David spoke to us about the upcoming YMCA in the Tri-Cities.....You can really hear the passion in his voice. Thanks David for telling us about your work and the work of the YMCA. Great job.
Rotary and the YMCA share common values, long histories and are both sustained by people of action, looking outward across local and global communities to solve problems and take action to create lasting change.
In his presentation David shared a list of commonalities between the two volunteer led organizations, some history of the YMCA, and the issues the YMCA is working to solve. He also shared the plans to begin to serve the Tri-Cities in a much bigger way from a new YMCA facility to be built in Burquitlam. He supplied this text for the newletter.
"Today's families are vulnerable, facing more barriers to success than previous generations, the high cost of living, and lack of affordable programs and services prevents them from reaching their potential. The health of people is also in decline, with kids less and less active and chronic disease on the rise. Isolation is affecting 50% of those living in the lower mainland, preventing them from thriving and creating a hardening of attitudes that disrupts community.
The YMCA is here to address these issue and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full potential and thrive.
The YMCA is perhaps the one charity with a mission for Children and Youth that supports the whole community. Beginning at a young age we provide activities, socialization, swim lessons, camps and sports to kids, and building connections between kids and families. As youth grow and develop they need a place that welcomes them, connects them with others and give them the skills they need to thrive in a changing world. Through their good and difficult times the YMCA is there for youth providing meaningful connections and growth opportunities. We are often the first place youth find volunteer opportunities and first jobs; volunteering and working as children’s program instructors, day camp counsellors, swim instructors and lifeguards provides responsibility and leadership skills that transfer easily into their chosen careers.
Like Rotary, the YMCA is a worldwide movement to fill needs in communities. Through the YMCA World Alliance YMCAs in developed countries help YMCAs around the world to have great impact in their communities. In recent years our YMCA has had partnerships with YMCAs in Ethiopia and Ecuador, launching training programs, delivering computers and health equipment, building schools and fighting AIDS.
Locally, in the Tri-Cities we host community based, medically supervised programs for people recovering from heart attack and stroke, we give students an opportunity to solve the issues that see them suspended or at risk of suspension from school, and we have trained high school counsellors to lead a YMCA developed program to reduce anxiety and address emerging mental health issues in teens and youth.
A YMCA “Centre of Community”, the facility we will open in Burquitlam, will be an open, welcoming, shared community space that will become the YMCA's Hub from which to serve. Whether new to Canada, a single parent, a senior, or someone who was born and raised in the lower mainland – people of all ages, abilities, income levels, races, genders, sexual orientation and religions will be welcomed to come together to create a supportive community, and to give back to community.
The YMCA is led by volunteers, serving both at a board and day to day programming levels, where volunteers lead and serve in children’s programs, adult programs, and around the community.
Locally the YMCA serves at over 200 locations from Sechelt to Hope, with programs to improve the lives of many. These include:
• Health, Fitness and Aquatics
• Child Care
• Summer Camps and Outdoor Education
• Child & Family Development
• Health Management
• Youth Engagement
• Education and Training
• Employment Services
• Immigrant Services
• Global Initiatives
• Health, Fitness and Aquatics
• Child Care
• Summer Camps and Outdoor Education
• Child & Family Development
• Health Management
• Youth Engagement
• Education and Training
• Employment Services
• Immigrant Services
• Global Initiatives
Since its inception in London England 175 years ago the YMCA has sought to be innovative and fill needs in community. We continue this approach today, with YMCAs creating and sharing countless programs that other YMCAs can adopt to address needs unique to their local communities.