest to enter secondary school, he passed the street test with distinction.

He battled successfully and became a trusted soldier after being forced to fight four older boys at one time to show both mental and physical strength. He earned his stripes.

“Many times my first meal was at 3pm.” For the family to eat he sometimes had to pick up scraps of vegetables at the farmers market, clean them off and present them to his mother for cooking. “My mother was poor but did what she had to do in order to keep us fed; I remain proud of her up to today, I got all my strength from her. As a single parent life for her was tough,” he added. He sadly stated that his mother passed away in 2008 when he was training to be a lifeguard.

“Hustling” on the street sometimes meant a bounty of thirty or forty dollars which could enable kids to feel on top of the world, ahead of the game, go to the movies and buy cigarettes. Colloquially, he asserts…….. ”Your blood gets sweet with thirty or forty dollars in your hand.”

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President: Mr. Vicente Veliz Secretary-General: Name: Architect Vicente Calderon Cedeño Number of members of the Board: 9 members Number of direct participants in programs: Childhood Program (6400 children) Youth Program (1200) Program Social control (500 leaders) Program for Women (2400 women) Program forsozo displacement (120 young) Schools (60 schools) Program Environmental (3000 habientantes) credit program (2500) The major programs or projects: Program for the Elimination of Child Labour, Economics Program CESOL popular, Monitoring Program of the rights of women, Program Social Control 11 policy National Plan for Good Living, Project educational and communicative by climate change, strengthening program Social networks in Portoviejo Main target groups: Women, children, youth, rural sector leaders, youth and families displaced from Colombia.

His chance to escape the tough life came when he was fourteen, three years after he hit the streets. He speaks highly of Gregory Sloane-Seale and Darryl Armstrong of the YMCA who found him through the Living Waters Community and whose mandate in their Outreach Program included rehabilitation of street kids.

In 1995 when, along with other kids, Sheldon was given the opportunity by the YMCA to leave the streets, he was at first apprehensive because he felt that the security offered in the wild might have been lost forever.

He endured and was introduced to the YMCA’s Street Children’s Program, a term he resents up to today “It’s a stigma that is difficult to shake off,” he says disparagingly. Upon the insistence of the participants it was eventually changed to Youth Outreach Program, for this Sheldon was extremely happy.

He attributes the work of the YMCA and the support of both Gregory Sloane-Seale and Darryl Armstrong for setting him on the path to a successful and now fulfilling life. He was taught to read and write, his selfconfidence and self-esteem are now awakened and restored and above all he now sees himself as a model citizen in a position to be a role-model for those at risk.

In 1995 he made a pact with his best friend Garnet Lake that they should never again beg anyone for anything ever in life. He boasts that to date he has kept to that “promise”, however, his friend was killed in 1998 and was therefore unable to sustain his side of the bargain. “He was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he asserts.

Sheldon visits his old neighborhood where he still has friends and family but admits that most of his friends are either dead or in jail.

Sometime later he was invited to the TV program Community Dateline with Alison Hennessey, “What gives you strength?” she asked, “ It is that pact that I made with my friend Garnet,” he said. “That keeps me on my toes.”

He recalls with pride his first opportunity to utilize his reading skills publicly, it was at The Poor Man’s Dinner in 1996. He stumbled over the word “PARTICIPATION.” Members of the audience tried prompting him, however, he was determined to work it out himself and after a few seconds and a successful struggle with syllables and phonetics, the audience applauded lustily. His confidence rose as the audience rose to its feet.

He was the first person to represent The YMCA of Trinidad and Tobago when he was awarded a scholarship to attend a two-month YMCA program in 1996 at a school in Black Mountain North Carolina. He participated in the sharing of cultural traditions, learnt about the mores of others around the world and was indeed richer for the experience.

His employment as a Swimming Instructor at the YMCA began in 1998 and continues up to today.This was interrupted in 2000 when he took the opportunity to visit his sister in the United States. After spending six months there he became convinced that he would have been able to make a more meaningful contribution in Trinidad and Tobago.

Of all the things said by this young man to me during my ninety minute discussion with him the one that stands out is this statement:…….“It took me four to five years to learn to smile. On the streets smiling is a sign of weakness, at the “ Y” I learnt to smile.” He added, “I was given twelve crying children in my first swimming class and the joy of instructing them successfully brought smiles to their faces and mine.”

Sheldon is now employed with the Ministry of Tourism as a Lifeguard at Maracas Bay on the North Coast of Trinidad. He speaks proudly about his wife Laverne an Administrative Assistant whom he married in July of this year. She is expecting their first child and they are building their home in East Trinidad. He is currently working towards his CXC passes in English and as he looks further ahead, he will be enrolling in an auto-diesel program at the University of The West Indies (UWI) next year.

“What would you have done differently I asked?” “Absolutely nothing,” he says.

“It was my destiny, I have lived it, and I can now show others how it is to be properly done”.

In my opinion, The ‘Y’ certainly gets an ‘A’.

Keith Toby October 3, 2012. Trinidad

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YMCA

URUGUAY

YMCA Social Programs The Area for Human Development (ADHU) is a specialised branch of the YMCA which regularly runs socio-community programs. It started its activities in the 1930’s and with various forms and denominations has continued until today, paying attention to and taking action in the most vulnerable social sectors. The YMCA is recognised as an institution committed to human development, with the ability to promote effective solidarity in Uruguayan society and therefore the ADHU has concrete actions that seek to contribute to the improvement in quality of many people’s lives. It is through this branch that the YMCA is active in the field of organised civil society, assuming a leading role in the development of social policies. In some cases this is done through an association with the State, third-sector organisations and with the support of international organisations.

These are the Community Programs currently in operation:

‘Salir al Sol’ (Go out in the sun): A project for teenagers that consists of the development and commercialisation of personal care accessories. From 2010, teenagers are in charge of production at the Youth House workshop experience. Their products are named ‘SAS’ after (Salir Al Sol). The Program includes Technical Training for product development and support in manufacturing and marketing.

Dr. Lorenzo Carnelli Square: This is a unique space for public use that emerges from the negotiations of the Board, General Management, and the Operations Management of the Unidad Centro (DowntownBranch). The YMCA brings to this completely renovated space their management experience in social programs related to work to their Human Development work. A specialised technical team trains and supervises the work of eight former-peddlers operating in the square, to do surveillance work, gardening, painting and maintenance.

Counseling to Children’s Centres: Since 1198 the YMCA has been working with civil associations that run CAIF centers in Montevideo and Canelones. They provide counseling in the organisational, legal, economic, educational and

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management aspects of the Center. Currently they provide counseling to more than 45 centers who take care of 2,700 children.

Uruguay Works: This is a safe-employment program within the Ministry’s Social Equity Plan, which promotes work as a socio-educational factor.

Currently two groups of 35 people between the age 18 and 60 do maintenance work in schools, UTU and secondary schools. This has a high impact in the community and also encourages them to participate in training workshops organised by our technicians.

Social Volunteer Program: Since 1997 the YMCA has trained over 50 young people per year to become social volunteers. Through an agreement with UNESCO further plans will see voluntary activities with children in public schools and a series of outreach efforts to encourage and promote the development of volunteer work. The training courses and the various activities are conducted in several parts of Montevideo and other places across the country.

‘El Propio’, Neighborhood Youth Center: This center is a point of reference for teenagers from 13 to 18 years old in the Buceo neighborhood. Group activities focus on individual needs, there is also tutoring support, computer workshops, swimming lessons in the East Branch (Unidad Portones), and camping trips. It is intended as a place for community integration where a diversity of situations of the area is taken care of.

Youth House Piedras Blancas, Neighborhood Youth Center: A socio-educational proposal aimed at teenagers aged 14 to 18 years, offering tutoring support, art and self-expression workshops, textile design, sports and recreation. This center is part of the work done by the YMCA in the area of Piedras Blancas, with young people in socio-educational, and cultural work.

YMCA Honduras Name of National YMCA: YMCA of Honduras President: Mr. Juan Blas Estrada Secretary General: Prof. Bruno Ernesto Lopez Morales Number of members of the Board: 7 members Number of direct participants in programs: In Honduras YMCA youth participating 2,292; 52% female; 48% male

‘Los Tejanitos’, Kids Club: This club

The major programs or projects: Prevention of violence ; Leadership and Leadership;Citizenship Education; Computer and Citizenship

provides care to children aged 6 -12 and includes group and individual activities. It is a place where integration and diversity, as core values,

Major target groups: The programs are aimed at young people aged 14 to 23 years.

help children become constructive citizens every day, learning to develop natural abilities and skills through integrated activities, educational, recreational and sports.

Center for Democracy of Information Technology: The aim of this program is to

Youth Employment, training and job placement: Since 1996 we have been training young people to improve their employability through courses developed in the Projoven area. Along with an interdisciplinary team, we annually train 80 people aged 18 to 24 years old accompanying them in the job placement process for a period of 10 months.

provide basic IT tools to people from 13 years-old onward. It has been in operation since 2007 in the YMCA facilities in La Teja where there is also “The Tejanitos” program.

d l r o w YMCA an historic day e g n e l l cha

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October 13th 2012, was an historic day for the YMCA movement.

More than 80 countries took part in the YMCA World Challenge, mobilizing millions of people in close to 1,000 local events on all continents.

The YMCA Family celebrated our work on empowering youth and transforming communities, by inviting the general public for a day of fun and joy with a lot of creativity.

As a common element in all events, people were invited to shoot basketballs and help the YMCA to set a world record to be confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records in the months to come.

From Canada to Australia, Ghana to Brazil, YMCAs all over the world found the most creative ways to engage local citizens in a global activity.

In Iceland, YMCA young leaders were mobilising people in places such as supermarkets. In Russia even a bride shot a ball into a hoop, interrupting her own wedding celebration to participate. In the Philippines and India, mobile basketballs went out to the streets in special vehicles. In Kenya, workshops for capacity building were organised and in Chile, Star Wars Characters participated in the promotion of the event. The examples are endless!

There is much to be told about the YMCA World Challenge.

Thousands of different stories will be shared over and over about what the YMCA achieved on that day.

It all started in 2010 when London Central YMCA and the English delegation to the YMCA World Council presented their idea of organizing a global event that could involve the whole global YMCA Family.

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In January 2011, that idea became the “YMCA Word Challenge – Hoop Springs Eternal”. The goal was about challenging all YMCAs around the world to organize events that could express the best of our YMCA programmes to their local communities and tell the YMCA story collectively on a global level for the first time.

The YMCA World Challenge was designed to be an integral part of the NEW WAY Strategic Plan and to support the process of “Waking Up the Sleeping Giant” - referring to our unlocked potential in globally coordinated efforts.

After months on the road, promoting the initiative, the YMCA family took the Challenge as a high priority and committed to delivering it fully. On October 13th, YMCAs in around 1,000 venues on 5 Continents took part, demonstrating a huge sense of unity on a day that we will all remember in the years to come.

The added element of a global basketball shoot to set a new world record was definitely a motivating factor and recalls our historic involvement in the creation of this sport. It has also enabled a partnership to be built between the World Alliance of YMCAs and both the International Federation of Basketball that and UNESCO, who announced their support earlier this year.

Behind the scenes the National YMCAs and World Alliance of YMCAs office worked very hard to energize the Challenge by connecting people in different ways via social media tools.

The World Alliance of YMCAs Facebook Page jumped from 2,500 likes to more than 20,000 in just a few weeks as result of intensive communication around the final steps of the preparation for the Challenge.

To further engage the enthusiasts of the Challenge, the Y-PHOTO project was launched and by the end of the World Challenge day more than 2,500 pictures from different events taking place around the world had been received. The Y-Photo is an innovative platform where people can send pictures in real time to one e-mail address. After that, in a matter of minutes, the picture is published on several social media platforms.

Similarly, Y-MIX requested music submissions from all the different countries around the world, in order to establish a “Challenge Radio”. More than 100 songs were submitted and among them “Hoop Springs Eternal” a new YMCA song specially produced for the YMCA World Challenge by London Central YMCA, the local association that also created the challenge idea.

To complete the interactive elements the Y-PASS video was launched on October 12th, compiling videos produced by young people passing a basketball from one country to another in a very fun way.

Several YMCAs reported live Internet connections with peer YMCAs around the globe as well as success stories in fundraising and partnerships.

The world record verification process has already started and will take few months to be completed. The World Alliance of YMCAs will release preliminary results from each country as the YMCA national offices provide the information.

In January 2013, the Guinness Book of Records will receive the full documentation for verification and consideration of the establishment of a new world record.

Well-done YMCA! We did it!

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December 2012 • YMCA WORLD • www.ymca.int