Just Too Young to be Old

Monday, 11 January, 2010

National Resource Creation and Capacity Building Initiative

My thanks to those who commented on my first post by e-mail and on this blog. I appreciate your encouragement, observations and ideas. You’ve given all of us a lot to think about. Your responses and our inaugural poll results confirm that many of us want to connect and are ready to try new tools.

Another opportunity is coming your way tomorrow. Diana Deakin-Thomas who is managing the 2010 YMCA Strong Kids | YMCA pour nos enfants campaign will be sending you a link to a special video and asking you to act on its invitation. When she asked me, I did. You can see the result by clicking here. It took me about five minutes to do the basics (without turning to my son for help.) If you’re looking for a good reason to do it, check out this 30-second television spot:

The evolution of the YMCA Strong Kids | YMCA pour nos enfants campaign over the past three years is an example of how we’re already creating more resources and building more capacity by working more closely together. If Canada’s children and youth are going to get healthier, we have to do more. More assisted memberships. More camperships. More collaborative initiatives with schools, municipalities and other youth-serving organizations.

The people who are working on the National Resource Creation and Capacity Building Initiative (NRCCB) met yesterday in Toronto. Our meeting continues today. Bill Stewart (Vancouver) is in the chair joined by seven volunteer advisors: Jocelyne Daw (Calgary), Josée Goulet (Montréal), John Hertel (Toronto), Marilyn Kapitany (Winnipeg), Evi Mustel (Vancouver), Phil Payne (Edmonton) and Craig Rowe (St. John’s).

Ten staff members round out the group: Steve Butz (Niagara), Jim Commerford (Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford), Tom Coon (Simcoe/Muskoka), Shaun Elliott (Western Ontario), Bob Gallagher (Belleville/Quinte West/Peterborough), Margaret Kay-Arora (Canada East MRC), Randy Klassen (Regina), Medhat Mahdy (Toronto), Kent Paterson (Winnipeg) and George Rodger (Consultant). Laura Palmer Korn is responsible for supporting the initiative. This reference group is a unique one, bringing senior volunteers together with senior staff for the first time to work through a complex set of strategic issues. We’re on track to issue a progress report by the end of this first quarter.

Since Portage ‘09, the group’s work has been raising questions, collecting and analyzing information, and framing a strategic discussion on the value, benefits, risks and implications of a national approach to creating resources and building capacity – a discussion that the National Council will have in 2011. Laura and her team are making a move this month from the YMCA of Greater Toronto to YMCA Canada. With this decision, we’re consolidating our efforts to deliver on the promises made in Winnipeg last June, including:

conducting a brand valuation and brand strategy study
learning from three pilot projects – YMCA Strong Kids, YMCA You Can Go! (a post-secondary school access program,) and the YMCA Youth Eco Internship Program
continuing the dialogue with you

By starting a new job, using a blog and setting up an online storytelling page, I’ve already made three changes this year. But these changes seem very small in comparison to the changes we’ve started to make together. I’m overcoming my own resistance to change by remembering why we’re doing it. Children, like the ones in the television commercial, are “just too young to be old” – and so is our YMCA!

My next question for you is: what is the best way to share important research like the brand valuation and brand strategy study?

Scott

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Tags: Belleville/QuinteWest/Brantford, brand, Calgary, Canada's children and youth, capacity, change, collaboration, Edmonton, Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford, Montreal, Niagara, resources, Simcoe Muskoka, St. John's, Toronto, Vancouver, Western Ontario, Winnipeg

http://www.fdhlawyers.com Brian Heagle

Scott,

I accepted the email invitation from Diana regarding Strong Kids. As promised, it was painless and quick (however, I’m not sure if I beat your time).

As for your “next question”: I believe the best way to share important research with your national audience is to use online technology (email, website links, webcasts, webinars, etc.). This permits findings to be timely, controlled (only involve certain people, etc.) and confidential (if applicable). It also permits the opportunity to discuss items in a direct way.

As a volunteer, and since my time is limited to deal with Y matters, I would appreciate having the ability to access and digest information on-line, when able, and print it, when needed. If the report is extensive, or if it warrants explanation or dialogue, then a follow-up webcast or webinar may be in order (a webinar might be conducted on a regional basis to make it more managable).

In effect, I would prefer not to receive a pile of paper or bound report by regular mail or courier, which could be relatively expensive for Y Canada too. As well, it would be helpful not to travel much further than my printer – or, at most, to my local YMCA!

I hope the above proves helpful.

— Brian Heagle
(Chair, YMCA of Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford)

p.s. As Chair, I have likely had more direct communications from Y Canada in the past 2 weeks, than over the past 2 years (that’s not a complaint, but a measure of your commitment to communicate more often and better which is, in my view, a welcome change).
http://qmediasolutions.com Richard Quinlan

Good Luck Scott!

Richard
John Lilley

Hi Scott,
Included in the recent package from YMCA Canada was a copy of a Powerpoint by Don McCreesh about “Measuring Outcomes and Social Impact”. That was a very worthwhile read but on its own it was a little hard to follow.

It was interesting for me to stretch my mind up to “impacts” from “outputs”. Franco and I had a great conversation about it.

Are Don’s notes from the presentation available? If he has some recommended further reading, could you post it?
Thanks and much appreciated.
John Lilley
Chair
Edmonton YMCA
Pat Davis

All the work done by National on Strong Kids has been terrific. Thanks to Diana and her team.
http://www.ymca.ca Scott Haldane

We’ll continue using a mix of old and new media to ensure everyone has access to information and can participate fully. However, the first reports we’re seeing on traffic and subscription numbers related to this blog indicate that we could consider adjusting the mix in favour of higher tech tools. They suggest that an increasing number of us are like you, Brian. We prefer to go online for information than to go to the mailbox or to meetings. John, you’ve got me thinking about the value of talking through issues or concepts with colleagues as well as reading about them. We’re reminded to build time and support for dialogue into YMCA Canada’s information dissemination plans. Thanks, Pat and Richard, for your words of encouragement.
http://www.fdhlawyers.com Brian Heagle

Scott,

Many thanks for your follow-up comments (which would be a great regular feature for your posts, so people have your preliminary thoughts, etc. about their input).

- Brian Heagle
(YMCA of Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford)
Wanda Wetterberg

Scott, thanks for showing me the power of blogs, video clips and the sharing of what other Y’s are doing.

I participated in the Branding webinar last week and it was really well done.

Keep up the great communication and work with your staff team.

Wanda Wetterberg
Board Member, YMCA Canada
http://www.ymca.ca Scott Haldane

Hi Wanda and Brian,

As you can see, I’m still learning how to use the new communications tools myself. I’m building the blog and other social media into my daily routine and you’ll see my responses much more often.

All the best,

Scott

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