In less than a week, the National Council of YMCAs will be in session.  This annual general meeting of representatives from 53 Associations is always a time to reconnect, renew friendships and make new ones, and conduct the business of our federation.  This year, it will be this and more.

• A record number of delegates are participating — 250 including 40 people between the ages of 19 and 30.  A large majority joined in one of five webinars last week in preparation for the event.  These one-hour sessions were hosted by YMCA Canada’s Chair Marty Reynolds and myself with support from Laura Palmer Korn.  We covered everything from how we’re structured to work together nationally to what we’re focused on at this meeting.  (The webinar slide show has been posted on the YMCA Leaders Forum for those who weren’t able to participate.)
• Dialogue and decision-making are on the agenda.  We’ll be talking and learning about YMCA Canada’s plan for the next eighteen months.  In particular, we’ll discuss five strategic priorities: National Resource Creation and Capacity Building Initiative (NRCCB), the YMCA brand, the federation’s 2012 – 2015 strategic plan, a review of governance, and a review of the delivery of service system.  Interbrand‘s Thomas Zara will set up a conversation on our brand and how to increase its value by positioning ourselves as “strengthening the foundations of community.”  National Council is being asked to approve this update to our 2007-2011 strategic plan.  A facilitation team from MASS LBP will guide us through this agenda.
• Celebration is on the agenda too.  On Friday, former CBC broadcaster Jowi Taylor will help us celebrate Canada in all its diversity with a special guitar known as Voyageur.  On Saturday evening, we’ll celebrate the careers of nine YMCA employees who retired in the past year or so – Ron Coulombe (Edmonton), Leigh Hathaway (Sarnia), Bruce Ireland (Oakville), Essa Khalfan (Toronto), Sheila Laursen (Montréal), Nancy McCormick (Sarnia), Wayne Perkins (Calgary), Ev Talbot (Western Ontario), and Garry (Joe) Walker (Peterborough).  On Sunday, we’ll celebrate our membership in the worldwide YMCA family with the World Alliance of YMCAs’ incoming General Secretary Johan Vilhelm Eltvik.

When I convened an informal group of National Council members to advise me on this year’s AGM, they told me what happened before and after the meeting were as important as what happened during it.  In response, we set up the online YMCA Leaders Forum where board chairs and chief executive officers have been sharing the substance of their board conversations — unfiltered – in April and May on the Case for Change.  It is also where we will continue to exchange information and views after the meeting.

We expect the conversation on the Case to deepen when we’re all under one roof, but this much we already know for sure.  Everyone is ready to dig into the issues associated with building a stronger federation.  Everyone wants more details and to study the implications carefully.  Some of us are more ready that others to move into action.  Some of us are new to the debate while others have been engaged in it for a very long time.  All of us value strong, autonomous Associations.  The principle of subsidiarity (“reverse delegation”) was planted at the founding of the National Council in 1912.  It still holds.  What we can do better together or simply cannot do alone is the work of our federation.  On Friday night, I’ll be sharing more of what I’ve been hearing from YMCA leaders during my travels and through other channels, including this blog.

Anyone who is not attending the 2010 AGM will be able to follow the conversation via YMCA Canada’s Facebook fan page from Friday, May 28th to Sunday, May 30th.  After, watch this blog for a video report on highlights.

What question would you like to put to the National Council of YMCAs when it is in session next weekend?

Scott

PS:  Last Wednesday, Interbrand released its 2010 report on the Best Canadian Brands.  On page 12, you will see some of the reasons I love the YMCA!