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YMCA provides leadership on climate change A guide for young people to take leadership in addressing climate change is being developed by six of the biggest youth organisations in the world. The organisations, under the banner, Alliance of Youth CEOs (AYCEO) in partnership with UNICEF, UNDP, and the UN Youth Focal Point held a three-day workshop from April 3-5, 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland. UNICEF and Alliance of Youth CEOs Develop Training Manual on Climate Change
The workshop was aimed at producing a gender-sensitive guidance document for youth leaders, youth workers and animators, to help children and young people learn more about and develop skills to take local action to address the impact of changing local and global environmental conditions. This document will also help organisations to clarify and implement key messages and environmental threats to child health. Why Climate Change? Evidence is growing that climate change is contributing to the burden of diseases. By altering weather patterns and disturbing life-supporting natural systems, climate change threatens the three basic determinants for good health - air, water and food. It thus potentially makes every one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) less achievable, slowing efforts to eradicate poverty, improve health and protect the environment. The poorest in developing countries will suffer most. Hundreds of millions of people could suffer hunger, water shortages and coastal flooding. As rains fall, crops will wither and livestock will die, exposing children to starvation and diminishing water supplies for drinking and hygiene. Outcome of the Workshop A document titled: 'Climate Change: Take Action Now - A Guide to Empowering Young People to Protect the Earth,' is expected to be released by the end of 2008. This document will include simple activities and resources both for young people and those who work with young people to be able to facilitate active steps towards climate change issues. Case studies of the effect of climate change as well as some actions by young people in some parts of the world will also be highlighted. Our Call The World Alliance of YMCAs supports the development of this document and is fully participating in the design. content and layout of the materials to reflect a youthful resource tool that will make an impact in any region of the world. The World Alliance also recognises that many YMCAs around the world are already making some great achievements in addressing climate change and environmental issues. In order to make this work even better, we call on all YMCAs to contribute to the preparation of this resource by providing case studies, group activities, songs , poems, art, photos and videos as well as other relevant materials to be submitted to the drafting team for consideration. Note: The Alliance of Youth CEOs comprises of the World YWCA, World Organisation of the Scout Movement, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, International Federation of the Red Cross and the International Award Association and the World Alliance of YMCAs. The Alliance is commonly referred to as the 'Big 6'.
YMCA Scotland condemns bomb attack on Gaza YMCA YMCA Scotland strongly condemns the recent bomb attack on Gaza YMCA. The YMCA in Gaza has been the victim of a bomb attack, committed by unidentified gunmen in the early hours of 15th February. Unarmed guards were taken outside after which the YMCA library was totally destroyed by the bomb blast. Amazingly, no-one was hurt. YMCA Scotland condemns the targeting of a facility serving not only those in greatest need but also those from all backgrounds and persuasions in the community. We stand together with our colleagues in GAza against all violence regardless of source or politics and we urge the British government to make the strongest possible intervention in support of this position. More information on the attack can be viewed at: World Alliance Youth Work and Schools YMCA Scotland hosted a one-day workshop event on Monday 5th November 2007 at the Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor Hotel on the subject of Youth Work and Schools. The event sought to bring together a wide range of selected stakeholders to begin a discussion on how to broaden and promote effective partnerships between youth work and schools. A publication has now been produced entitled, "Youth Work and Schools: The Task Ahead" summarising discussions both from the conference event and over the subsequent three months. The document includes a wide variety of issues and questions that face us as we embark on this journey in Scotland. Copies of the above document are available from YMCA Scotland. To view a copy online click on the picture below or to request a hard copy please contact 0131 228 1464.
YMCA College Highly Praised in NYA Report YMCA George Williams College has been placed in the highest category of recognition by the National Youth Agency. In the NYA's latest annual monitoring of youth and community work training programmes, it placed the college's undergraduate qualifying programmes in the top category Satisfactory with Distinction. This is the first year that the agency has awarded specific grades of award, and it placed YMCA George Williams College at the forefront of qualifying programmes for youth and community work nationally. In the commendation states that the college is '...maintaining an excellent level of recruitment to this programme. 'Retention levels are generally very good, with students well supported. It is noted that the programme continues to make a contribution to the widening participation agenda in terms of qualification at entry and ethnicity. 'The very strong JNC qualified team is clearly a valuable asset which provides students with an excellent learning experience delivered by supportive tutors. You provided good evidence of the importance of the student voice in relation to the course. 'You are commended on the CeVe endorsed certificate for fieldwork supervisors which ensures good levels of understanding by supervisors and contributes to a high quality professional environment for students.'
On Wednesday 31st October YMCA Scotland hosted a unique reception in the Scottish Parliament led totally by a group of twenty young adults from Kirkcaldy, Perth and Bellshill. The group spent a busy morning training and preparing for the event focusing on issues pertinent to the young people in their local communities. All youth work staff were banned from Committee Room 2 in the Parliament while the young people welcomed and organised their politicians into groups for some in depth discussion. The event was sponsored by Jeremy Purvis MSP, Lib Dem shadow spokesperson for young people. Thank you Jeremy.
YMCA Scotland would wish to offer a warm welcome to a number of new staff joining the movement. YMCA welcomes Leigh Gerhardt as the newly appointed Centre Director at Penicuik YMCA. YMCA welcomes Joe Connelly who joined YMCA Glasgow in September as their new Chief Executive Officer. YMCA welcomes Jeanette Third who joined our Youth Work team here at YMCA Scotland in August. Attracting staff with such significant experience and skills will clearly benefit the Scottish YMCA movement. Wiston Lodge launches out as independent charity On Thursday 14th June 2007 YMCA Scotland concluded the sale of the centre at Wiston Lodge to a new charity. The sale was the culmination of a year of consultation and consideration of options for the centre which has been part of the YMCA Scotland stable for many years. A strategic review of YMCA provision and priorities concluded that the organisation needed to focus upon support to youth work across the local YMCA network. Subsequently the decision was taken to withdraw from the provision at Wiston Lodge. YMCA Scotland was committed to finding a solution that retained the facility for the use of children and young people and the formation of a new Board of management and separate charitable status has enabled this to happen. All at YMCA Scotland would wish the new management at Wiston Lodge every success as they embark on an exciting new future. To visit Wiston Lodge's new website please click here.
YMCA National Assembly 2007 The National Assembly weekend in March followed the theme of the election year and the capacity crowd worked hard from Friday to Sunday to prepare issues and questions for a unique hustings event with politicians. Almost 80 delegates pushed the venue at Kindrogan to it's limits reinforcing the recent nature of the residential as largely a YMCA youth event. The initial session encouraged young people to see that they can effect real change and a DVD was launched by Bellshill YMCA showing footage of interviews carried out by young people with over 100 other young people on the streets. A series of groupwork sessions on Friday and Saturday developed issues of importance to delegates which were then worked up into questions for the politicians. After a lot of hard work some light relief was provided on Saturday evening when groups proved their creativity in many weird and wonderful ways as they presented a series of new laws for Scotland. Images of Declan as an old woman and Grant just back from Amsterdam may disturb us for some time to come! Perth YMCA erected their mobile football stadium on the front grass hosting a tournament on the Saturday which was very ably won by a group of talented veterans who shall remain unnamed yet who can truly hold their heads high in the YMCA. The highlight of the weekend was without doubt the hustings debate ably chaired by our President, Ted. He had the unenviable task of not only controlling 80 very confident young people but keeping the politicians in check. Politicians came from Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour and the SNP and we were genuinely impressed at their determination to battle through the early morning snow. An initial focus on youth justice and policing issues set us on a wide and varied path but one which involved many, many young people addressing their questions and follow up points to the politicians. It was agreed by all afterwards that the debate had been really good and two of the MSP's confirmed that it had been the best hustings they had attended this year. The Assembly finished with a really enthusiastic time of praise and worship very aptly setting the weekend into context. Thanks for a great weekend must be due to several individuals who played key roles but most of all to the delegates who made it the huge success it was...thank you! To listen to the Sunday debate click here
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