"The YES seminar gave me an opportunity to express myself in a safe place where I felt like my opinions were valued". BOOM! People often ask what YES is all about, to me that sentence, that came up in one of the evaluation forms after YES’s Paths to Progress seminar in Tallinn this May, sums it up quite well.
YES gets bigger and stronger with every year that passes. This seminar was a clear indicator of that. With 50 participants, representing 27 different countries, it is obvious that national movements agree with the importance of bringing young people to the table to take an active part in decision making for our movement. The seminar was a good tool to do exactly that, on a European level, since it was held in the days leading up to YMCA Europe’s (YE) General Assembly (GA) and then joined in with the GA when it started. In total, YES represented 40% of the GA this year, and the total amount of GA participants under the age of 30 (already YES members or not) was even higher.
During the seminar, which was funded by EU’s Erasmus+ programme, the main priority was to prepare the participants for taking part in the GA. 80% of the group were attending their first YES event and their first YE GA, so it could be assumed that the seminar would mostly be about answering basic questions and having rather simple discussions. That was not the case! From day one the participants were there to learn, discuss, dig deep and make a difference. The atmosphere was amazing.
"What is a strategy, why is it important and how do you create a successful strategy" were among the questions we asked ourselves during the four days we spent together. Several methods were used to engage the participants and create a space for them to speak up. If it was during the World Café, where ideas for the YMCA were tossed around, during the sessions where the previous YE strategy was analysed, the Open Space session where we looked at the future of YES, within the home groups, in conversations between the appointed partners for the week, in any other of our sessions or just during lunch breaks or at the end of the night, creative ideas were flowing and the sky was truly the limit.
To get a better understanding of our wider movement, representatives from YE’s Ten Sing Group and the Christian Orientation Group took time to meet with the participants and talk about the work they do. The YE president, Ed Eggink, also took time out of his busy schedule to sit down with us for two hours one morning, answering questions and tossing ideas around with the participants.
At the end of the seminar, all participants designed their own Youth Pass, based on what they had learned during our days together. The Youth Pass is a certificate recognised by the EU and signed by those responsible for the seminar. It was very inspiring to see the different things the participants took away with them. A better understanding of the movement, ideas to implement on their local levels and the motivation to make a difference, to name a few. All participants also mentioned how they had gained a deeper cultural awareness and respect or in some way or another, a valuable experience in regards to international relations.
The seminar was a great success, of course the participants were the biggest contributors to making that happen but another big factor was our guest facilitator, Philip Wilkinson OBE, who is a high level world expert in strategy making. He is a Strategic Security Consultant with a very impressive resume, a head packed with knowledge and some absolutely remarkable stories that made our jaws drop, more than once. Philip served in the British army for 31 years, taught at Kings College in London and has worked for the British government for years, mainly as advisor and as their representative in post conflict areas to help create sustainable and peaceful societies, to name a few. Wow! He has worked as a high level security policy advisors to national leaders around the world, for example in Bosnia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Palestine and Iraq, and now to the young leaders of YMCA Europe.
Philip joined us for two days and led the participants through strategy planning, step by step, as well as offering his advice and support when needed. It was a proud moment when Philip was saying his goodbyes after two wonderful days with the group. Hearing a man of such high profile express how impressed he is with the young leadership of our movement truly gave an extra boost for the days that followed, and is something I will personally carry in my heart forever.
Philip made a point not to learn about the YMCA prior to coming to the seminar in Estonia, to be in a better position to help participants look beyond the structure we already have and hopefully encourage new ways of looking at our movement.
The unity, dynamic and passion within the group was absolutely fabulous and gave a clear indication to the great job our movement is doing all around Europe, and it made us all excited for the upcoming years, especially with plans and discussions regarding the new YE strategy underway.
"The YMCA is about empowering young people, so that they can be a force for good in their respective societies and internationally" is the mission statement Philip put together and left us with after his time with us. It’s simple and strong. In my opinion, he nailed it!
