This event, organized in Stavanger, Norway, from March 9th to 11th, was an opportunity of overviewing the current status of relationships between YMCA and Y’s Men in Europe and consideration the development of collaboration, which would be based on previous best experience of cooperation on various levels and within specific projects.
For obvious reason, the majority of ACM agenda contained items that are valid for functioning the YMI, Area Europe. However, the address of YMCA Europe representative (Adam Rychlik, executive secretary was delegated) obtained appropriate time and attention. The issues, which were raised in the presentation, were reflected also in small group work as well as in side-discussions held over the meeting.
An important part of the address was the vision of strengthening Y’s Men – YMCA with pinpointing expected outcome, which are beneficial for both partners ("win-win" option). As possible fields of common work YMCA Europe proposes:
- Assistance in building Y’s Men’s Club network in the countries, where YMCA Europe runs movement-strengthening work: fostering, revitalizing or setting Y’s Men – YMCA network in such countries as in Italy, Belarus, Latvia and Poland.
- Assistance in building networking of Men’s Clubs with similar structural YMCA – service in such countries as Germany.
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Using the capacity of YMCA and Y’s Men in the countries (e.g. Lithuania, Kosovo) that are outstanding beneficiaries of previous YE projects supported by Y’s Men International for dissemination proved patterns in neighbouring countries.
We are neither in the beginning nor in the final stage of walking together. Shaping productive, "win-win", relationships is a process, which needs patience and determination at efforts to achieve the goals. Eagerness, experience and ideas are already in place – that what we seek is further common work within concrete projects. Some are already designed, Hopefully passing to implementation is a matter of time.
Y’s Men International (Y Service Clubs International) is oriented to serving the worldwide YMCA and the communities in which it is present throughout the world. The membership of the Association consists of affiliated local clubs known as Y’s Men’s Clubs, Y’s Women’s Clubs, Y’s Men and Women’s Clubs or Y Service Clubs. The membership of each local club consists of men or women or both. No one is denied membership status because of race, creed, colour or national origin.
The first Y’s Men’s Club Founded in Toledo, Ohio, USA in 1922 to support a local YMCA. Since that time Y’s Men movement has grown and developed into worldwide organisation – Y’s Men International. The organisation is now oriented to serving the worldwide YMCA, and through it the communities in which it is present throughout the world. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
As Y’s Men International is a world-wide fellowship of persons of all faiths working constructively together, based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, in partnership with and supporting the YMCA, its mission is to strive through active service to develop, encourage and provide leadership to build a better world for all humankind.
More information about the Y’s Men International
http://www.ysmeneurope.org/frontpage/
http://www.ysmen.org/
