By Han Sol Lee
Manager, Global Advancement, Y-USA
This year, I had the honor of being part of the 8th cohort of the Emerging Global Leaders Institute (EGLI), a year-long program empowering young YMCA leaders to advance the mission of their Ys through global engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion (GDEI). Together with 24 peers from across the U.S., I explored critical topics like organizational change, YMCA history, mental health, culture, and more.
Our journey began in April when our cohort first met in Chicago, where we delved into the impact and reach of the global YMCA movement. The highlight was a discussion between Tom Valentine (VP of International, Y-USA) and Marcus Van Wyk (CEO, YMCA South Africa) on the South Africa Coalition and their work around youth justice. We also visited the McGaw YMCA in Evanston, Illinois, USA, where it was motivating to see GDEI principles intentionally embedded in its strategic plan and understand how it comes alive in each of their departments.
In October, EGLI gave us the incredible opportunity to attend the World YMCA Accelerator Summit in Mombasa, Kenya. During the experience, I encountered many firsts, including travelling to Kenya and the African continent, going on a safari, trying ostrich meat, and attending a global YMCA event.
The summit kicked off with an exciting opening ceremony, where World YMCA Secretary General Carlos Sanvee reiterated the importance and urgency of YMCA Vision 2030, the shared global YMCA strategy (in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals) that advances the four key priorities identified by young people: Community Wellbeing, Meaningful Work, Sustainable Planet, and a Just World. Since its adoption at the 2022 World Council in Denmark, many YMCAs have implemented Vision 2030 into their strategic plan and aligned their programs with the four pillars.
Learning, connecting, and seeing impact
As Tom moderated the panel of Area Alliance leaders, the value of partnerships and working together as a YMCA movement while bringing external partners was emphasized. As our world gets smaller and global issues become more and more relevant, we cannot expect to achieve our goals by working in silos. Our communication and storytelling need to continue improving not only to draw in more funders but also to ensure that the communities that we are in can see the value of the YMCA as a trusted organization that will give them the platform and resources to create positive change.
Throughout the conference, I participated in various workshops, including the Meaningful Work co-lab, where we discussed and analyzed the insights from Future Ready, a joint report between World YMCA and Deloitte, which set 12 standards to define meaningful work for young people. We brainstormed ways to engage partners regarding the newly U.N.-recognized World Basketball Day and learned about the importance of impact measurement through a case study from YMCA Scotland. We also had deeper conversations in our “Tatu-Tatu” group, which included John Peacock (CEO, YMCA Ireland) and Victoria Muller (Volunteer, YMCA Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). This was a space to slow down from the busyness of the conference, to share reflections from the sessions and discuss how to best apply the lessons learned in our local contexts.
On the experiential learning day, I visited the Bombolulu Workshop and Cultural Center, a nonprofit that supports people with disabilities with housing and skills to sell artisan crafts. Seeing a partner intentionally providing Meaningful Work to so many people in the community was inspiring. Then, we visited the Mombasa YMCA branch, where we saw the Sustainable Planet pillar in action through the community garden and their College of Agriculture & Technology. Other initiatives, such as mental health counseling and youth hiking excursions demonstrated their holistic approach to Community Wellbeing. A booth from the Africa Alliance of YMCAs displayed their Subject 2 Citizens model, which trains young leaders in advocacy, climate action, and community engagement.
One of the summit’s most inspiring moments was when the Vision 2030 Awards were presented, with the Youth-Led Solution Impact Award being awarded to the U.S.-Philippines Coalition.
This collaboration through mutual learning and idea creation led to a grassroots climate education program, including coral reef protection, reforestation, and carbon assessment and reduction. This was truly special as it showcased the power of partnerships and the limitless opportunities it provides, even on a global scale. When YMCAs work together and engage young people, some of the most meaningful initiatives come alive.
Living the YMCA’s purpose together
For me, one of the most significant aspects of the summit was connecting with new YMCA leaders around the globe, many of whom are young people already in key positions driving change at their local or national Ys. Their leadership reaffirmed the importance of including young voices in decision-making. Also, it was inspiring to see how Vision 2030 is implemented in diverse ways, where each YMCA adapts the pillars to meet the specific needs of its local community while contributing to a shared global mission.
The last devotional on Acts 2:1-12 was timely as it reflected on how the Holy Spirit descend upon people who came from every nation to Jerusalem because they wanted to hear from God. The Spirit then allowed the people to communicate and understand each other despite the many different languages. As I saw God at work during the summit, it was this common purpose of spreading God’s love in everything that we do that unites us as one organization and one body, despite the wide differences in culture and languages. As the YMCA was founded on John 17:21, “that they may all be one…” it is with this conviction that I live my life, and it is a comforting reminder of our collective purpose and firm foundation with others around the world to live this out.
Since returning home, our EGLI cohort has worked hard on our Global Leader Certification projects. My project focuses on equipping future U.S. YMCA leaders with tools to transform their global experience into something sustainable for their local Ys, ensuring that global social equity work and Vision 2030 stays relevant and impactful. I am also proud to be graduating EGLI alongside 24 other tremendous leaders, who drive change in global diversity, equity and inclusion at their respective Ys.
Even though the road ahead isn’t always going to be easy, I now have a network of people from all over the world who share the same vision, to lean into for support and to partner with, so that we can collectively work towards making our communities more equitable for all.
Check out Han’s and other attendees’ reflections on the Accelerator Summit in the video below! ⬇️