What did it all mean?

What did 'building healthy communities' mean for the YMCAWO in 2011?

Well, it meant a lot of things. 

And last week, we hosted more than 140 members, donors and community partners at our AGM to talk about it.

Here's the recap:

In 2011, we served more.

• Over 100,000 participants in 69 locations across London, Woodstock, St. Thomas, Strathroy and surrounding counties to be exact. 
• Our Health, Fitness and Recreation served 69,294 people compared to 44,718 during 2010 and was able to provide a significant component of our community with the opportunity to live healthy lifestyles. 

In 2011, we had high scores.

• Along with increased participation, the YMCA was encouraged to see quality scores around service, cleanliness and programs. Scores continue to climb to be among the best in Canada.
• While attendance was flat at Camp Queen Elizabeth (CQE), quality continued to be at high levels. In fact, CQE continues to have the highest overall satisfaction among residential camps in the country. 

In 2011, we grew.

• The Middlesex Wellness Centre opened in Komoka in October. Feedback from the municipality and community members has been terrific and membership levels are higher than expected. 

In 2011, we faced challenges.

• We saw a continuing trend of lower participation in Day Camp.
• The average occupancy in Child Care dropped, ending the year at 84% occupancy below our benchmark of 90%. This is a result of full day kindergarten taking four and five year olds out of the child care delivery system. The YMCA will deliver licensed before and after school programs for the Thames Valley District School Board at eight additional schools using the YMCA child care curriculum (Playing to Learn).

In 2011, we focused on youth.

• 8,284 students attended the YMCA Children’s Safety Village. This new social event with TD Bank Group as the title sponsor raised almost $10,000 in support of the YMCA Children’s Safety Village.
• 2,044 youth participated in our Youth Gambling Program, an educational program designed to reduce the harm associated with youth gambling. 85 young adults received training through our Federal Public Sector Youth Internship Program.

In 2011, literacy remained important.

• The YMCA provided English training to 688 adult newcomers to Canada at our four LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) Centres and to 82 youth newcomers.
• The number of children served in our Community School Programs, a program based in 13 schools that focuses on literacy, rose by 11% to 5,175.

In 2011, we made new friends.

• A management agreement was signed with the YMCA of Windsor and Essex County. With the use of the YMCA of Western Ontario’s adminstrative offices, the Windsor YMCA is on a more stable financial footing and is looking forward to renewal and opportunities to serve more of the community.
• The YMCA is very pleased to have the new home of Wellspring located at its Centre Branch and to provide adminstrative and management services to this important organization. Wellspring provides services to cancer patients and their families and is reliant on donations to continue its operations.

In 2011, we reached goals.

• As a charity, the YMCA remains profoundly grateful to our donors and the many individuals and organizations that support our work. The capital campaigns in Woodstock and St. Thomas are near completion with Woodstock reaching 84% of the $1 million target and St. Thomas close to its goal of $900,000.
• The Women of Excellence Gala was highly successful with the Bank of Montreal as the first title sponsor. Proceeds from the event totalled $145,000.
• The Y Fore Kids Golf Tournament raised $230,000, surpassing the goal of establishing a $1 million endowment. This endowment will fund children and youth to attend YMCA camps and participate in our health fitness and recreation programs.
• The Annual YMCA Strong Kids Campaign surpassed its goal and raised $260,000.
• The Green Lane Fund accepted our 2010 proposal to fund $100,000 for the St. Thomas Strong Kids Campaign over 5 years.
• The United Way of London and Middlesex allocated $230,000 in support of our ongoing literacy based Community School Program. The United Way of Oxford allocated $56,000 in their continued support of the Woodstock branch and our YMCA Strong Kids subsidy. The United Way of Elgin allocated $34,750 in support of Strong Kids and the launch of Community School Programs.

In 2011, we were happy.

• The YMCA continues to be a great place to work. Over 92% of our staff said they were satisfied with their work, and 85% of staff contributed to our YMCA Strong Kids Campaign.

In 2011, we were internationally involved.

• Our international involvement with YMCAs in Chile continued. In addition to a visit to four YMCAs in Chile, two of our staff were selected to work with youth programs in a two month placement at the YMCA of Iquique (in northern Chile); Young staff or volunteers from the YMCA of Iquique will join us this summer to help with our youth programs.

In 2011, we refreshed.

• We have a new look, including the Y logo with rounded edges, our typeface, and our colour palette. Our refreshed brand is meant to demonstrate our focus on the development of youth and children. As a part of this work, all staff have been asked to participate in a process to identify what we can say and do, on a daily basis, to help improve the understanding and experience of our child care parents, members, campers, donors and participants. 

Interested in learning more? Read the YMCA of Western Ontario 2011 Annual Report here. 

So what does all of this mean for you, for us, for 2012, and beyond?

It means building healthy communities. 

~Shaun Elliott, YMCA of Western Ontario, CEO

Engage them and they will come.

In December, we called out to all youth.

And they responded.

Today, 22 of them make up our Youth Advisory Council.

Youth engagement is a priority of the Y, and for good reason. When you engage youth, they thrive.

How we got here.

The YMCA launched its Youth Engagement  Strategy at the beginning of 2012. Through youth engagement, the YMCA has committed to developing young people in healthy ways by doing a better job at creating: 

• programs
• services
• opportunities 
• supports 

It was clear that in order for the us to engage youth in new and creative ways, we needed to start by bringing youth into the conversation and listening to what they had to say. Starting a YMCA Youth Advisory Council was the first step for us.

What YAC is all about.

Our Youth Advisory Council was established in January 2012, with a goal of bringing youth together to share ideas, plan events, learn about opportunities and to gain a voice and presence within our YMCA. With monthly meetings, the council discusses priorities and goals that have been established by the YMCA Youth Engagement team and the youth council members. There is never a shortage of ideas or enthusiasm on this council as the group begins planning for two upcoming initiatives, scheduled to happen this summer!

Why this is important.

At the YMCA of Western Ontario, we want youth to be actively involved in shaping their development by interacting with supportive adults, networking with fellow peers and truly having a voice and role within our organization.

It's time.

It is time for youth to have a voice within the YMCA of Western Ontario and for our staff and members to become advocates and supporters of the young citizens of our community. Our YMCA Youth Advisory Council is already making that happen!

Where we go from here.

Starting this month, our YMCA Youth Advisory Council will have a voice on our YMCA of Western Ontario Board of Directors. Voted on by their peers, one of the council members will sit on the board to gain an understanding of the YMCA governance and to ensure the Youth Council has a voice in upcoming decisions.

And this is just the beginning.

~Ashley Constable, Camp & Youth Engagement

We celebrate you: our volunteers.

Those who can, do.  Those who can do more, volunteer.  ~ Author Unknown

You already know it takes caring, thoughtful people to be volunteers.

I bet you even know a volunteer or two (or maybe that person is you).

The YMCA knows volunteers too. And this month we celebrate them.

Who?

Meet Kate Hall-Mathews and Dr. David Atkinson.

Although they have different interests (Kate loves football and Dr. David is a retired pediatrician), they have one thing in common; they are extremely important to the YMCA.

How?

Well, both help the Y and assist members regularly in different ways. 

Kate works two days a week in the Stoney Creek Café, using cooking and baking skills she learned through courses at Fanshawe College. She provides staff and members with nutritious and delicious food and drink options.

David dedicates his time helping at the St. Thomas’ Membership Services desk. He has also been a Committee Chair for the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign over the past few years.

Why?

Kate thanks her Dad  for encouraging her to sign up as a volunteer about four months ago, saying she’s “pretty happy about it.” Kate enjoys it when lots of members stop by to say hi. She also appreciates learning new skills, such as making different foods and learning Italian from a fellow Stoney Creek employee.

Dr. David has been a Y member since the age of six, and wanted to give back to his community in a different way after having worked with hospital and church groups throughout his professional career. Dr. David has found volunteering to be very rewarding, commenting that he gets “a social exercise, in addition to physical exercise” at the Y, by interacting with kids and families. 

We celebrate you, Kate and Dr. David.

We thank them for their time, their passion and their dedication to making a difference at the Y.

We celebrate you too.

Every volunteer at the YMCA is important. It’s what makes us a community place and we appreciate everyone of you. We could not be the organization we are without your help.  Our volunteers bring a variety of skills with them and come from many different backgrounds. All are an integral part of the Y.

Thank you to all who choose to spend their time helping the YMCA!

Interested in volunteering? Click here for more information.

~YMCAWO

Goodbye snow, hello sunshine.

With the first day of spring, we begin to think about warmer days, blue skies and sunshine.

And camp. 

YMCA day camps: the best way to play, build relationships and start a healthy lifestyle. 

LOCATIONS

The YMCA has five day camp sites in London as well as day camps in Woodstock, St. Thomas and Strathroy. New for this year, there are also day camps in Ilderton, Arva and Komoka.

Each site takes advantage of its own unique characteristics:

• Want to learn how to paddle a canoe? Fanshawe Conservation Area. 
• Want to swim in a pool? Stoney Creek YMCA, Bob Hayward YMCA, Woodstock YMCA or St. Thomas YMCA. 
• Looking for sports camps? Strathroy YMCA. 
• Looking for leadership development? Centre Branch YMCA. 
• Looking for day camps closer to your own community? Ilderton, Arva and Komoka.

Visit our website for more details about locations and the many activiites we offer!

PROGRAMS

Unlike any other day camp in London and area, the YMCA has taken an intentional approach to program delivery based on the principals of YMCA Canada’s Healthy Child Development. This research-based approach provides our staff with the tools to create developmentally appropriate programming, empowering YMCA campers with some choice and allowing them to grow through their experiences.

The Search Institute has identified 40 developmental assets that are the building blocks to help children and youth grow up healthy, positive and confident. The YMCA is committed to helping build these assets in all our campers.

CAMPERS 

The YMCA is committed to breaking down barriers. We are open to all children who want to go to camp; new campers, returning campers, we even offer additional one on one inclusion support for campers with special needs. We also know that budgeting for your child’s camp can sometimes be a challenge. That’s why at the YMCA we offer an extended payment plans and financial assistance.

SAFETY

As an added commitment to safety, all YMCA day camp sites meet or exceed safety standards established by High Five and the Ontario Camps Association. We also continually audit our programs to ensure we’re staying on top of safety!

I can’t think of a better way to spend the summer than a day camp experience. Our campers make new friends, learn new songs and even grow a little bit along the way. Read some of our favourite camp memories here.

Registration is now open - visit our website for more details.

I look forward to seeing you this summer!

~Chris Wick, Manager of Day Camps

It's cool to be safe: teaching kids in a new way

Even with the best of intentions, teaching children about safety can be boring. Usually, it comes in the form of a safety lesson in a regular classroom with a video and a test. For those in Kindergarten to Grade 4, there’s nothing cool about that.

Now picture the YMCA Children’s Safety Village:

Uniformed Police Officers and Firefighters, with classrooms that have kid friendly props. Immediately following the lesson, children have the opportunity to practice what they learn.

Now that's cool. 

Based on age, children learn lessons around being a pedestrian, paying attention to traffic, using a bicycle wisely, and fire safety (just to name a few!). 

And how do they learn?

By doing.

They walk, they drive small jeeps and they ride bikes in a miniature child-sized village with 26 buildings (a 3M, a Costco, a TD Bank - just like the real London!). It has working traffic lights and an active train crossing. 

When children and assisting parents have this experience, the look on their faces is priceless!

And while some of the kids are doing that, the others are completing lessons about Fire Safety. Based on age, some would be learning how to safely escape from “Sparky’s Bedroom”. When the room fills with smoke, children must crawl on their bellies over to the bedroom window to meet the firefighter. They then learn how to go out the window to meet others at a pre-arranged destination.

Something cool for parents and teachers.

This school trip doesn't cost anything to students besides the bus fee. Everyone can be happy about that!

These are just a few of the lessons offered. For more details about The Safety Village, or for teachers who would like book their class, please visit our website.  

Something cool for the public.

Every year on the anniversary of the creation of The Safety Village, we invite the public to join us for our Birthday Party event. It is always the first Sunday in June and this year is takes place on June 3rd, from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Although we don’t hold classes that day, you are welcome to tour around the village. There will also be a mini parade, children’s entertainment and give-aways! Save the date now and check out our website May 1st for the poster with all the details!

~Sue Brooks, Manager, YMCA Children's Safety Village