Unify Conference 2026: 146 Representatives, 30+ Nations, One Shared Mission From 5 to 8 March 2026, Budapest hosted the Unify Conference, bringing together 146 representatives from YMCAs across Europe and beyond. The event was hosted by YMCA Hungary and centred on the theme: “Beyond Barriers: Bold Steps with Christ.” YMCA was founded in 1844 with…
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From YMCA Participant to Community Leader: Nazar Levchuk’s Journey at the YMCA-HP Digital Hub in Ternopil, Ukraine Nazar is a young leader from YMCA Ternopil whose journey reflects how access to learning opportunities, mentorship, and digital tools can empower young people to develop ideas and take initiative in their communities. Over the past years, Nazar…
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From 6–8 March, YMCA leaders, staff and young people from across Scotland gathered for GEN26 — YMCA Scotland’s General Assembly and the first national gathering under the GEN26 name. Over three engaging days, local YMCAs came together to share experiences, strengthen connections, and explore new ways to deepen their impact for young people and communities.…
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Following his recent appointment to the Council of Europe’s Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ), YMCA Europe’s representative Dragoș Tarța has been entrusted with leading the Access to Rights and Social Rights portfolio for the 2026–2027 mandate. The role places him at the centre of the Council of Europe’s youth policy discussions on equality, dignity, and…
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YMCA Europe joined YMCA Ukraine National Training: “Empowering Youth through Cooperation and Solidarity.” Our colleagues – Alina Pop, Organizational Development Director, and Dragos Tarta, Advocacy Lead, visited YMCA Ukraine during their National Training, a three-day event organised in Kyiv – reuniting national and local leadership of the Ukrainian YMCA movement, exploring best practices, future projects…
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Some partnerships are transactional. Others are transformational. The collaboration between HP and YMCA Europe belongs firmly in the second category – a strategic, multi-programme commitment rooted in a shared conviction: that technology must serve people, and that the digital economy must work for everyone, not just the privileged few. Shared Values, Shared Goals HP’s global…
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Every young person deserves a fair chance in the digital world. Yet for millions across Europe – refugees, young people from rural communities, those facing unemployment or social exclusion – a laptop remains out of reach, and with it, the skills and confidence to build a better future. That is precisely the gap that HP…
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A few weeks ago, YMCA Europe joined the National Championship of the VEX Robotics Competition, organised by our Belgian partner FuturesUs. What we witnessed went far beyond a robotics contest. There were intense matches, coding under pressure and last-minute technical adjustments. But more importantly, there was teamwork. Young people coordinating strategy. Testing ideas. Solving problems…
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February 25th, YMCA Europe participated in the stakeholder dialogue of the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) at the European Parliament, contributing to the discussion on the future of the Erasmus+ 2028–2034 programme, with a particular focus on volunteering. Jessica Woitalla represented our network, bringing forward the experience of YMCAs across Europe in delivering non-formal…
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YMCA Europe visited H20 Esports Campus in Purmerend (Netherlands) to better understand how gaming and creative technology can be intentionally structured as pathways toward skills development and youth empowerment. H20 operates as a Creative Tech and Gaming Campus where esports competitions coexist with training environments in streaming, content creation, game development, robotics and AI-related learning.…
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