What is Vision 2030?

Stories from across the movement

Witness our global impact

Experience the inspiring stories of YMCAs worldwide—from supporting refugees and empowering youth to fostering mental health and sustainability. These powerful films showcase real impact across the four pillars of Vision 2030, as screened at the Accelerator Summit in Mombasa, October 2024.

Read Vision 2030

Download the Practical Guide on Implementing Vision 2030
  • Our Vision

    Our vision is a world where every person lives in harmony with self, with society and with creation.

  • Our Mission

    The YMCA’s mission is to empower young people and communities worldwide to build a just, sustainable, equitable and inclusive world, where every person can thrive in body, mind and spirit.

The four Pillars of Impact

To achieve Vision 2030, all YMCAs will focus on four areas and work toward 12 strategic goals.

Community Wellbeing

We nurture young people in body, mind and spirit.

Community Wellbeing
Community Wellbeing
This matters because...

1 in 7

young people aged 5-19 worldwide experience a mental health disorder

UN/WHO

Meaningful Work

We support worthwhile jobs and sustainable livelihoods.

Two women talking
Meaningful Work
This matters because...

264 million

young people aged 15-24 are not in education, employment or training (two-thirds are girls and women)

UN/ILO

Sustainable Planet

We channel young people's commitment to climate justice and sustainability

A group of people planting trees
Sustainable Planet
This matters because...

1 billion

children and young people worldwide are at ‘very high risk’ of the impacts of the climate crisis

UNICEF

Just World

Young people demand justice. We amplify youth voices and actions in communities.

Community
Just World
This matters because...

400 million

children worldwide face discrimination because of their ethnicity or religion

Save the Children

Vision 2030
progress

YMCAs around the world are implementing Vision 2030 in their strategic plans and programming.

YMCA Jashore, Bangladesh

Uni YMCA / Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong

Report

29 October 2023

Interactive Vision 2030 Map: Where we are today

View report

YMCA Medellin, Colombia

Africa Alliance YMCA General Assembly

Interactive Vision 2030 Map: Where we are today

29 October 2023

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Video

25 March 2024

YMCA leaders share YMCA Vision 2030 update and progress

Youtube video
YouTube Thumbnail

Video

25 March 2024

YMCA Vision 2030: YMCA leaders share what it means to them

Youtube video
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Video

25 March 2024

YMCA National General Secretaries reflect on Vision 2030

Youtube video

Our latest Vision 2030 news

Achieving a Sustainable Planet: A bold Case for Change

22 April 2025

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Meaningful Work: New tools will help YMCAs bridge the s...

01 April 2025

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Bringing Meaningful Work to life: Join our webinar

20 March 2025

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YMCA Vision 2030 films: Y’s Girls mentoring programme

03 March 2025

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The story so far

"We are rebuilding the Jericho Road. We seek 'system change' - changing the way the world works, changing the way we work."

World YMCA Secretary-General Carlos Sanvee citing Martin Luther King Jr.

2019-2020

Two years of consultation and co-creation, starting at our YMCA 175th celebrations in London, and continuing through our collective debates reimagining ourselves in the face of Covid-19.

July 2021

First draft of Vision 2030 was shared with the global YMCA family.

September 2021

World YMCA hosted four webinars to present Vision 2030: one in Spanish, one in French, two in English.

October 2021

Phase 1 of the consultation ended, 15 October.

February 2022

Second draft of Vision 2030 was shared with the global YMCA family.

March 2022

Phase 2 of the consultation ended, 12 March. The World YMCA Executive Committee approved Vision 2030 for presentation to World Council, 26 March.

July 2022

Vision 2030 adopted by the global YMCA Movement at World Council, 5 July.

September 2022

Movement-wide Vision 2030 strategy and planning meeting in Leysins, Switzerland (25 people).

November 2022

Launch of Practical Guide to Implementing Vision 2030.

February 2023

World YMCA and YMCA Area Alliance (25 people) meet in Geneva to plan Movement Support Functions in strategic coordination, learning and innovation, advocacy and influence, resource mobilization.

March 2023

National General Secretaries Annual Conference in Estes Park, Colorado debates the implementation and funding of Vision 2030.

May 2023

Launch of Vision 2030 Fund.

September 2023

Launch of Meaningful Work pillar with global youth survey

October 2023

Launch of Strategic Alignment and Movement Strengthening support function

December 2023

First mapping survey shows 2/3rds of National Movements adopting and aligning with Vision 2030

July 2024

Two major Meaningful Work reports co-authored with Deloitte

October 2024

The YMCA Accelerator Summit in Mombasa, Kenya, celebrates Vision 2030 work across 4 Pillars and 4 Movement Support Functions - 8 project films are screened, 40 partners join

Get involved

Join a YMCA near you, and get involved. It's for all National YMCA Movements to align with Vision 2030 and apply it in their way that best suits their skills, their characteristics and their local settings. World YMCA will coordinate the process, and use this website as a platform to share news, successes, stories, and best policy and practice.

YMCA associations are deeply rooted and trusted by their communities, empowering the most marginalised young people, and encouraging them to lead the charge for change in their communities and the world.

The YMCA offers an unprecedented ability to 'scale up' initiatives in multiple countries, regions, and communities. It also has the ability to design approaches that meet young people and communities where they are.

Răzvan-Victor Sassu

Head of Strategy & Policy

Romania

Find out more

Răzvan-Victor Sassu

Head of Strategy & Policy

Romania

Răzvan-Victor SASSU (Romania) is Head of Strategy, Policy and Movement Strengthening at the World Alliance of YMCAs. Based in Bucharest, Romania, he joined the team in February 2019 and progressed through various roles since.

He is also the CEO of the Bucharest branch of YMCA Romania (Young Initiative Association), and he also served on the Board of YMCA Romania between 2015 and 2025.

He specialised in organisational management and economics, with a Master’s Degree in the Knowledge-based Economy and Entrepreneurial Management.