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Vision 2030 adopted at World Council, July 2022!
In a global first for the YMCA, the Vision 2030 strategy was adopted at the World Council, in Aarhus, Denmark on 5 July 2022. The historic moment was witnessed by over 1,000 in-person attendees and over 1,000 online attendees with a record World Council attendance of over 2,000 people.
Our YMCA Movement has over 90,000 staff, 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches worldwide, and our Vision 2030 global strategy was co-created with over 120 national YMCA movements invited to contribute, and extensive inputs collated from global gatherings, forums and consultations in the period 2019-2022.
“We celebrate this historic moment in the YMCA’s history. This is our Moment. This is our Time. This is our Vision 2030”, said Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General, World YMCA.
“The world needs the YMCA more than ever. Despite the threat of disconnection, YMCAs have connected and collaborated in unprecedented ways. We have adapted, connected and reset globally.
“Our vision, mission and goals have been co-created for greater global impact. Let’s step up, and into our future.”
What is YMCA Vision 2030?
YMCA Vision 2030 is a Movement-wide Vision statement, Mission statement, and four key areas of activity. Shared by us all.
Each of the four key areas of activity sets three collective goals to turn the priorities into action: at the YMCA, at the community, and at the global levels.
Vision 2030 is a framework for global alignment which allows each of the 120 YMCA National Movements to go at their own pace according to their own strengths and their own communities’ needs, in pursuit of common goals.
Our Manifesto
This is our moment. This is our time.
The world needs the YMCA more than ever.
To empower young people to ignite change.
To help build a just, sustainable, equitable and inclusive world.
To raise up the future generation of global leaders.
To see everyone thrive in body, mind and spirit.
To continue to commit to community wellbeing, meaningful work, a sustainable planet and a just world.
To meet community needs wherever we are present…
in 120 countries and 12,000 communities, reaching over 60 million people a year.
It’s our time to ignite change. #YMCAVision2030 #YMCAignitechange
YMCA Vision
Our vision is a world where every person lives in harmony with self, with society and with creation.
YMCA 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 key Pillars of Impact – each with a Belief, a Pledge and three Strategic Goals attached
What we believe, and what we will do
Community Wellbeing
The YMCA believes that every person should have the means to grow and thrive in body, mind and spirit while taking care of their individual and collective wellbeing.
By 2030 the YMCA will co-create, provide and advocate for high-quality, relevant and sustainable health and wellbeing solutions to young people and communities worldwide.
Meaningful Work
The YMCA Movement believes that all young people deserve the right to learn, engage in flexible dignified and meaningful work, and build sustainable livelihoods.
The YMCA commits to creating, expanding and advocating meaningful, just and equitable education, training, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the transition to the new economies.
Sustainable Planet
The YMCA believes that we should all commit and take action for the protection and regeneration of our Planet, preparing for a Just Transition to a world where humans live in full harmony with nature.
The YMCA commits to become a Greener Movement, an active youth voice on climate justice and champion of youth-led sustainability solutions.
Just World
The YMCA believes in the power of young people and communities to promote and advance justice, peace, equity and human rights for all.
The YMCA will become a global voice in the fight against systemic discrimination, inequity, injustice and racism in all its forms, amplifying the voices of young people and communities where it is active to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.
English version
A video message from the President and Secretary General (July 2021)
Vision 2030 Strategy adopted at the 20th World Council, in Aarhus, Denmark July 2022
The story so far
2019-2020: two years of consultation and co-creation, starting at our YMCA 175th celebrations and continuing through our collective debates reimagining ourselves in the face of Covid-19.
July 2021: a 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: a 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.
Global Stories
External assets:
Internal assets:
- Vision 2030
- Vision 2030 Essentials
- Word version of Vision 2030 Essentials for translation
- Word version of Vision 2030 Essentials (French, Spanish and German)
- Vision 2030 screensaver (Vision, Mission, Four Pillars)
- Vision, Mission, four Pillars of Impact individual
- Vision, Mission and four Pillars on a page combined
- Our Manifesto
- Our Story on a page
- YMCA/SDG alignment
- Brand pack with logos
- Vision 2030 cube and desk card (shared at World Council, july 2022)
Be 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 the 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.
Young people – here are ways to get involved globally!
The Youth Led Solutions Initiative,
The YMCA Change Agents programme,
The Global Youth Mobilization Initiative
At World YMCA, contact Razvan@ymca.int.
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