YMCA World - Dec. 2011

YMCAwORLDwww.ymca.int

Young People: Breaking barriers and transforming their communities

N2 D

ecemb

er 2011

Greetings from the Secretary General P 4

Transforming Lives P 5

School of Peace stories from SOP participants P 8

YMCA Australia P 10

YMCA Hong Kong P 12

YMCA India P 13

YMCA Japan P 16

YMCA Philippines P 17

YMCA Sri Lanka P 18

YMCA Green Team Transforming behaviors for a sustainable future P 19

YMCA Alternative Tourism in Asia and Pacific P 20

YMCA World Challenge P 26

YMCA WORLD No 2 December 2011

A biannual publication of the World Alliance of YMCAs. Published in English and Spanish.

President: Mr. Ken Colloton Secretary General: Rev. Dr. Johan Vilhelm Eltvik

12, Clos Belmont, 1208 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: (+41 22) 8495100 Fax: (+41 22) 8495110 Email: office ymca.int Website: www.ymca.int Facebook.com/ymcas Twitter: www.twitter.com/ymcaint

Editor: Carlos Sanvee Editorial Assistant & Distribution: Suzanne Watson Graphic Design: Messaggio Studio Resource Material: Claude-Alain Danthe, Jose Varghese, APAY

2 DECEMBER 11 YMCA WORLD www.ymca.int

EditorialI recall the story of when Jesus and his disciples went through a grain field on a Sabbath day and the disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate (Luke 6, 1- 4). Certain of the Pharisees around them were not happy to see a religious barrier broken and they complained. Then Jesus told them a story of David who also broke another strong religious barrier by eating the showbread in the temple when he and his companions were hungry. The bottom line of the story is that for Jesus the wellbeing and welfare of Gods creation is more important than the rules and the System which most of the time protect the powerful.

The world is facing an unprecedented mobilisation of young people who are breaking barriers to restore their dignity and transform their communities. We were overwhelmed by the Youth mobilisation for what is now called the Arab Spring. We are also witnessing the movement of the Indignant protesters against corporate greed. Those young people are claiming more social and economic justice and a better governance of the public sphere and the world.

Who could imagine such mass mobilisation of Youth voice before? At the time when the international institutions and the club of powerful people and countries are creating more barriers, new borders and walls to protect the interest of the few, the youth are breaking the barriers of silence, apathy and institutional compliance to the established unjust and unfair orders. The YMCA in its own way is contributing to building a new generation of young leaders who will be agents of the social transformation the world needs.

This issue of YMCA World focuses on the YMCAs in Asia and the Pacific (APAY) region. In our world family the YMCAs in that region are the champions of Global Citizen Education and well known for their outstanding contribution to civil society processes that restore the dignity of the human being in their respective countries.

The Asia and Pacific region is perhaps the most affected region of the world by the side effects of globalization as it has led to the undermining of its rich multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-lingual and multi-ethnic societies. The APAY has reported

that Globalization has adversely affected Asian cultures by erasing their diversities and richness and bringing home a homogenous western dominated global culture. Since 1995 the APAY has focused its discussion on analyzing and understanding this phenomenon with the help of scholars and experts on the subject.

As the largest youth organization in the world, the YMCA forms an important part of civil society because it represents the interests of the youth and the people it serves. Hence the YMCA is obliged to play a significant role in strengthening civil society to ensure that justice and peace are not just theoretical concepts.

Experiences related in this magazine from Korea, Changmai, Sri Lanka, etc. illustrate the striving of our movement to equip the youth with voice and space so that they can transform their Communities.

Even though breaking barriers might seem negative and provocative it is time for our Worldwide movement to go back to its roots and be more innovative and unconventional in addressing the root causes of injustice, exclusion and vulnerability.

The Youth empowerment agenda of the World Alliance calls for the creation of spaces for young people to realise their full potential of co-creator with God for a better world where those who have and those who dont have are simply human with the same rights and responsibilities and privileges to keep the Earth a safe place for all.

CarlosSanvee December 2011

S

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Demonstrators from the 15M

movement walk down Madrids

Gran Via street, one of the main

avenues of the Spanish capital

www.ymca.int YMCA WORLD DeCeMbeR 11 3

Greetings from Johan and Ken, a marvellous yearit has been a marvellous year! Ken started just after Hong Kong and I came on board a bit later, and from January 1st we have walked together, Ken and I, on the NEW WAY. And we have found that more and more people are joining us on the NEW WAY.

It has been a marvellous year because of the strong youth energy in the movement since Hong Kong. In the spring I travelled all over the American continent and from there directly to Africa and soon thereafter Europe. Wherever I went we talked about Youth Empowerment and the wish to make YMCA the leading movement in the world for youth issues and a relevant place for young people to find their own voice and influence their own lives, and the communities where they live.

In Africa the Subject to Citizen, S2C, programme is growing fast and mobilizing thousands of young leaders for the African Renaissance, we will soon see a million young Africans marching together for peace and dignity, for justice and hope.

Ken travelled to Latin America and Caribbean and met the same realities, a strong youth focus around Lideres, their famous leadership development programme.

In September Fernando and I almost disappeared in mud and clay as we helped Nishi from YsMen to plant Mangrove trees in the centre of Penang, Malaysia together with 200 young YMCA leaders from Asia and Pacific. APAY had their General Assembly and the days before a great youth conference. I loved to be there with these fantastic inspiring young leaders and the assembly itself focused on youth issues and Global Citizenship as I have never experienced before.

When the travel routes of Ken and I again crossed one another, the place was San Francisco and the time was late October the International Conference of Mexico, USA and Canada. 400 people saw the youth programmes of San Francisco YMCA and shared experiences and inspired one another to see that we are first of all a youth movement.

Of course we are so much more, and we all love this rich diversity, but the flag we are sailing under is the flag of the leading youth movement in the world YMCA. In 2013 we shall again experience the magnificent manifestation of Youth Empowerment in Prague, on the European YMCA Youth Festival.

It has been a marvellous year because of the strong links with YsMen International, with NAYDO (North American YMCA Developers Organization) and with World Urban Network, with whom we have now signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Thank you Peter and Bill and all the other friends in WUN! We hope for the same MOU with NAYDO.

While I am writing these words, I am on my way to Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. Egypt the symbol of the Youth

Awakening, the Arab Spring. An area with several fantastic YMCA youth empowerment programmes. But also an area with too many young people in distress and suffering, too many living without hopes for the future. The YMCA is needed everywhere. We are almost everywhere. I am so proud to belong to this movement.

It has been a marvellous year because of the excellent cooperation with Ken and the Executive Committee and because of the staff team in Geneva. We are on our WAY the NEW WAY.

During the next days I will come to Bethlehem the birthplace of Jesus Christ. I will see the stars above the Shepherds Field and I will again see the YMCA there, as an incarnation of all the hopes and kindness and the unconditional love, which the young Jesus Christ brought to all human beings He ever met.

Itwillbeamarvellousyear2012,becauseYMCAwillbringhopetosomanymorepeopleinneedofhope.

Ken Colloton

Johan Vihelm Eltvik

KenColloton JohanVilhelmEltvik

4 december 11 YMCA WORLD www.ymca.int

TransformingLivesHoChiMinhoncetoldtothepeopleofVietNam.Forthesakeof10yearsbenefit,wemustplanttrees;forthesakeof100yearsbenefit,wemustcultivatepeople.Transforming Lives is about taking the time and having thepatiencetocultivatepeople,especiallytoempoweryoungpeopletobreakbarriersandtransformtheirlivesandcommunities.

TransformationTransformation is a very demanding challenge which, if taken seriously, can result in a profound breaking from old ways and stepping into a totally new body, life and vision. The Apostle Paul stated this clearly in 2 Corinthians 5: 17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are new creations. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. The emphasis is not on change or reform but on becoming a new creation.

This is the salient difference between reform and transform. Reform leaves us much the way we were in our old being with some minor, but perhaps significant changes. Transformation changes us into a very new being with major shifts in our lifestyles, relationships and work focus.

Such transformation rarely happens because of what we learn and know but more often by what we experience and feel feel deeply within our soul. It usually does not happen in workshops, seminars or classes which can mainly provide opportunity and preparation for a potentially transformative experience.

It happens when we share life among the least of these and allow the least of these to change us because Christ comes to us through the poor and oppressed and it is in meeting Christ here that we begin to transform. Personal transformation happens when we are so moved by empathy with the poor and oppressed that we feel we have no option but to begin changing the way we live, think, act and believe. And when we allow the poor and oppressed to transform us, we have no choice but to begin to break down the barriers that create division within our societies and our world.

Max Ediger, Coordinator, Interfaith Cooperation Forum, APAY/CCA

VietnamFull Name of National YMCA TheYMCAofVietnam

National President: Fr. Phan Khac Tu National GS/CEO: Luu Van Loc Board and Committee Members: 23 Programme Participants:12

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Community development program via international work-camps |2. Vocational training program |3. Industrial sewing workshop |4. Child care |5. Club for disabled youth |Love classes center

Target Groups: Poor communities |Poor youths from rural areas |Female youths from rural areas |Children, particularly from poor families |Disabled youth |Street kids, orphans


According to Werner Erhard, Transformation is a profound and committed choice about the way we live our lives. Transformation is the possibility for a breakthrough in our living, a clearing for aliveness to show up in our everyday activities, self-expression and commitments.1

Thus transformation is a soul-shaking process that forces us out of the boxes that have become our comfort zones and thrusts us into new life-experiences which we may find threatening and even terrifying but which can bring us closer to Gods Kingdom. It opens our minds to new questions and allows us to feel the kind of discomfort that provides opportunity for emotional and spiritual growth. Transformation, in truth, takes great courage.

Let me say now that I have never transformed anyone and the same can be said about the School of Peace (SOP) which is the main activity of the Interfaith Cooperation Forum. Our responsibility is not to transform people, but to provide them with the discomforting experiences and challenges they need to leave their comfort zones and to transform themselves. We only plant seeds and then nurture and encourage those seeds with the hope that youth will find the vision and courage needed to begin their own transforming processes.

Like Paul, we are simply the sower of the seeds and that, in itself, is a very challenging and formidable task. These seeds must then be nurtured and encouraged over time with the faith that people will find the vision and courage needed to begin their own transformative processes.

The planting of these seeds is not an easy task and cannot be done by using ready-made models or quick-fix concepts. Any farmer knows that to plant seeds effectively requires creativity, commitment, time, preparation, determination, patience and much faith because seeds grow slowly and are affected by many things including weather, heat, cold, insects, and weed growth.

The planting of seeds of transformation is similarly complex and has many requirements because the breaking down of old habits and ways of thinking is arduous and painfully threatening. We do not always welcome the light when it shows us where we need to change.

The School of Peace has endeavoured to think critically and creatively as the curriculum and style of the program has evolved. We have built on our past experiences in working at breaking barriers and helping people transform. I wish to share some of the ideology we have used as we continue working at the process for planting seeds among the youth and urging them to have the courage needed to break barriers and allow themselves to be transformed by the Least of These.

First, planting seeds and nurturing them to fruition takes time and patience. One workshop, one seminar or one in-depth discussion does not do it. Nor will any of the many peacemaking and conflict transformation models found on the internet or learned in the best universities guarantee any positive results. Even a 14-week program such as the School of Peace is not sufficient. These are only opportunities to provide participants with some preparation for such a process. Real transformation of the participants will begin after they return to their home communities, stand face to face with the many barriers that exist for the Least of These and then seek the wisdom and courage they will need to begin breaking down those barriers with the guidance of the Least of These. We must stand with them during these long strenuous years to mentor, challenge and be transformed together with them.

Secondly, because ready-made models of peacemaking and conflict transformation rarely work, we need to realize, and truly believe, that every tool we need to begin breaking down barriers and entering a process of self and community transformation already exists within our histories, cultures, traditions, wisdom and faiths. We must dig deep into them to find the resources we need to create local models for transformation which emerge from the Least of These and which can be managed and controlled by the Least of These. These local models will be most effective at breaking down barriers and have the greatest potential of lasting long-term.

Thirdly, we must help people develop a vision for a new just peace interfaith community which can give them the hope they need to remain long-term with this most difficult task because we know that a people without a vision soon perish. (Proverbs 29: 18) This kind of vision will not come easily for it requires a careful study of the barriers preventing people from experiencing a truly transformed community and society. The roots of these barriers must be identified and strategies developed to non-violently transform them with Kingdom values.

1 (Werner Hans Erhard is an author of transformational models and applications for individuals, groups, and organizations. He has lectured at Harvard, Yale, USC, the University of Rochester and Rotterdam School of Management. This quote comes from a 1984 article entitled, A WAY TO TRANSFORMATION and can be found at http://www.wernererhard.com/heart.html

Timor-LesteFull Name of National YMCA AssosiasaunNasionalJuventudeCristanTimor-Leste/ANJUCTIL

National President: Rev. Agustinho de Vasconcelos National GS/CEO: Mr.OrasioMendes

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Football training |2. Computer training |3. Library |4. Bible Study |5. English courses


Fourthly, we must be ready to challenge youth in ways that make them uncomfortable. John Kenneth Galbraith once said that we must comfort the afflicted but we must also afflict the comfortable who refuse to respond to the Least of These. Most of us have found a zone in which we feel comfortable and safe.

Unfortunately this comfort zone keeps us from seeing the real barriers around us and prevents us from feelings of empathy for the Least of These; feelings which are needed for a transformative process. Programs with youth must cause them the kind of distress that will help break open their comfort zones and project them into the realities of the lives of the Least of These. Only then can they begin to comfort the afflicted and begin transforming our society by afflicting the comfortable.

We need to urge the young people to take the road less travelled, but to do that we ourselves must embark down the road less travelled. It takes courage and a tremendous amount of faith in God.

Fifthly, we begin to transform ourselves when we spend quality time with the least of these. This does not involve short exposure visits which are often included in workshops and seminars. Quality time with the least of these requires placing ourselves at the disposal of the marginalized, serving them, listening deeply to them and then being willing to transform ourselves so that just peace may become a reality for everyone. Let us never forget that Christ comes to us through others especially the Least of These. If we turn them away, we turn Christ away. If we ignore their cries, we ignore the cries of Christ. If we believe they are helpless. We believe Christ is helpless. No greater challenge can face us in this work than the challenge to allow the Least of These to transform us.

Sixthly, we must keep in mind that transformation can take place in the most unexpected places as I experienced on the street of Pat Pong. This obviously is risky and is usually very threatening to most of us, but we should take the risk of looking for God in the unexpected. This pushes us to unlearning so that we can then relearn. During the School of Peace we meet with many individuals and groups which we may have tried to avoid in the past. This might involve interactions with sexual minorities or people we have learned to think of as enemy. All of these people whom we may consider the other have much to teach us and their stories can help us understand more about barriers and then reflect more deeply on the meaning and challenge of transformation.

Finally, we must be examples of transformed and transforming individuals and organizations. Youth look to us for inspiration and direction. If our organization does not reflect, both in activity and in structure, a transformed community that is built on a vision of just peace for the least of these, youth will not take seriously our theme for this assembly. What we say is not as important as what we do and this is the challenge for us. The breaking down of barriers and the transformation of lives begins with us and our organization. Let us be the example that encourages youth to be transformed and to commit themselves to the work of transforming our world.

New ZealandFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsofNewZealandInc

National President: Mr.TonyJonesNational GS/CEO: Mr.RicOdomBoard and Committee Members: 129 Programme Participants:217,000

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Fitness |2. School Holiday Programmes |3. Out of School Care and Recreation |4. Camping |5. Youth

Target Groups: 15+ |5-15 |5-14 |8-18 |11-19

Robert Frost, an American poet,

described this in his poem

The Road Not Taken.

In part he wrote:

Two roads diverge in a yellow w

oods

And sorry I could not travel both

But be one traveler long I stood

And looked down one as far as I

could

To where it bent in the undergro

wth

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence

:

Two roads diverged in a wood, a

nd I,

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the differe

nce.


Schoolof Peace

TheSchoolofPeaceshowslastingimpactinAsiancommunities.TheSchoolofPeace(SOP)isauniqueinitiativecoordinatedbythe Interfaith Cooperation Forumn (ICF),through the joint investment of theAPAY,theChristianConferenceofAsia(CCA)andEvangelischerEntwicklungsdienst (EED) inGermany.Thispartnershipwaslaunchedin2003witharangeofactivitiesdesignedtoencouragedialogue on inter-faith sharingandlearning.

The School of Peace is the core activity undertaken by the ICF and welcomes 20-30 year old youth to a 14-week living and learning experience. The 20 youth participants come together from throughout Asia to share their own experiences, faiths, cultures and ethnicities. During this intensive time of sharing, the participants strive to identify the political, economic and social causes of conflict and injustice in their regions and communities. They do this to attain skills that will help to effectively deal with these root causes in ways that are sensitive to gender, ethnicity, age, religious belief and social inequalities.

The key focus of these activities and learnings is to help youth to achieve individual transformation through their experiences with marginalised

communities and their engagement with new ideas and concepts. Following this, participants are expected to return to their communities and work towards local and national transformation by adopting peace-building and conflict resolution strategies within their own communities.

Participants at the School for Peace this year have spoken openly about their own difficulties in understanding those outside of their own cultural and religious communities.

Bappu Mree, a Christian participant from Edilpur YMCA in Bangladesh, has personally experienced a process of learning from the SOP and has begun to implement activities designed to spread the SOP learnings in the Bangladesh community. From 27-29 August, the Edilpur YMCA hosted a youth conference with college/university students from the Madhupur community. While the majority of participants were of the Garo Christian faith, one conference session focused on creating Dialogue in Diversity. During this dialogue session people from Mosque and Hindu communities joined the participants in developing cooperative strategies for opening dialogue between minority and majority people within Bangledesh. The session was led by three religious leaders from the Mosque, Christian and Hindu churches.

Bapu Mree: SOP participant

Elizarni: SOP participant

Hor Hen : SOP participant


Schoolof Peace

Speaking of the need for this type of dialogue, Mree explains, in our living area we live very close together but our relationship is not good and our interfaith cooperation is not high because we carry wrong concepts in our minds about each other. People are misguided by the religious leaders and the minority peoples are harassed by majority peoples.

The Youth Conference resulting from the SOP, was a great opportunity for participants to get to know each other and become familiar with various types of religious values. They asked questions, they shared their feelings, and they discussed many important things. Facilitators discussed and shared their opinions on how we can live peacefully and how we can build-up interfaith co-operation. They also requested participants respect each other, develop good relationship with each other, live peacefully, and trust each other because we are all human beings [no matters our beliefs].

Elizarni, a Muslim SOP participant from Aceh, Indonesia, builds on the social benefits Mree speaks of through highlighting how the SOP has benefitted her personally by opening her eyes to the realities many people face within her community. She says of this, After attending the SOP in 2006, I learned so many things about life. I became aware of many

issues that I had not been concerned about before. The SOP has taught me how to see the world differently. It helps me understand the differences among different faiths, backgrounds, and races.

Since her involvement with the SOP, Elizarni, has devoted her energy to womens organisations to facilitate and strengthen womens rights. She also works with students from local schools affected by ongoing conflict to motivate them to become peace makers in the society.

The personal change Elizarni has experienced, and the ways she has implemented the SOP principles in her community activism, was acknowledged by the Ford Foundation through the awarding of a US study scholarship. Elizarni believes the SOP has helped me sharpen my thinking, and she intends to continue working within her community to generate sustainable interfaith change.

As Elizarni explains, a key purpose of the SOP is to move participants from tolerance, to acceptance and then to engagement. I strongly agree that I found those aspects during our time

in SOP... I am really proud to be one of the SOP participants.

SingaporeFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsSingapore

National President: Mr. Chim HouYanNational GS/CEO: Mr. PhyllisTanBoard and Committee Members: 16BoardMembers-3OfficerBearersProgramme Participants:84,915

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. YMCA -Tan Chin tuan Community Service Programmes | 2. YMCA Lim Kim San Volunteers Programme | 3. University YMCA (Uni-Y) & High School YMCA (Hi-Y) clubs | 4. Citibank - YMCA Youth for Causes | 5. YMCA Speaking Awards (YMCA Plain English Speaking Awards, YMCA Mandarin Speaking Awards)

Target Groups: Volunteers, intellectually, mentally and physically challenged, out-of-school youth and youth-at-risk, abused and underprivileged children, the elderly and the poor | Anyone and everyone willing to touch and enrich the lives of the less privileged individuals, corporations and voluntary welfare organizations | High school and University students | Youth aged 16-35 years, beneficiaries of other charities island-wide | Youth students from pre-schools to tertiary education

MetropolitanYMCAofSingapore

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Child Care & Development | 2. Aquatics Education | 3. MY Manna Store | 4. MY Toy Library | 5. MY MP3 (School-based enhanced mentoring programme)

Target Groups: Pre-school children aged between 18 months and 6 years. | Preschool and school-age Children | Poor families living in one-room flats | Children with special needs and learning disabilities | Financially and academically underprivileged students from neighbourhood schools, with the help of tertiary students


YMCA AustraliaSecond Chances through the Bridge Project

Ibelieveinsecondchances,-forBridgePatron, Michael Malthouse, this is thekey motivation for providing young ex-offenderswiththeopportunitytoovercometheir past mistakes through active skillsdevelopment, training, work placementandcareerorientationsupport.

Started in 2005 by over 30 community volunteers who had taken part in the Leadership Victoria WCLP in Australia, the Bridge Project is run by the Victoria YMCA with funding from the Victoria Governments Workforce Participation Partnerships (WPP) program and puts energy and resources towards the rehabilitation of youth offenders. This is done in an effort to ensure that youth offenders are provided with alternative lifestyle choices that will mean they are able to contribute to society more meaningfully and escape the cycle of crime and violence youth offenders typically follow.

The Bridge Project concept was conceived in 2005 by YMCA Victoria and a group of 33 graduates from the Victoria Williamson Community Leadership Program. In the five years since its inception the Bridge Project has been able to support 325 young people through the dedicated

work of 65 community volunteers and 50 businesses.

The Bridge Programme fills a great need for youth justice related programming. Young offenders not only find it extremely hard to readjust to life outside of prison, they are typically likely to reoffend within three months of their release. While approximately 66% of youth offenders will re-offend after their release, those within the Bridge Project are seven times less likely to reoffend within the crucial three month period following release. Over time, the programme has provided 150 jobs and 350 pre-employment training places at an average investment of $10,000 per person to young ex-offenders.

Together with government, business, corporate and community sectors, the Bridge Project has seen rates of re-offence cut from 66% to 3% and has ensured that the Victoria community retains $8m per year through a savings on incarceration and criminal procedure costs. Furthermore, 75% of those who took part in the bridge project were able to complete pre-employment and work readiness training and a


further 80% completed 16 weeks of full time work and were retaining ongoing employment.

The focus on psycho-social and employment support has given many ex-offenders the opportunity to take responsibility for their lives. From Preston, 21 year old, Egaili, joined the Bridge Programme after seeing in his peers the cycle of crime his life was likely to follow. Some of my old friends got locked up, he says, and it made me realise it could be me too. If I hadnt changed my life through the support of The Bridge Project and my boss Royce, I dont know where Id be. He goes further to say that, If you really want to change your life there are people who want to help you, if you can get that support you can do really well.

For the beneficiaries of the Bridge Project the aid they have received is life-changing. Abdul, a 20 year old restaurant owner from, Craigleburn, has found a new path in life through the support he was given. Not only has he been able to work and save towards the Caf he now owns, but has plans to eventually buy a house and possibly open other restaurants. For

him, the second chance was crucial to changing his path in life: to all employers, I encourage The Bridge Project because in my opinion everyone deserves a second chance and just because someone has made a mistake doesnt mean theyre a bad person.

It is often easy to forget that youth offenders often come from unsupportive and hostile backgrounds, thereby undermining the need for rehabilitation programmes. For Matthew the programme not only provided training and support, it provided alternatives to the future he thought he was capable of. I was homeless and getting into trouble every day, in and out of court, it wasnt a life you really want to live, he says. Mathew is now working as an apprentice landscaper, and studying towards a career in Landscaping and Horticulture.

The Bridge Project came at the right time, if it wasnt for them I probably would have been in jail - who knows where I would have ended up, Matthew concludes, echoing the fears of many youth still in the system with little hope of support.

AustraliaFull Name of National YMCA TheNationalCounciloftheYoungMensChristianAssociationsofAustralia

National President: MrAlanMortonNational GS/CEO: MrRonMellBoard and Committee Members: 295Programme Participants: Approx2.2mil

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Health & Wellbeing programs |2. Sport & Recreation programs |3. Childcare |4. Youth Services |5. Camping

Target Groups: Youth, Adults, Seniors, People with Disabilities |Youth, Adults, Seniors, People with Disabilities |Families, Children under the age of 12 |Adolescents aged 12 to 24 |Children, Schools, Youth, People with disabilities

IndonesiaFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsofIndonesia

National President: Mr.AlphinusKambojiNational GS/CEO: Ms.MargarethaT.AndoeaBoard and Committee Members: 8personsProgramme Participants

Top 2 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Work camp ( YMCA Yogya) |2. HEAL (Health Education Adult and Livelihood)

Target Groups: Student / youth |Youth


YMCA Hong Kong

Youth for Climate Change

HongKongscarbonemissionpercapitaisestimated at six tons,which is twice theworld average, a fact calling for urgentaction in reducing Hong Kongs carbonfootprint,whileatthesametimeadvocatingalow-carbonlifestyleinthecity.

This issue has thus become a major concern receiving significant attention from the organization. In response, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong has established a Working Group on Environmental Protection involving renowned environmentalists, biologists, educators, etc., to pursue a total environmental concept in operating its services while arousing public concern on the issue of global warming. The working group has identified indicators for its Green Service operation in which the YMCA endeavour to promote environmental protection in different strata of society and in different contexts, including campsites, schools, churches and the community at large. Since 2007, the YMCA successfully launched a pioneering project: the Renewable Energy Liberal Studies Park (RELSP). This consists in establishing various renewable energy facilities. The project includes the provision of various educational and experiential learning programmes for students and the community.

They implant the concept of the 4RsRecycle, Reduce, Reuse and Replace - as well as introducing the concept of renewable energy. The project has reached out to more than 100,000 people.

Since 2010, the YMCA environmental education has been extended to churches, and the movement was successful in mobilizing resources running the Green Mission project: Waste Separation Daily. The aim is to promote the habit of separating waste among 300 churches through a series of workshops and cell group training programmes. In the immediate future, the YMCA hopes to become a Green Organization and looks forward to strengthening Green Governance, Green Education, Go-Green on Energy and to encourage Green Buildings.

Hong KongFull Name of National YMCA CouncilofYMCAsofHongKong

National President: Mr. Doug OxleyNational GS/CEO: Joint Hon. Secretaries Ray Purvis &LawrenceYickBoard and Committee Members: HKY:120|Chi-Y:22k/wkProgramme Participants: HKY:2|Chi-Y

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: HK-Y1. Secondary and Vocational Education |2. Preschool |3. YLD & Uni-Y |4. Sports & Recreation & Fitness |5. Community & Employment Services |Chi-Y 1. Established 2 social enterprises to respond to the needs of youth employment / Overseas Study Tours for staff trainings |2. Promoting A Culture of Peace Campaign in Hong Kong |3. Environmental protection programme: to implement Renewable Energy educational programmes for youth in YMCA Junk Bay Youth Camp |4. Implementation of Character Education |5. Pioneer research project Hong Kong Youth Wellness Index 2008

Target Groups: HK-YAges11 to 21 |6 mos to 6 yrs |14 to uni age |All ages |Family & Adult |Chi-Y Youth and community |Community |Youth and Community |Youth |School students

Chinese YMCA Hong Kong : p

ledge for the earth


YMCA IndiaEmpowering the

Poor and the Marginalised

India ranks among the fastest growingeconomies in the world with a grossdomestic product, or GDP, of nearly10 percent per annum for the last threeyears.For20112012,ithasbeenprojectedat 9 percent and for 20122013 at9.5percent.TheIndiangovernment,takingcurrentdouble-digitinflationintoaccount,expects GDP for the next two years tobe around 8 percent to 8.5 percent. Theeconomic reforms of 19911992 havecatapulted India into a select group ofburgeoningeconomies;anduntillastyear,itwasthefourthfastestgrowingeconomyintheworld,outpacingSouthKorea.At the same time, however, India has to contend with a huge population, which is currently at 1.21 billion people compared with 1.17 billion in 2010 and 1.13 billion a decade earlier in 2001. India has added the population of Brazil, approximately 181 million people, in the last 10 years and is almost equal to the total population of the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan combined.

Based on a rough estimate, only approximately 150 million people actually benefit from the countrys

economic boom however, leaving about 60 to 80 percent of the people living in abject poverty. A conservative estimate puts 37 percent of the population living in poverty at the present time. Recently, according to new data based on a new formula for arriving at poverty estimates, about 382 million people live below the poverty line. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) place the eradication of extreme poverty as its first primary goal, and India is struggling to halve by 2015 the 1990 base line poverty rate of 37.5 percent of the people. Seven of the 28 states of India, including Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, are home to 50 percent of the poverty-stricken people of India.

The Indian YMCA has left no stones unturned to engage in poverty-alleviation and the socio-economic empowerment of the poor and marginalised. Strong evidence of its intentions and avowed goals can be found in the XXVIIIth National Triennial Convention held in Visakhapatnam in January 1995 on the theme Mission of the YMCA in India in the Context of the Emerging Realities where a resolution was adopted containing seven goals constituting the Plan for YMCA Engagement in Community Action for Equitable and Sustainable Development.


Several YMCAs in India are engaged in programmes and activities aimed at lifting large portions of indigent people above the poverty line and empowering them for a better future.

The YMCA in Patna in the East has been working consistently for the empowerment and inclusion of those who are socially ostracised and outcast, particularly women, into mainstream society. Women constitute 50 percent of Bihars population of whom 15.7 percent are socially outcastes. The focus is on empowering women in eradicating poverty and working towards sustainable communities while strengthening the target group to take action in solidarity with the vulnerable section. Sensitising the target group for empowerment and gender concerns towards sustainable development and organizing rights-based programmes for children and women and the marginalized groups constitute the thrust of the poverty-alleviation programme. For the last two decades, YMCA Patna has been working with the poor and marginalised.

Meanwhile, the neighbouring YMCA in Ranchi has been at work for more than half a century to improve the living conditions of tribal Mundas by providing creative avenues for their self-development and

self-regeneration. Socio-economic programmes have been undertaken in both the cities and villages. Nine self-help groups (SHGs) are active in imparting vocational training, and career development courses have been conducted in six slums since 1994. In the villages, 44 SHGs have been formed, and 11 mahila mandals (womens cooperatives) are running public distribution system outlets. Of these, three mahila mandals own public transportation vehicles. In addition, seasonal nursery seedlings are prepared and distributed among villages to supplement the family income. About 150 men and women have been trained in bee-keeping and making pickles, tiles and bamboo crafts. YMCA Ranchi is committed to Breaking Barriers, Transforming Lives.

As for the western part of the country, YMCA Bombay offers night shelters in the suburb of Juhu for street children. They are also provided with informal education and vocational training. A special programme for selected boys, the Traffic Police Training Programme, offers a brighter future for these homeless people. Mobile medical facilities also care for the poor and disadvantaged.

IndiaFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsofIndia

National President: K.JohnCherianNational GS/CEO: Mr.JohnVarugheseBoard and Committee Members: 680Programme Participants: 300000

Top 8 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Hotel /Hostel Service |2. Vocational Training Center |3. Poverty Alleviation programs |4. Spots and recreation |5. Global Citizenship / Ecology Actions |6. Gender Action / Women Empowerment |7. Youth Development activities |8. Christina Emphasis

Target Groups: All |Young People |Youth and Women |All ages |Yong people |Marginalized women |Youth |All


In the South, YMCA Visakhapatnam continues its community service programme that helps the poor and needy with microloans of up to 5,000 rupees (US$112). In addition, it operates a free legal aid cell once every week with the Rotary Club providing free legal consultation to the poor, particularly women. The service project Junior Citizen Rehabilitation Programme for Street Children, which began in 1991, takes care of 25 to 30 children per week by providing them with shelter overnight in the YMCA premises.

Elsewhere, the YMCA Vythiri Project in the scenic Wayanad District of Kerala extends socio-economic programmes for the tribes in an area rich in evergreen rain forests and coffee, tea, rubber, cardamom and paper plantations. Within a span of 16 years, the YMCA Integrated Indigenous Peoples Development Programme attained the status of a foremost service organization for tribal development in this part of Kerala.

Deep in the South the renowned YMCA Marthandam Project empowers rural women to galvanize socio-economic development in the region with about 300 SHGs at work. Training in various lifeline skills are imparted to the SHG members as they form groups venturing into various economic activities that range from honey processing, apiculture and banana fibre extraction to making umbrellas, resin bags and other products. Microfinance activities are also empowering women, helping them to create a huge Group Corpus Fund that is estimated at around 3.23 million rupees (US$72,210), covering 300 SHGs in the last year.

In the aftermath of the tsunami of 2004, multifaceted rehabilitation programmes have seen a phenomenal improvement in the living conditions and socio-economic development of the victims and survivors of this natural disaster in the Nagapattinam area and in Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu. After another natural disaster, YMCA Hyderabad, with the Rotary Club of Bombay, provided fibreglass fishing boats to people affected by the cyclone and floods.

BangladeshFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsofBangladesh

National President: Mr.BabuMarkusGomesNational GS/CEO: Mr.DuncanChowdhuryBoard and Committee Members: 364Programme Participants: 12,096

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Non-Formal primary Education (NFPE) |2. Vocational Training Center (VTC) |3. Micro Credit Program |4. Kindergarten School |5. Secretary Science, Spoken English & Computer Literacy Program

Target Groups: Poor & drop out school students |For Youths, Poor & dropped out students from the High School |Rural Women |Rich & middle class familys children |School & College Students

NepalFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofNepalYMCAs

National President: Dr.NastuPrasadSharmaNational GS/CEO: MuktiNathAcharyaBoard and Committee Members: 13 Programme Participants:1200

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Child Care Center |2. Women Empower Program |3. HIV/AIDS Awareness Program |4. Literacy Program |5. Community Forestry Program

Target Groups: Labors/internal displaces peoples |Ethnic people |HIV/AIDS affected people |Dalits |Low-caste people

PakistanFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsofPakistan

National President: Mr.Andrew,McMullenNational GS/CEO: -Board and Committee Members: - Programme Participants:-

Top 2 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Educational Programmes | 2. Women empowerment Programe


YMCA JapanTraining Women

for Leadership

In2006,JapanYMCAinitiateditsNationalGender Committee with both men andwomenasmembers.The country has a history of a patriarchal Constitution and is a men-centred society. Today about 800 full time female staff (60 percent of the total staff) and about 2,000 part-time female staff, such as teachers and trainers (75 percent of the total part-time staff), work in local YMCAs. They have had few opportunities, however, to participate in long-term training programmes because of their position and such family matters as marriage, giving birth and child care. Realising the need for womens empowerment and capacity-building, the Japan YMCA has promoted a gender sensitivity training and created space and opportunities for women in the workplace in the YMCA. This change is a direct result of the the APAY Regional Training Workshop on Gender where leaders of the Japanese YMCA committed themselves to uphold Gender Equality in YMCA Japan.

With this initiative the number of women in leadership positions has increased from 10 to 15 per cent. The YMCA continues to encourage more female staff and lay leaders to undergo training in leadership and capacity-building so that they can perform more efficiently their leadership functions. There are some major challenges regarding a misconception of gender equality among male staff and the top leadership who think of this concern as only a womens issue, which it is not.

The most difficult challenge has been to bring about a paradigm shift from the status quo based on cultural and traditional influences.

Moving forward the Japan YMCA is focusing on a work-life balance based on an equal partnership of men and women. The aim is to remove the prevailing mental roadblocks and allow women and men to work together in unison and partnership to deliver theChallenge21.

JapanFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsofJapan

National President: Mr. Yoshihiro NakagawaNational GS/CEO: Mr.ShigeruShimadaBoard and Committee Members: 1115 Programme Participants:90133

Top 4 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Alternative Schools |2. Childcare centers |3. Centers for elderly |4. Japanese Language Schools

Target Groups: Youth in difficulties | Nursery, after school children | Elderly | Student from overseas


YMCA PhilippinesDeveloping Young Leaders

Youth participation isconsidered a crucialelement in YouthLeadershipDevelopment,for participation is aprocessofworkingwithand for young peopleand not just targetingthem.Ashiftinworkingwith young people andvaluingthemasassets-asadvisors,colleaguesand stakeholders

- is crucial if development policies areto be truly representative of youth andbe effective. Through participation andleadership training programmes, youngpeople are empowered. They progresstowards appreciating greater rights andresponsibilities,farfrombeingneattargetgroupsengagedinplanningandasobjectsfordecision-makingandimplementation.YMCA Philippines has pioneered leadership training programmes intended to prepare young people to become responsible leaders and citizens of their country. As early as elementary school, young people are engaged in the YMCA Leadership Training Programme through Red Triangle Clubs. In high school, this leadership development process continues through Hi-Y Clubs and finally in college through the College Y Program. These so-called youth clubs are not a common programme or an attraction for youth and students but are effective ways of developing and involving them. Through YMCA youth work programmes, young people are engaged in responsible activities where challenging action meets genuine needs. The continuity of involvement of young people in these youth

programmes provides them with the opportunity to work with other youth and adults and to set goals and priorities. It gives them greater participation in YMCA leadership where eventually most of them assume major positions in leading the YMCA as either staff or volunteer leaders.

There has been varied experiences and programmes conducted by both the national movement and local associations where young people are given time and space to hone their skills, knowledge and capabilities as leaders.

The YMCAs Rizal Youth Leadership Training Institute is designed to produce a pool of youth leaders equipped with values, skills and knowledge to effectively respond to the many challenges and issues of the world today. Specifically, it is envisioned to develop youth leaders who, in their specific spheres of influence, will have the skills and abilities to: Modelattitudesthataffirmpersons,aswellas,Generatetheseinothers,Turn conflicts into creative problem-solvingsituations,

BalancepersonalandorganizationalobjectivesEvolveasystematicapproachinmanagingtaskgroups,

Useasetofeffective leadershipbehaviours indealingwithhuman,naturalandmaterialresources,

Initiateandmanagepurposivechangeefforts

The YMCA has conducted 35 leadership training institutes at various key and historic places in the country, creating a positive impact on each community where the Institute has been held. More than 1,400 top student leaders have graduated, many of whom, are now holding leadership positions in government, educational institutions, welfare organizations, and business.

PhilippinesFull Name of National YMCA YoungMensChristianAssociationofthePhilippines,inc.

National President: Judge EdilbertoT. ClaravallNational GS/CEO: Ms. Eloisa D. BorreoBoard and Committee Members: 600 Programme Participants:110,866

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Board, Staff & Volunteers Capacity Building Program| 2. Youth/Student Conferences & Academic Olympics| 3. Movement Strengthening Processes | 4. Global Citizenship Programs| 5. Summer Youth Workcamps & Learn-to-swim Programs

Target Groups: Layleaders/staff/youth volunteers | Red Triangle, Hi-Y & College-Y Members and Advisers | Local YMCA leaders, members | Community people | 10 years old to 30 years old


YMCA Sri LankaBridging Culture

s

TheculturalexchangeprogrammebetweenYMCA Moratuwa and YMCA Mannar isintended to bring together the differentcultural characteristics of each YMCAas a means towards achieving peacefulcoexistence.

With the end of the 30-year-old ethnic war, many unresolved conflicts are still continuing among the various Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and Malay communities who share life on this beautiful island of Sri Lanka while space for peaceful environments are emerging. Attempts are being made for reconciliation, trust building and healing among all communities towards sustainable peace through sharing brotherly and sisterly love and humanity, the YMCA as a peoples movement has an important role to play in ushering peace and reconciliation that is needed for a sustainable future.

As an initial and appropriate step towards this aim, YMCA Moratuwa, representing primarily the Sinhala community, joined hands with YMCA Mannar, representing primarily the Tamil community, to bring forth peace through an exchange programme that featured the cultures and traditional arts and crafts, music, songs, dances and drama, etc., of both communities. Through this sharing of culture, a better understanding of the closely guarded traditional art and culture peculiar to the Sinhala and Tamil communities has been created in order to build bridges for harmonious living among members of both ethnic communities. This programme has been of special significance, not only to the members of the respective YMCAs, but also other people in the community who have cooperated enthusiastically in achieving the intended goal of developing a sense

of peace and harmony among the unfortunate sections of people who had to suffer the rigours of an unwanted war. It aims fundamentally at creating an opportunity for these war-weary people to understand the plight of their brothers and sisters of the other community while working together in a harmonious relationship towards a sublime future in which the Sinhalese and the Tamils will live together as brothers and sisters of one united family.

Through this programme, and with the involvement of young people, the YMCAs are striving to pave the way for the two communities to dispel whatever misunderstandings have existed between them and instead to develop a better understanding and trust between each other. Whatever may have been our thinking as individuals, the YMCA as a network has spread throughout the country to take on the duty of using the spirit of fraternity and brotherhood ingrained in the YMCA movement to forge a lasting fellowship among all communities so that peace and amity prevails for all times.

Sri LankaFull Name of National YMCA NationalCounciloftheYMCAsofSriLanka

National President: Mr. Felician Thayalaraj Francis National GS/CEO: Mr. Lakshan Dias Board and Committee Members: 1,000 Programme Participants:75,000

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Childrens Programmes |2. Youth Programmes |3. Peace Building |4. Vocational Training/Career Development |5. Poverty reduction

Target Groups: Children |Youth |All segments |Youth |All segments


YMCA Green Team

Transforming behaviors for a

sustainable future

At the time we are preparing thispublication,Bangkokiscompletelyfloodedwithwater.

The Asia and Pacific region has become the worst victim of the environmental changes in the last decade. Every day we hear, see or witness the effects of climate change decreasing rainfall, spreading desertification, drought, depletion of water resources, Tsunami, and food scarcity, increased flooding and rising seas. These changes have affected human, social, and political relationships, the environment and the earths resources and our future sustainability. The unfortunate truth is that humankind and their developments are in part guilty of contributing to these conditions. The effects of climate change destroy property, hinder economic growth and add pressure to social problems. Instead of stopping irresponsible habits, it seems that people have increased their use of energy. As the temperatures get hotter, people use their air-conditioning even more. By using energy to cool our homes, we add to the heat outside which strengthens the cycle instead of stopping it. We need to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that we produce in order to bring down the CO2 levels in our atmosphere. Today, there is 393 parts of carbon dioxide per million. Scientists recommend a safe level of 350. If we reach 450 PPM, no life can survive on Earth.

The poor and marginalized are the worst victims of environmental issues. The impact of globalization has undermined many long existing sustainable communities in the Asia Pacific region. Globalization promotes a consumer pattern where only material growth matters, even at the cost of damaging nature and threatening mans relationship and co-existence with nature. The poor in the villages have no choice but to use the limited resources available to them in order to meet their familys daily food requirement disregarding the sustainability of nature.

In relation to development, the YMCA urges humanity on the need to advocate for a new development model in the face of the challenges of global warming, in which risks are proactively assessed, prioritized, and reduced. In the face of global warming, new models of development and nature conservation will be needed which are climate resistant and climate friendly. Every policy decision at every level must pass the test of whether it will increase or decrease

damage to the Earths climate system, as well as whether or not it is vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Communities at risk must be at the centre of this planning process if it is to succeed.

As part of the strategic plan of the APAY, Green Team is formed at a Regional level as well as national and local levels. YMCA Green Team, promoting YMCAs efforts for tackling the primary causes of Global warming, reducing YMCAs own carbon footprint, encouraging all to make behavioural changes, educate all on sustainable environmental practices and advocate for policy changes. Several YMCAs in APAY have formed a Green Team to Assist the development of YMCA commitment on environment, conduct training for staff and volunteers, undertake carbon audits of YMCAs and establish reduction goals, develop the curriculum for environmental education, network with other organisations and governments, initiate YMCA Carbon offset programmes and establish partnerships wherever possible. APAY has also introduced a Green Fund to offset the Green Gas emissions arising from International events organised by the APAY. This fund is using for tree planting and other renewable energy projects of the YMCAs in the region.

ThailandFull Name of National YMCA ThaiAllianceofYMCAs

National President: Mr.WichianBoonmapajornNational GS/CEO: Mr. Rachan ManeekarnBoard and Committee Members: 13 Programme Participants:6,108

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Street Children and Child Workers Program | 2. International Programs | 3. Hotel and Restaurants |4. Language School | 5. Y Development Corporation (YC)

Target Groups: Youth and families from underprivileged families who live in slums |Young adults and adults from abroad |Everybody |Internationals who want to learn Thai, and Thai youth and adults who want to study English, Korean, etc. |Local Thai handicraft artists and producers


Alternative tourism

in Asia and Pacific

YMCA

MalaysiaFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsofMalaysia

National President: GEHHENGLOKNational GS/CEO: LIEWMUNKHAIBoard and Committee Members: Programme Participants:

Top 3 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Work among the differently abled people |2. Hotels / Hostels |3. Ageing response / healthy living


Tourismisoneofthefastestgrowingindustriesintheworld. Development in transport and communicationhasincreasedmobilityofthepeople.Itresultedintheemergenceofanincreasednumberoftravellersfromdeveloped countries to the developing countries inAsia.

Phenomenal growth towards 2020

1.600million

Actual Forecasts

1950

South Asia

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

1.400

1.200

1.000

800

600

400

200

0

1 bn

694 mm

1.6 bn

Middle East Africa East Asia/Pacific Americas Europe

MacauFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsofMacau

National President: IP,PuiFaiNational GS/CEO: GraceS.L.KUANBoard and Committee Members: 12Programme Participants:30,043

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Anti-Smoking education programmes |2. Count Your Blessings programmes (encourage youth to express gratitude) |3. Camps with various themes (eg. anti-smoking) |4. Anti-drug-abuse programmes |5. Volunteer training

Target Groups: Youth |Youth |Youth |Youth |Youth

International tourism receipts are estimated to have reached US$ 919 billion worldwide (693 billion euros), up from US$ 851 billion (610 billion euros) in 2009, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 4.7%.

Asia-Pacific received more than $ 600 billion from tourism according to 2005 statistics. (Up from $ 2 billion in 1975) a quantum leap.

Forecasts suggest that by 2020 some 500 or more million visitors will visit Asia.


Today the tourism sector has now grown to become a juggernaut whose outlays according to some calculations amount to some tenpercentof the global GDP! As an industry, tourism is acknowledged as one of the biggest industries in the world alongside oil, arms and armaments, and pharmaceuticals. But the challenge is whether the proliferation of tourism has been good for the world, or for the communities?

The research report produced by ECOT says the following about the tourism experience in Asia:

The tourism footprint is obvious. Tourism is proving to have severe social costs in the developing world and elsewhere. It ignores the need and protection of host communities. It violates their dignity and their rights. It disregards and commoditises their culture. It abuses their women and children and upsets the balance of their natural surroundings. It exploits workers and is based on patterns of global relationships and transactions that are just and inequitable.

Tourism is a story of the displacement of farmers, fishing communities, indigenous people and other communities to make way for the arrival of a tourism enterprise in the form of a five star resort or hotel, a golf course, or a new amusement park.

...It is the story of diversion of essential resources such as land, water, and other resources from the local communities to tourism enterprises. It is the story of ecological damage that leaves the local communities the worse off for it.

...Modern day tourism is the story of abused hospitality, of people misled by unscrupulous interests that are profits driven with a disregard for the social consequences on Third World communities including women, girls and boys forced into prostitution on account of their poverty.

Some Questions

Who benefits from Tourism?

Are there negative impacts?

Can these be reversed?

Who are the most vulnerable g

roups

when a tourism enterprise gets

started?

Is tourism smokeless!!??

Or, is it another polluting indus

try?

Is the sacred for sale?

How can tourism promote pros

perity

while remaining sustainable?

How can human, social, and cu

ltural

rights be protected?

How can tourism serve the cau

se of

promoting peace and prosperit

y?

The YMCA mission challenged us to simultaneously make a critical analysis of these realities and offer alternatives for addressing the issues faced by the community. A workshop on YMCA Global Alternative Tourism was convened by APAY at Chiangmai with the participation of YMCAs from 10 Countries. The participants in the workshop observed that present tourism least benefits the local communities. The different ways by which local communities are disadvantaged, evidence of which we come across in the discussion in the workshop include:

> Thesocialandeconomicimpactofdisplacementcaused by tourism infrastructure development;

> Thesocialcosts through the abuse of women and children, and trafficking;

> The costs entailed in the commercialisation, commoditisation and denigration of indigenous and local culture;

> Ecologicaldamageandlossincurredindevelopingcountries in the course of sustaining a tourism enterprise through inappropriate development;

> Climatechange concerns and implications through air travel and destruction of natural resources;

> The cost to host communities through health hazards, arising from tourist activity involving HIV/AIDS, drugs and narcotics, etc;

> Thelossofrevenue to host countries as a result of the financial advantages gained by foreign and domestic business interests through tax concessions and holidays, subsidized land and other costs, import advantages, reduced wages and worker conditions, etc

> Thehumanrights violations that occur in the name of tourism.

APAY:Educating on Alt

ernative Tourism


Responsible tourism is not only desirable but possible when;

> Thetravellerandthehostmeetonequalterms each valuing the others role with respect and mutuality

> Thetravellersetsouttounderstand and absorb positive facets of his/her hosts culture, religion, and traditions

> Thetravellercelebratesdiscovering the unknown

> Thetravellersharesresources which affirm that it is an unjust world and the poverty is often a result of affluence.

> Hostcommunitiesshapethetourismproduct and benefit from the activity

Transforming tourism

is our responsibility

The YMCA enters the arena

of tourism with a massive tally of so

cial capital

> Weareaglobalnetwork and are inter-connected we do not need to go anywhere to make connections. They are there for the asking.

> Ourmembersaretravellerswhocanfairlyeasilybepromptedtomaketheshift from self-satisfying leisure tourism to responsible tourism within the precincts or under the aegis of the YMCA.

> ManyYMCAshavetheinfrastructure required for tour operations

> MostYMCAspossessthecapacitytoorganizethetours lesstaken- creative encounter oriented alternative tours

> YMCAshaveaccesstograssrootscommunities and can identify options which open up new/alternate spaces and ways of seeing and experiencing reality

> YMCAs,ingeneral,canmobilizeawidearrayofstakeholders in the community to become involved in creating new spaces for a community-based, people-oriented experience

> YMCAshaveapublicimage and a brand name that can compete in the market.

KoreaFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsofKorea

National President: Mr.ChaSunGakNational GS/CEO: Mr.NamBooWonBoard and Committee Members: 4,006Programme Participants:1,629,273

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Youth Movement (Hi-Y, Uni-Y, youth issues, etc) |2. Physical Education |3. Social Education & Outdoor Education |4. Life & Peace Movement (environment, energy, peace education, etc) |5. Social Welfare

Target Groups: youth |All |Kids & Teens |All |All


Strategic Choices

YMCA global alternative

tourism network (GATN)

The APAY Alternative Tourism Strategy encourages the YMCA movement

a. To see tourism from the perspective of the host community and serve as a Tourism Monitor in destinations where the negative impacts are mediated and those who are victimized by tourism impacts are assisted through solidarity actions.

b. To pattern a constructive and proactive profile of tourism through actively working to model Alternative Tourism initiatives that are community based, just, participatory, culturally sensitive, gender just, child friendly, protective of human rights and ecologically sustainable.

c. To serve as Information Centres where tourists can visit to be familiarised with and register for alternative tours. It is a centre where tourists are introduced to a Code of Ethics as a common set of guidelines and alternative information centre to offer positive perspectives about the people and places they visit a location where the facts and myths about the destination are differentiated.

d. To establish YMCA Global Alternative Tourism Network (GATN) wherein YMCAs in the developed countries will mobilize travellers for participating in the various alternative tours.

Several YMCAs in Asia and Pacific region have started using alternative tourism as a tool of social transformation in poor and marginalized communities. A transformed tourism model would create other dynamics which would have the effect of building a sense of common humanity through equitable sharing of the tourism platform. YMCAs, in general, are also acknowledged as possessing a high degree of potential for preparing and encouraging tourists to use their leisure or vacation or pilgrimage times for transformative encounters using community based alternative tourism models that create opportunities for forms of tourism that balance self-fulfilment with social responsibility. These include ecologically responsible tours, development tourism, spiritual tourism, nature tourism, justice tourism, peace tourism, and volunteerism through tourism, study tours, and the like. Alternative Tourism initiatives of the YMCAs are providing increased opportunity for the tourist to have authentic encounters with nature, culture, and interfaith spirituality, values that the visiting country is offering to the world and also providing an alternative way of resource mobilization, volunteering services and strengthening global solidarity through the YMCA movements.

Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCA is now facilitating a Network of the YMCAs in APAY and other parts of the world who are partnering with the YMCA Alternative Tourism initiative. The vision is the development of a YMCA Global Alternative Tourism movement that will build global response for transforming tourism as a tool for ethical human encounters and solidarity for transformation of the visitor and the community.

Alternative Tourism initiatives of the YMCAs provide increased opportunity for the tourist to have authentic encounters with nature, culture, and interfaith spirituality, values that the visiting country is offering to the world.

The Alternative Tourism also provides an alternative way of resource mobilization, volunteering services and strengthening global solidarity through the YMCA movements.

Timor-LesteFull Name of National YMCA Assosiasaun Nasional Juventude CristanTimor-Leste/ANJUCTIL

National President: Rev. Agustinho de Vasconcelos National GS/CEO: Mr.OrasioMendesBoard and Committee Members: - Programme Participants:-

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Football training |2. Computer training |3. Library |4. Bible Study |5. English courses


On The Ground:CHIANGMAI YM

CA initiative

YMCA Chiang Mai is now engaging in alternative tourism as a means of supporting community-based livelihood activities, enhancing cultural values and traditions, protecting nature and thereby contributing to social transformation and global community-building. Moreover, through this initiative, YMCA Chiang Mai supports Global Citizenship Education and provides an opportunity for people of all ages to have a meaningful pilgrimage to the scenic wonders of northern Thailand.

The alternative tourism experiences of YMCA Chiang Mai, which are community-centred, holistic in approach, nature-conserving, gender-protective and economically beneficial, will be shared with others. This programme also places an emphasis on community service and fosters a volunteer mindset toward such activities. Through English language courses and working with the Street Children and Child Workers Project or working on a community project, participants embrace the importance of giving back what they receive through social welfare measures and donor activities.

It also provides transformative opportunities for dialogue with local people in encountering nature, facilitating an authentic cultural immersion, encouraging the exploration of local products and promoting engagement in community services.

TaiwanFull Name of National YMCA TheYMCAofTaiwan

National President: Dr.ChenChingSengNational GS/CEO: Mr.DavidH.LeeBoard and Committee Members: 150 Programme Participants:221,930

Top 5 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Aged Care Center (ageing population) |2. Community Sports Centers (youth, adults) |3. Community University (adults) |4. Women & Childrens Welfare Service Center (foreign spouses, single parent children) |5. Shine Youth Character Camp (youth)

Target Groups: Tainan YMCA, Nantou YMCA |Taipei YMCA |Taichung YMCA |Changhua YMCA |Tainan YMCA

MyanmarFull Name of National YMCA NationalCouncilofYMCAsofMyanmar

National President: Mr. Tin Aung Swe National GS/CEO: Mr. Maung Maung Win Board and Committee Members: 488 Programme Participants:37568

Top 4 Most Successful (Common) Programmes/Projects in Local YMCAs: 1. Children Day Care Centre Programme |2. Children Educational Development Programme |3. Language Classes |4. Vocational Training

Target Groups: Young People |Various


About the Challenge The IdeaImagine a global celebration with millions of people

The aim of the YMCA World Challenge is to tell the YMCA story by mobilizing 5 millions of people on the same day.

A day to show to our communities and the world how the YMCA is empowering young people and transforming communities, using culture, sports,

education, exchange programs, and many other tools and activities.

This is also a day for us to get to know more about ourselves as a global organization and our collective potential to do things together, connecting the whole world and have fun while doing it!

Ok; but what should I do?All you have to do is to organize a local YMCA event and invite your YMCA members and surrounding communities, to showcase the best of our programs, projects and initiatives.

It can be anything that comes to mind. A concert, a photo exhibition, a conference, a basketball tournament , a lecture etc. Be innovative! You are

the best placed to define what is attractive to your community.

What you have to remember is that the main focus is to introduce the YMCA as a global movement empowering young people!

Common activities 1. For the year 2012 we will shall have a common

activity integrated to our events locally. It is a collective basketball shoot.

All the guests/participants of your local event should be invited to shoot a basketball and by doing this, we will also attempt to reach the largest number of people shooting basketballs in one day!

2. Send photos of the event to be published on our special website on the same day. A special e-mail address will be announced.

Get to know more about

the YMCA World Challenge

by downloading support

material in the Resource Center

http:challenge.ymca.int


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YMCA World - Dec. 2011