Kerry Reilly
YMCA Scotland National General Secretary
Role at Accelerator Summit: Coordinating the planning and delivery of the Summit
What you are most looking forward to in Mombasa: Having the opportunity for us all to deepen our global awareness and understanding of how the Pillars of Vision 2030 are relevant in a country and a continent where over 70% of the population are under the age of 35.
What attendees can anticipate: A wonderful week of learning, sharing, deep conversations, collaboration and developing new partnerships and opportunities to advance their work. There will also be the opportunity to get out into the city to visit some great projects as well as YMCA Mombasa.
How do you see the Summit accelerating Vision 2030?: The Summit is a space like no other within our YMCA events calendar, purely dedicated to advancing Vision 2030, with no other agendas or governance taking place. We are focused on creating a programme that provides opportunities for people to explore ways that they can advance their work locally, nationally and internationally across all four Pillars of Vision 2030.
What is one thing people should know about the Summit?: Your contribution to the Summit matters! We want to hear and understand what you are learning in your YMCA context and setting about Vision 2030 and how it is contributing to our collective global vision for change.
Jared Musima
YMCA Kenya National General Secretary/CEO
Role at Accelerator Summit: Support the Planning Team and coordination of logistics on the ground.
What you are most looking forward to in Mombasa: Having in-depth discourse on Vision 2030 Pillars and New Action steps Going Forward
What attendees can anticipate: Gaining a deeper understanding of Vision 2030 and practical ways of actualising it.
How do you see the Summit accelerating Vision 2030?: It will do so gradually with concrete results going forward as the YMCA, and it will help attendees better grasp the Pillars.
What is one thing you think people should know about the Summit?: It will be an enriching and interactive experience.
Oriana Ortiz Parrao
YMCA Latin America and the Caribbean / Program, projects and services coordinator
Role at Accelerator Summit: I am part of the planning committee representing the Latin America and Caribbean region.
What you are most looking forward to in Mombasa: The intercultural and intergenerational components. I am excited to have the opportunity to share and connect with people from different YMCAs all over the world! I am eager to learn how they are contributing to the achievement of the goals of Vision 2030, to understand their solutions and how they are facing challenges.
What attendees can anticipate: They can expect to share with people from different YMCAs, experiences, roles and backgrounds. Also, they will learn a lot from the different workshops and other spaces that are part of the programme about how young people and YMCAs are contributing to the challenges and issues that our communities are facing.
How do you see the Summit accelerating Vision 2030?: We are a global Movement with local impact and a rich history and experience. The Summit provides a valuable opportunity to come together, share insights, learn from each other, and build connections. This is crucial for enhancing our global impact because, despite diverse local contexts, we all encounter shared challenges and issues. By exchanging, collaborating and finding solutions together, we can foster stronger synergies to achieve the goals of Vision 2030
What would you like people to know? The participation of young people is really important to encourage and support, both from young volunteers and staff. As a global Movement working for and by young people, it is crucial to ensure that young voices are heard and empowered to speak. Being a young person myself, I understand the importance of connecting with peers to be inspired and empowered to contribute to something greater, to seek more solutions, and to create a greater impact. It is also important to feel that you are in a safe space where you can share knowledge, propose ideas, speak, contribute, ask questions and dream, and where you are seen and heard.
Francisca Ohenewa
YMCA Ghana National Youth Secretary
Role at Accelerator Summit: I am on the planning team as a Change Agent and also in the Awards subgroup. I coordinate meetings, am involved in the criteria-setting process, shortlist awardees, facilitate communication between the Awards subgroup and the main planning team, and perform other tasks.
What you are most looking forward to in Mombasa: I look forward to learning more about youth-led initiatives that I can champion to accelerate Vision 2030 and networking to build partnerships. I also look forward to all the exciting events like the experiential visits, the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony.
What attendees can anticipate: Participants can look forward to learning from youth-led innovation, building partnerships, the experiential visits and the closing ceremony on the last night.
How do you see the Summit accelerating Vision 2030?: The Summit will, I believe, give delegates a lot of insight into what Vision 2030 is about and how they can get involved. It will also foster collaboration by uniting complementary strengths. Engaging with the “Partnership Marketplace” and networking with delegates will be instrumental in finding collaborators for impactful change initiatives and projects that will accelerate the YMCA Vision 2030.
What is one thing you think people should know about the Summit?: Amazing youth-led solutions, as well as external partners working with us to accelerate Vision 2030 will be awarded during the last night of the summit.
Harvin Vallabhaneni
World YMCA Executive Committee Member, USA
Role at Accelerator Summit: Provide governance oversight for the committee and represent the ExCo.
What you are most looking forward to in Mombasa: The sparks and collaboration that will emerge out of run-ins at the pool, after sessions and over coffee. The magic of our global federation is that between all of our Movements, we have the opportunity to iterate and share learnings. I see the Summit as a launchpad for countless “aha!” moments, where shared ideas and lessons spark positive change across all our YMCAs.
What attendees can anticipate: They can anticipate the experiential visits and debating Vision 2030 in the beautiful hotel pool.
How do you see the Summit accelerating Vision 2030?: The magic of the YMCA lies in its diversity. We have different business models, locations, and approaches, yet we are united by a common goal. Vision 2030 is the first time we’ve explicitly articulated this shared vision, a flag planted to the world declaring what ALL YMCAs stand for.
Our diversity brings a wealth of unique programming and approaches to tackling the Pillars of Vision 2030. The Summit will illuminate these local successes and lessons, allowing us to amplify what works and learn from what doesn’t.
As a global organisation, our scale makes us a trusted partner worldwide. This Summit is vital for scaling the best of the Y, ensuring our impact is felt across the globe.
