A next step was made towards setting common standards for YMCA camps in Europe. From 3rd to 6th of October was held a meeting of the group of YMCA leaders involved in the programme initiative that aims at making camping better known form of education in Europe. The meeting was also attended by high-rank representative of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Education of Kosovo with intention of support the implementation of the programme in Kosovo.
In impressive historical – and very alive – building of Thessaloniki YMCA met representatives of several European movements (YMCA Denmark, YMCA Macedonia, YMCA Greece, George Williams Association in Kosovo, YMCA Netherlands), who together with YMCA Europe staff worked out a general plan of development till 2016: the main objectives, advantages and challenges were defined as well as follow-up course of actions was agreed.
One of the particular outcome was the overview and comparison of training systems that are in use in various European YMCA movements. They present a lot of common features and some can be adopted as a common European YMCA methodology in this programme area.
Another key objectives of the meeting was planning a training for camp instructors in Sep. 2014, which will run according to elaborated common methodology. Due to this purpose the team visited the YMCA camping site in Halkidiki peninsula, which supposed to be the venue of this event. The scenic location as well as the facilities itself make this place perfect for the planned training and for visionary thinking for the future. Being there we had the feeling that some closed windows soon will be widely open, at least within YMCA camping programmes around whole Europe 🙂
A group of people gathered around the idea started to work and it is expected that the formed team will be growing together with its extension.
Adam Rychlik & Michal Szymanczak – YMCA Europe
