By Mahima Turhi, YMCA India
YMCA India, Change Agent Cohort 5
At the YMCA Accelerator Summit in Mombasa on 25 October 2024, I participated in a strategic session titled “Measuring What Matters: Connecting the Movement from the Local to the Global.” Led by Gerhard Wiebe from YMCA Germany and Colin Macfarlane from YMCA Scotland, the session drew on their expertise in strategic planning, global learning, capacity building, and youth work mentoring.
Main Theme: Why Measurement Matters
In today’s world, measurement is crucial to understanding and decision-making. Accurately identifying and evaluating both quality and quantity allows us to focus on what truly matters and informs our actions. The workshop emphasised the importance of impact in achieving YMCA Vision 2030 through ongoing learning and innovation.
Key topics and activities:
The session explored how measuring impact can assess activities and their outcomes, both short- and long-term, creating opportunities for continuous learning and improvement. According to the speakers, impact data is valuable for YMCAs in various areas—securing funding, identifying milestones, tracking community improvements, and aligning with YMCA values. Scotland’s Youthwork Mentoring programme highlighted effective strategies for youth work and support networks.
Activity 1 involved envisioning future outcomes through creative headlines related to empowerment, poverty alleviation, youth employment, health, economic conditions, and leadership development.
Learning to Earning Pathway (L2E) Case Study: This case study highlighted the importance of a structured reflection framework, promoting socio-emotional learning, skills improvement, and building resilience. It underscored the value of connecting local activities with broader YMCA goals, allowing for collaborative learning and unified action across YMCAs.
Activity 2 involved strategically placing activities, objectives, and outcomes on the L2E Pathway’s eight stages (plus an additional support element). This exercise showed how articulating YMCA activities on the pathway can enhance impact alignment.
The speakers emphasised the YMCA’s goal to be visionary and impact-driven. A collaborative impact assessment, when aligned with the L2E pathway, strengthens our ability to measure progress on Vision 2030 through a course of development, community engagement, testing, adaptation, and expansion.
Activity 3 involved listening and co-creating where everyone shared their needs in terms of work and process.
Reflection
The workshop offered a framework for conceptualising the YMCA’s global impact and our Vision 2030 goals. With collaborative effort, effective communication, and robust impact measurement, this session illuminated a path for local YMCAs to connect and establish themselves on a global scale.