Strategic Counsel and Advocacy

Effective Youth Exchanges

Patricia Jimenez International Relations Coordinator

YMCA de Mexico

Esperanza Monsalve Manager, International Program

YMCA of Greater Toronto

Goal

Share best principles that have been successful in our communities to the design, implementation of youth

exchanges programs,

¿Qué es un intercambio juvenil? What is a youth exchage?

Oportunidades para compartir lo que aprendieron en su YMCA local/ the opportunity to share what they have learnt at thier local YMCA

Interactuando con jóvenes de otros países en su lugar de origen/ to interact with youth from other countries in their host country

Son las experiencias que tienen los jóvenes en un país extranjero/ are the experiences of the youth in other country

Intercambios

COMPARTIR

VIVENCIAS

FORMAS DE SER, PENSAR

Y SENTIRVALORES

Juveniles

Efectivos

¿Por qué hacemos intercambios? Why do we do exchanges?

Para permitir a los participantes tener nuevas perspectivas, compartir sus culturas, ejercer su liderazgo, y tener mejor comprensión de diferente culturas / To allow the participants to have a new perspective, share their culture, show leadership, and have a better understanding of different cultures

¿Efectivos? ¿Por qué? Why are they effective?

Porque las experiencias en países extranjeros proporciona algo diferente y único, y al interactuar con jóvenes de otras culturas permite su crecimiento integral/ because the experiences in a foreign country are different and unique, and the interaction with youth from different cultures allows integral growth

“Para que todos sean uno”

“ For everyone to be one”

3 ejes/3 axes:

Porque…Because…

IDENTIFICAR CUALES SON LOS EJES DE TUS INTERCAMBIOS JUVENILES…

IDENTIFY WHICH ARE THE AXES OF YOUR YOUTH EXCHANGES…

¿Qué hacemos?What do we do?

Relaciones internacionales de la YMCA México fortalece el desarrollo de los participantes y sus competencias a traves de diferente programas: / International relations at the YMCA Mexico, strengthen participant development, and skills through different programs:

• Liderazgo/ leadership• Crecimiento personal y profesional/ personal and

professional growth• Voluntariado / volunteering

A lo externo

A lo interno

Trabajo entre pares: joven-con joven.Fortalecimiento del liderazgo-trabajo en equipo.-conocimiento de la cultura mexicanaDesarrollo del voluntariado

Fortalecimiento de los vínculos Entre las YMCAS Trabajo entre pares: joven-con joven.Fortalecimiento del liderazgo-trabajo en equipo.-conocimiento de la cultura mexicanaDesarrollo del voluntariado

SPRING BREAK-Actividades que desarrollan el liderazgo-trabajo en comunidades vulnerables beneficiando su identificación ante problemas sociales-trabajo en equipo.-conocer las tradiciones mexicanas

NKU-UNIYMCA-Desarrollan en los jóvenes una mejor visión de la economía del pais-desarrollan sus capacidades intelectuales-conocen la cultura de otro pais--incremento del idioma español.

¿Cómo lo hacemos? How do we do it?

Para qué?What for?

Contribuir a las estrategias propuestas por la Alianza Mundial de YMCAs, siendo una de ellas empoderamiento juvenil/ to contribute to the World Alliance strategies including Youth Empowering

Alcanzar los objetivos del Milenio de la ONU/ to reach the Millenium Development goals.

Cumplir con nuestra misión como individuos, como Institución en un mundo globalizado/ To reach our misión, as individuals and as Institution in a globalized world

Te invito a / I invite you to:

• Formar lideres en tu YMCA local / create leadership in your local YMCA

• Fomentar el voluntariado/ encourage volunteering • Atreverte a innovar….. / dare to innovate• Creer y confiar en los JOVENES! SON NUESTRO

FUTURO! / believe and trust the YOUNG! THEY ARE OUR FUTURE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnnUERV40tA

YMCA of Greater Toronto

YMCA four fold approach

Conceptual tools:

• Determinants of Health• Asset Building Approach• Harm Reduction• Stages of Change Model

What are Social Determinants of Health?Que son los Determinantes sociales de la Salud?

• Economic and social conditions that influence the health of individuals, communities, and jurisdictions as a whole. / Condiciones economicas y sociales que influencias la salud de individuos, comunidades y jurisdicciones como en su totalidad

- healthy or ill / saludabe o enfermo

- possesses the resources / posee los recursos

- society makes them available / la sociedad los hace disponibles?

A Strength Based Approach: Asset BuildingUna perspectiva basada en fortalezas: Construccion de activos

Collaborative process/ proceso colaborativo

Emphasizing the strengths rather than gaps / Enfasis en fortalezas mas que en falencias

How do we use the strength based approach?

Problem Based Strength Based Basado en Problemas Basado en fortalezas

Youth problems Youth strengths

The work of experts Everyone’s work

People absorbing resources People as resources

Programs alone Relationships

A focus on troubled people All people

Blaming others Claiming responsibility

Helping/giving others Mutual strengthening

Development Cooperation

Developmental Assets(ages 12-18)

External Assets•Family support•Other adult relationships•Caring neighborhood•Community values youth• Youth as resources•Service to others•Positive peer influence•Youth programs

Internal Assets•Caring•Equality and social justice•Responsibility•Planning and decision making•Interpersonal Competence•Cultural Competence•Peaceful conflict resolution•Sense of purpose

Global Citizenship

“It goes beyond simply knowing that we are citizens of the globe to an

acknowledgement of our responsibilities both to each other

and to the Earth itself” Oxfam

A global citizen is someone who:

• is aware and has a sense of their own role as a world citizen;

• respects and values diversity;• has an understanding of how the world works; • is outraged by social injustice;• participates in and contributes locally and globally• is willing to act to make the world a more sustainable

place;• takes responsibility for their actions

Why we do International Work• It is embedded in the

essence of our organization

• It strengthens us, our communities and our youth

• Our mission goes beyond our borders:

Our communities will be home to

the healthiest children, teens and young adults

International Programs

• International Partnerships

International Partnerships

•Senegal YMCA•Ghana YMCA•Liberia YMCA•Lebanon YMCA•Mexico City YMCA•Medellin, Colombia YMCA•Kingston, Jamaica YMCA•Myanmar YMCA

What we do

• International Partnerships

• Global Awareness

Global Awareness Program

•Educate and inform about current global issues

•Encourage global responsibility and action

•Global awareness is integrated into programs:1. YMCA Academy 2. YMCA Camping and Outdoor Education3. YMCA Child Care4. YMCA Employment5. YMCA Family Development6. YMCA Health, Fitness and Recreation7. YMCA International Development8. YMCA Newcomer Services9. YMCA Youth Leader Corps10. YMCA Youth Outreach11. Support Services

What we do

• International Partnerships• Global Awareness

• Exchanges

Youth Exchanges at a glance

When: Every summer – since 2008

Who : Young leaders - From partner Ys - Ages 15-30

Where: Greater Toronto Area

For how long: 5-6 weeks

Reach out: 2,000 people in TO every summer

Connections with new organizations: 20

News paper articles /interviews: 3

Programs Objectives

•Foster a sense of global citizenship

•Provide opportunities for capacity building

•Provide a space for exchange and learning

Selection/seleccion

Logistics/Logistica

Preparation/preparacion

Partners agreementAcuerdo

Departure/ partida

Orientation/ orientacion

Camp/campamento

Placements & community connections/interaccion con organizaciones

Sharing & LearningCompartir y aprender

Reflecting/reflexion

Return/ Regreso

Sharing &learning socializacion

Youth Exchanges:The Process

Evaluation

What makes it uniqueOutstanding YMCA leadersFrom the Global SouthFrom vulnerable communitiesIndividualized experienceNew partnerships

In their own words….

Being immersed in a culture and society, totally different from mine, allowed me to generate permanent reflections about the lives and freedoms of the majority of citizens of the

world. There are extreme differences between the freedoms that exist for Canadians in

comparison to our rights in Latin America. That has confronted me greatly, and has pushed me

to keep working hard, to become a stronger individual, as well as to make more significant

contributions to the transformation of our individual realities– Julian

“

“Sharing my experience was also, one of the greatest moments of this trip. It is true that at first I thought there was nothing people from Toronto could learn from me, but then I found that the discussions I had with people, as well as the presentations I was doing , allowed them to learn a great deal about me, my role in the YMCA, in my community, my country and my culture”

Maryse Guinez Coly Subject to Citizen Ambassador ,YMCA of Senegal

In their own words….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9hn2s6z6V0

What is the value to us?•Bring our partners to live •Makes global issues real•Foster global citizenship in Toronto•Expose our leaders to other leaders•Make us think about our own potential•New local partners•Help us build our own community

Transformative Partnerships

Transformational Relationship.pptx

“It all began when my mind opened up to the unlimited number of possibilities that life has to offer.

I began taking risks and exploring possibilities and now I don’t want to stop! I continue finding new answers that my finite eyes once saw as

impossible. Barriers have been removed through the powerful tools of knowledge and education.

Education not only makes us human but also acts as an agent in transforming our world”

Daniel Correa – Young Leader YMCA of Medellin

Effective exchanges /principles• Define the “why” before the h/w - strategic relevance• Partners’ dialogue – knowing each other• Southern partners involvement in the process• Get allies/champions within the organization• Create opportunities for youth to interact with senior

leaders • Integrate to other programs and services• Taking it outside of the YMCA/Keeping the connections • Letting the youth space for growth – flexibility• Evaluate – measure and communicate

Indicators of success

Quantitative/short term-# of participants-Evaluations -Number of articles, newsletters,etc-# of new partners-# of programs involved

Qualitative/Strategic•Strategic Relevance•Senior Leadership engaged/action•Integration with other programs•Language change

What are the positive outcomes for your organization and your partner that a youth exchange could bring? / Cuales son los outcomes positivos que un intercambio de jovenes puede traer para su organization y para su partner?

For your organizationPara su organizacion

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For your partnerPara su partner

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Are there any specific steps/ actions that need to happen to make those outcomes evident?

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THANK YOU

Esperanza Monsalve

Esperanza.monsalve@ymcagta.orgwww.ymcagta.org

Manager International Program - YMCA of GTA

Lic. Patricia JiménezInternational Relations Coord. - YMCA México patriciajimenez@ymcacdmex.org.mx www.ymca.org.mx