By Omolola Precious
Change Agent Cohort 6, YMCA Nigeria
This is the fourth in a series of articles by Precious, sharing the experience of being a World YMCA Change Agent and the knowledge and perspectives gained along the way; read the third article here.
During our coursework, the module on Influencing Change took us through systems thinking and systems change. The first thing to note is that we are all influencers. So, the question is: do you want to influence positive change or negative change?
Whatever we do, we must do it with intentionality. People are watching, and a large percentage of them are people you have never met.
This module deepened my understanding of what is expected of us, especially in relation to YMCA Vision 2030. We are not here for one-time programs that don’t address the foundation of the problem. In simple terms: we are here to build and sustain systems that solve issues like mental health challenges, unemployment, poverty, and failing healthcare from the root up, for young people and adults across our communities.
Seeing the bigger picture
Systems thinking helps us see the bigger picture. It pushes us to ask: what is really causing this issue? What is the present system doing versus what it should be doing? How do we respond? And crucially, are we building a working system, or are we simply patching a broken one?
A broken system cannot produce a lasting impact. So how do we fix it? We start by looking beyond the surface. We connect the different parts: the Change Agents, the institutions, the communities, and we learn to work together even when our ideas differ, because it is that collaboration that turns ideas into action. Then we build a system that is better, fairer, more inclusive, and actually serves people.
Youth leadership, for example, often starts with “young people are not ready for leadership.” But systems thinking reframes the question entirely. Does the present system allow young people to take leadership positions? If not, why not? And what needs to change so that it does?
That is the shift this module calls us to make: from quick fixes to lasting solutions to systems that work.
Finding community
The YMCA has always been a community that builds, one that gives and keeps giving across generations. It is where I have learned to see beyond symptoms and ask harder questions.
If you haven’t found your local YMCA community yet, I encourage you to. There is real work happening, and there is room for you in it.
In the next article, I’ll be sharing about connections built through our team meetings and online sessions, and why those relationships have been just as formative as the Change Agent curriculum itself.