The Mexico-US border

I’ve been on the road for much of the past two weeks — Tijuana for a Prairies MRC-Mexico partnership meeting, Victoria for YMCA Canada’s Board of Directors meeting, Montréal for an MRC CEOs meeting before heading home to Toronto for an Ontario MRC meeting.  In these gatherings, I had the chance to see the change that is underway within the YMCA federation from several perspectives. 

Each diverse group of YMCA leaders has been advancing the Case for Change in its own words and ways.  Some have concluded that the pace is too fast while others say it’s too slow, but everyone cites signs of progress when asked to tally them:

• the start of this new strategic conversation about Canada’s YMCA
• a fresh approach to communications
• the first YMCA CEO Forum and unanimous support for the Case for Change
• the focus on careful preparation, dialogue and decision-making for the AGM in May ’10

Stéphane Vaillancourt at the new Cartierville YMCA

This week and next, I’m also benefiting from the perspective of distance.  I asked YMCAs of Québec and Canada East MRC CEO Stéphane Vaillancourt to convene a seasoned team of YMCA leaders to do a ‘capacity check’ at YMCA Canada.  Jason Brown (St. John’s), Jim Commerford (Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford),  Zane Korytko (Moncton), Sharon Peterson (Kelowna), Wendy Richardson (Toronto), and Helene Weir (Calgary) accepted our invitation and came to Toronto to take a close look at the financial and human resources needed to play our part in turning the Case for Change into a reality.

The team did this on Tuesday and now I’m carrying their recommendations with me to Geneva.  I’m leaving today to meet with the Global Staff Team — the heads of the area YMCA alliances – with VP International Mary Anne Roche.  We all know that it’s important to get the view from the balcony from time to time, especially before making important decisions.  I’m counting on this trip to give me some time to digest all that I’ve been hearing and seeing lately.  Plus, it’s an opportunity to see the YMCA and my new role through a global lens.

Before I leave, YMCA Board Chairs and Chief Executive Officers will receive an e-mail about a new online forum that we launched today for YMCA leaders.  It provides tools to assist them in facilitating dialogue on the Case for Change with their boards in April, and to prepare their delegates for the decisions that we’ll be making at the AGM in May.  Three questions are proposed to guide board conversations on the Case for Change:

• What are the benefits of a stronger federation?
• What are the implications of a stronger federation for your YMCA?
• Does your YMCA endorse the Case for Change?

The YMCA Leaders Forum is one of the ongoing ways that Association board and senior staff members will:

• get briefed on current national issues, challenges and actions
• track progress on a national strategy, priority or initiative
• download a document or a video
• get details on national events or meetings
• exchange perspectives and ideas

While this is a new way of sharing information and working together, it does not replace the old ways — at least not yet!  It’s simply an electronic option.  We’ll be following up by telephone with CEOs to orient them to this new site, but we’ll be sending the video and documentation needed for the April board conversations by post and e-mail too.  I’ll be interested in their feedback so that we can iron out any glitches.
 
My question for you is: what are you seeing from your balcony?
  
Scott

PS:  Last week, YMCA Canada’s Board Chair Marty Reynolds (Vancouver) along with Bette Watson-Borg (Halifax) and  Janet Tryhuba (Edmonton) attended a first preparatory conference for Canada’s sesquicentennial in 2017.  We will hear more about their experience and thoughts about the YMCA’s role in this important anniversary soon.

Bette, Janet and Marty at the 150! Canada Conference in Ottawa