Strengthening YMCA collaboration across Europe through Nordic engagements: expanding cooperation in sport, youth work, advocacy and project development through coordinated meetings in Sweden and Finland.
Between 24–26 November, Marius Pop, Executive Secretary for Communications and Partnerships, and Jessica Woitalla, Project Manager, visited Stockholm for the second meeting of the emerging B4 Initiative, a growing network connecting YMCAs that run basketball as a central activity.
Representatives from YMCA Central (Sweden), YMCA Helsinki (Finland), YMCA Thessaloniki (Greece) and YMCA Siderno (Italy) took part, following the first gathering held earlier this year in Thessaloniki.
The B4 initiative* builds on a powerful legacy: basketball was created in 1891 at the YMCA by Dr James Naismith, and today the Movement continues to use sport as a platform for inclusion, personal development and community impact.
Meeting the Leadership of YMCA Central (Sweden)
During the Stockholm visit, our team met with the leadership of YMCA (KFUM) Central to explore their ongoing programmes and the strong role basketball plays in their youth work. The discussions highlighted how sport is used to build community ties, support young people’s development and address social challenges.
Jessica delivered a comprehensive overview of European funding opportunities for youth and sport, with a particular focus on Erasmus+, capacity-building possibilities and other EU instruments accessible to local YMCAs. Marius introduced additional partnership opportunities, including the HP HOPE initiative, digital equity projects and potential mini-grants for organisations working in underserved communities.
These exchanges helped identify concrete pathways for collaboration and demonstrated how shared resources and coordinated efforts can amplify local impact.
During the Stockholm visit, the delegation also met with the leadership of the National YMCA Movement in Sweden at their headquarters. Discussions lead by Alexander Clemenson, YMCA Sweden`s Secretary General – focused on strengthening cooperation across several strategic areas, including advocacy, movement development, Erasmus+ opportunities and digital equity. The exchanges reaffirmed a shared commitment to expand collaboration and deepen the contribution of YMCAs to young people across the region.
Programme Continuation in Helsinki (26–28 November)
From 26–28 November, the programme continued in Finland, where YMCA Helsinki hosted a series of meetings combining strategic discussions, field visits and partnership planning.
The delegation visited the Namika Arena, one of Helsinki’s key youth and sports facilities, gaining insight into their model of engaging young people through sport, leadership development and community-based programmes.
Beyond the site visit, there were extensive discussions on youth work methodology, community outreach and programme design.
The four YMCAs also explored their joint participation in the Basketball Festival hosted by YMCA Helsinki in May 2026, where organisers expect around 150 teams to take part. This event will serve as a practical continuation of the B4 collaboration and a strong platform to promote YMCA values through sport.
Strengthening Cooperation with YMCA Finland
We had the opportunity to meet Juha Virtanen, Secretary General of YMCA Finland, together with key members of the national leadership team. The discussions offered a clear overview of their priorities, ongoing programmes and strategic direction, creating a strong foundation for deeper cooperation in the period ahead. Among the topics discussed:
• reciprocal support between YMCA Finland and YMCA Europe
• joint efforts to support YMCA Ukraine
• opportunities for cooperation in sport, camps, training and project design
• preparing joint Erasmus+ applications
• connecting local youth work initiatives with European-level opportunities
iWall as a Tool for Modern Youth Work and Sport
A parallel session with iWall provided a hands-on overview of digital engagement tools and their potential to support sports education and broader youth participation. Following the presentation, Marius and Jessica – together with Juha Kauppinen, Co-Founder of CSE Entertainment Ltd – had the opportunity to test the iWall system directly.
The platform, which combines movement-based gaming with physical activity and skill development, showed strong potential as an engaging tool that could be used by YMCAs across Europe to promote active lifestyles, inclusion and digital innovation in their daily programmes.
Looking Ahead
These Nordic engagements represent an important step towards a more coordinated and ambitious collaboration among YMCAs working in sport and youth development. They also reinforce the role of YMCA Europe in supporting national movements through partnership building, funding guidance and programme innovation.
At the same time, the continued development of the B4 initiative highlights a broader perspective: basketball within the YMCA is not only a recreational activity. For many young people, it becomes a pathway toward future opportunities – from professional careers in sport to coaching, youth leadership, sports management and community work. Strengthening these programmes means strengthening the future of work for hundreds of beneficiaries who discover their potential through the YMCA’s sports ecosystem.
YMCA Europe will continue to foster these connections, strengthen cooperation and promote impactful initiatives that reflect the Movement’s mission and long-term vision.
* The “B4” name reflects both its origins: Basketball and the four founding YMCAs of Thessaloniki, Siderno, Helsinki and Stockholm – and its vision: Building Basketball Beyond Borders, a play on “before” and “be for”, symbolising preparation, teamwork and the spirit that comes before every win.
