YMCA Camp Europe Campacity Conference
After months of planning and hard work, Campacity 2024 took place over April 15th-21st in Toledo, Spain at the Castillo de San Servando youth center, with the support of the local government. We then moved across to YMCA Camp Priego and was hosted by YMCA Spain. The second “Campacity” Conference was a joint initiative of YMCA Europe & Y USA, hosted by YMCA Spain and aimed to: During one week of sessions, participants: All this was made possible through a successful collaboration between the YMCA Europe and Y USA participants and by sharing each national or local YMCA’s meaningful work. 75 Participants from 15 different countries came together motivated to learn and share, with the aim that united them all – love of camping and belief in its impact. The program was balanced with capacity-building sessions and cultural exposure time designed to help connect and create connections. Participants had the option to attend workshops for many cross-cutting topics that play a crucial role in creating a successful camp such as strategy building, fundraising, partnerships, monitoring and evaluations to name a few. Apart from this, they had an opportunity to learn about the Do No Harm methodology, as in today’s world, it is crucial to stay mindful of our actions, plans and projects. As a final note, it needs to be mentioned how wonderful and empowering it is to see people working hard today with whatever means they have to create a better tomorrow, and Campacity demonstrated that even if we live thousands of kilometers away from each other, we are part of something bigger.
A Journey of Inspiration and Connection: Mid-America Camping Conference (MACC)
By Viktor Iliev I will begin with my profound gratitude to the YMCA of the USA for extending an invitation to join an international cohort at the Mid-America Camping Conference (MACC). This gathering transcended conventional expectations, evolving into an immersive experience alongside my colleagues from Kosovo, Romania, Spain, Ukraine, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Brazil. The YMCA of the USA’s commendable approach not only showcased their exemplary camp culture but also facilitated a global exchange of best practices. This collaborative endeavor added a distinctive international perspective, fostering connections across the Atlantic for the betterment of all engaged in youth development through outdoor education and camping. My trip began with a day delay due to flight cancellations, but I arrived in Omaha, Nebraska, and spent the night at Camp Kitaki. Although I missed the official camp tour, the next day’s exploration left an indelible impression of Camp Kitaki as a transformative outdoor haven, dedicated to youth development and experiential learning. The Camp Director, Jason, at a recent event eloquently captured the power of camp in a compelling video, encapsulating the essence of outdoor education. Our journey continued to Des Moines Y Camp in Iowa, where the entrance gate proclaimed, “The Closest Place to Heaven on Earth.” We were welcomed by the Camp Director Alex who took us to the camp tour. This camp had so many things to present and so many aspects of camp operations that almost left me speechless. Witnessing the camp’s extensive history, Alex’s remarkable projects, and the overwhelming support from Camp Alumni spoke volumes about the camp’s impact. At our next stop, Camp Duncan located in the State of Illinois hosted by one of our amazing hosts, the Camp Director Bobby, I felt with a sense that we go to pre-known place. The reason for that is that as we traveled from one state to another, after the long talks while traveling so we had insights into camp operations that were seamlessly intertwined with a sense of familiarity. Amazingly to see, but he and several of the camp staff lived at the campsite. With a picturesque lake and diverse outdoor activities, Camp Duncan stood as a testament to the multifaceted experiences it offer. A special interlude from camp activities led us to Chicago Downtown, culminating in a visit to the headquarters of the YMCA of the USA. Meeting the dedicated team, led by the hospitable Adriana, reinforced our view of the organization’s impact and commitment to its core values. By the end of our journey, we witnessed how she and her team members of this amazing pre-conference tour don’t just talk about the YMCA core values (Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Caring), but incorporate them in their own lives and act upon them. For a random organization is easy to state whatever mission and vision, but we were not at a random organization. YMCA of the USA is an organization like no other. Giving kids a great start. Helping families stay healthy. Inspiring communities to work together. That’s the YMCA. Our journey reached its pinnacle in Michigan at the Sherman Lake YMCA , where the MACC unfolded as the main event. The conference hosting about 250 camp professionals from across the United States and worldwide, showcased a unique blend of individuals at various stages of their camping careers. Experience, knowledge, and passion are abundant at this conference. With three exceptional keynote speakers, diverse interest sessions selected according to our personal preferences, round tables, reflections, recreation and networking opportunities, the conference left an indelible mark on me. I must admit that I was blown by the generous offer of interest sessions and struggled to decide what to prioritize. One thing that here is done in a unique way from what I have been used to and seen before, is the unique opportunity to create a customized personal interest session schedule. The way to value people’s time is this! One of the core areas of impact of the YMCA of the USA is Social Responsibility. These are not just two fancy words, but words to which YMCA gives them an essence by demonstration. In addition to each MACC conference, there is a fundraising event for a cause selected every year that receives all the funds raised. This year MACC Service Auction is in supporting the Maui Family YMCA’s ongoing efforts to rebuild and uplift the community after the Lahaina fires. I was amazed to experience the culture of philanthropy and social responsibility via the silent auction and service live auction where people donate items from their own YMCA or country such as branded materials, t-shirts, products or artwork from children’s camps, etc. to contribute to the auction and people bid for best offers. Philanthropy and entertainment at the same time. And the best part at the end – the conference was supported by many corporate donors. When people step in and contribute to a cause, you create a community. We have a lot to learn from this! And what a nice way to finish our journey by visiting our supportive host Thomas who along with the dedicated team at the Flint YMCA warmly welcomed us. We explored the place and its programs and discussed its best practices, the opportunities it offers so they are a truly community organization where people feel they belong. The final stop was at YMCA Camp Copneconic where despite the snowy and cold weather offered a captivating tour and an afternoon reflection on our collective experiences. Our group covered a distance of 1180 km, roughly the distance from Bitola to Vienna. I extend my best wishes to all fellow travelers in implementing the invaluable insights gained during this remarkable journey.
Youth Center Bitola: 2023 by the numbers
On 25.05.2023, the Youth Center was opened in Bitola, following its mission to encourage the personal and social development of young people through their inclusion in the community. Currently, two youth workers work in the center, while the center itself is managed by a consortium of 3 youth organizations from Bitola, YMCA, Sfera International and MKC. During the whole year, a series of activities were carried out in the direction of fulfilling the 8 previously established specific goals, and we are particularly happy to share that they have been largely fulfilled, i.e. we offered program activities covering all fields of youth development. Providing a space for young people to express themselves, organizing the free time of young people, developing the competencies of young people, encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit, promoting healthy lifestyle habits as well as raising environmental awareness, informing young people about opportunities for non-formal education, strengthening the active citizenship and promoting volunteering. By numbers it would look like this: The most visited program activities were: digital education, environment, mental health, youth participation and youth policies, as well as entertainment/social activities such as intercultural dinners, cooking days, learning foreign languages, etc. Our contribution to the activities of the youth center was mainly through two projects that we implemented during the year: Last year was proof of the youth center’s commitment to the development of young people in Bitola. The implementation of activities across all specific objectives demonstrates the commitment to fostering a dynamic, responsible and inclusive environment for young people. The vision of the Youth Center is a future with encouraged, creative and responsible young people who actively contribute to general progress, and represent a lively, informed and active youth community in Bitola. The full annual report of the youth center in the Macedonian language is available on the Youth Center website.
National Youth Work Conference
On December 19, 2023 in Skopje the largest national conference on youth work in our country was held. In front of over 100 attendees, the event was opened by Andrej Naumovski, President of the Union for Youth Work, Naumche Mojsovski, Director of the Youth and Sports Agency, Gjorgi Tasev, Associate of the Prime Minister for youth and youth policies, and Jovica Mitevski, representative of The National Agency for European Education Programs and Mobility. At the conference, certificates were ceremoniously awarded to 13 people who passed the training and acquired the title of youth worker. Among them was Natasha Darkov, part of the YMCA Bitola team. The topics “Youth centers as a necessary service for young people” and “Youth worker as a profession” were discussed in two panels. The representatives of the state authorities and mayors announced continuous support for the validation processes and the full establishment of youth work as a profession and an incentive for the process of establishing youth centers throughout the country. The representatives of the youth sector including the Union for Youth Work, youth centers and youth workers emphasized that youth workers and youth centers are key to implementing quality youth work. Their recognition and support will also mean the creation of an environment to support the growth and development of young people. They also spoke about the importance of youth worker training and the youth worker profession for the proper development of young people. The representatives of other institutions supporters of the development of youth work in the country stated their support as well. Faculty of philosophy stated the support they provide through the second-degree studies in youth work that are the first postgraduate studies in youth work in the region for which are provided scholarships as well. GIZ emphasized the importance of cooperation and targeted action of foreign donors following youth work providers at the local and national level. The involvement of YMCA as an organization in these processes is at a high level. Jovce Krstevski, a certified youth worker, is part of the staff of the youth center in Bitola, he is a member of the base of quality evaluators of youth centers established at the Agency for Youth and Sports and was one of the panelists at this event. In addition to that, at the event Natasha Darkov, after a whole year of exceptional engagement with groups of young people, completed an intensive certification course for youth work, and received the formal title of “youth worker” from the Агенција за млади и спорт / Agency of youth and sport и Сојуз за младинска работа/Union for Youth Work. This year, Jovce Krsteski went through a process of training and practice for the application of the methodology for career counseling and guidance of young people ProfillPASS, which was developed by the German Institute for Adult Education – the Leibniz Center for Lifelong Learning Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung.
Igniting our Mission in the West Balkans Initiative
From the 13th-16th of October, our representatives have been present at the West Balkan Initiative meeting, hosted by YMCA Kosovo. The program sessions were designed around the integration of the mission, and vision of the participating YMCAs from N.Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and Serbia – and the establishment of a bright and flourishing future together within our movement. Besides the representatives of the West Balkan Initiative, the meeting had several YMCA guests who gave their contributions to the program such as Claudia Kuhn from CVJM (YMCA Germany) with inputs on the Program Development, Paul Smillie from the YMCA Europe Movement Strengthening Initiative with inputs on Governance Improvement, Marius Pop from YMCA Europe Strategic Partnerships with inputs of the collaborations with the corporate sector, Tom Valentine from YMCA of the USA with inputs of the perspectives and support for the region in future and Andy from YMCA Europe Communications Team. The program offered an incredible opportunity to exchange good practices, meet the local youth leaders, and visit YMCA centers across the country including the new Camp Pjetershan. Our stay was in the city of Peja with sessions and lunches held at the local YMCA – an impressive multi-functional facility that accommodates a variety of training programs and youth-oriented sessions. It has been a great opportunity to provide an update on each movement on their development during the initiative and plans in light of the promising partnerships and potential future activities. It has been a great time to remember all the values, memories, and experiences that brought together the leadership of the West Balkans Initiative – continuing to focus their work on regional plans, future steps, challenges, and opportunities for the upcoming year. In terms of achievements, it is worth mentioning that new municipality spaces and agreements have been acquired by some YMCAs, each YMCAs revenue has increased throughout the initiative, new partnership projects (within the region and Internationally have begun), extra focus on not just the leaders but staff and board members has been given. With over 20 digital meetings (team and 1 to 1) plus study visits to all participating YMCAs this year the region is slowly growing and heading in the right direction- with still much work to be done. And the crown jewel of our trip – Camp Pjetershan – an impressive YMCA camp accommodating 70 young people and offering wonderful facilities like sports and training facilities, camp halls and offices, camp dorms, campfire site- a space that can be used for multiple outdoor-oriented activities and a fine example of local, national and international support for a project. We have been inspired by this meeting, awed by the resilience and determination of the team, and the individual work of every participating YMCA that is creating change in their communities – and we are grateful to be part of it.
Consultants Training within the project “Measuring Impact: with, for and by youth organizations”
The training took place 20-24 September 2023 held in the picturesque setting of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium and the 28 leaders from 25 different countries were equipped with research skills, necessary soft skills for organizing and running research as well as general consultancy skills. The participants were provided with an overview of various data collection tools, including, but not limited to surveys and focus groups; learnt the basics of sampling strategy; and learned the basics of data analysis tools. In addition to that, the training provided the participants with efficient communication skills (active listening, feedback, barriers of communication, the impact of assumptions, etc.), knowledge of the key personal development frameworks (DISC framework, systematic thinking, logical levels framework, etc.), develop teamwork and leadership skills (coaching, crisis management, problem-solving, public speaking), get to know the basic principles of change management, strategic approach, the dynamics of organizational culture and understanding social impact – a comprehensive curriculum designed to shape well-rounded consultants. The overall project aims to reinforce the links between policy, research and practice in the youth field by improving the level of evidence of the impact of youth organizations through a robust and recognized research methodology. The ambition of the project is to contribute to the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy by increasing the level of evidence in terms of societal impact and learning outcomes of youth empowerment activities provided by youth organizations. This collaborative initiative brought together a consortium of esteemed partners, including Scouterna, Les Scouts, Junák – český skaut, Scout Association of Macedonia, Scouting Ireland, YMCA Europe, YMCA Nederland, and Maynooth University.
Roots Peace Work Institute Reunion in The Holy Land
By Viktor Iliev It’s been quite a while since my last participation in some of the Peace Work Institute sessions. As a 2015-year alumnus, I was invited to join this event to reflect on the previous period in terms of tools, methods and experiences. The venue for the event was the Holy Land which also provided additional learning context. Of course, I accepted the invitation and attended the event. 28 participants, more than 10 countries, 3 different cohorts and 1 week together. It was a privilege to work with Peace Education experts such as Wolfgang Heinrich & Ankica Dragan who have been involved in this program from the very beginning providing the know-how. This time it was the Roots Context Analysis with a particular focus on the impact and relevance of Peace Work Institute Scheme and run through the prism of Reunion participants. We have been blessed being welcomed and hosted with exceptional hospitality and care in each day and place by our friends from Bethlehem, Jericho and Jerusalem, representing both the East Jerusalem and Jerusalem International YMCAs. With not much positive narrative in the media for this region, I felt inspired to see and hear what the YMCA does for its beneficiaries in a very challenging context – generating skills, opportunities and hope for the entire community for almost a century. And all of it despite a wide range of limitations and restrictions – because the people in the YMCA believe in what they do. Maybe the best part of this event was meeting local people and hearing their stories. In many aspects I feel shocked and empathized with the challenges, conditions and lifestyle of the Palestinian people finding some common realities and history with our local people in my homeland. I felt grateful to be able to hear the stories of the other side of the coin. I feel privileged to attend the site visits: Bethlehem, Jericho, and Jerusalem, Nativity Church, River Jordan, Mount of Temptation, Al Aqsa Mosque, Holy Sepulchre Church and a myriad of sacred places. Following the footsteps of Jesus Christ and reflecting upon his life, journey, and sacrifice. Deeply humbling and impactful – giving so much meaning and motivation for what we do and how we live.
Participants’ Impressions from the Camp SDG#13
Mia We learned new things about the environment and undoubtedly became more motivated to preserve it, at least on a local level. I am sure that I will attend this type of event again. I find the topic vast and there is quite a lot to discuss, and the fact that I can do the same with people with a similar mindset to mine appeals to me even more. Anna The word itself Eco(logy) attracts me a lot and I think that we are not responsible enough for our environment. I wish for that to change and I am aware that the starting point for that is always myself. We should not tell others what to do, but let them see what we are doing and thus be motivated. Simona Eco camp directly involved us in the organization of our open day where various games were played and lots of useful information was learned about bicycles and cyclists, as well as protecting our environment by using bicycles. For several days we learned through games, and on the last day we passed it on to the children as well as to the adults who visited us in the city park. The game turned into a beautiful view of the event “Bitola on a Wheel” with which we made a big circle around our city with bicycles accompanied by all the fans of the “wheel”. Sarah I learned many things, first, the Sustainable Development Goals, which I honestly had not paid much attention to. I would single out the joint educational games as the most fun and would apply them further in a professional or private relationship. Angela I was most impressed by the last day where we successfully organized an event for children accompanied by interesting games related to ecology, nature conservation, and cycling. All this, in addition to fun and smiles on the children’s faces, provided them with the opportunity to learn interesting facts related to ecology. Finally, I can safely say that I learned a lot and this camp encouraged me to think more deeply about the preservation of our planet. Read below to learn more about this project
The story of Camp SDG#13
From August 21 to 26 this year, as part of the Climate change leaders/Youth-led solutions project, we realized the SDG13 daily eco camp, supported by YMCA USA, which was attended by eleven 16-23 aged young enthusiasts from Bitola, interested in the environment, sustainable development and eco-activism. The first three days of the camp were for providing inputs in the topic, learning and deepening knowledge about sustainable development goals with an emphasis on the 13th goal for climate change. The first day of the camp took place in the Youth Center in Bitola, while the next two days continued outdoors in the City Park which was unanimously chosen by all participants as a suitable place for learning about the environment through outdoor education. The activities each day lasted 3-4 hours with a combination of workshops and exercises. We introduced the participants to the mission of the YMCA, they got to know each other, had the opportunity tо present independently all 17 goals of sustainable development and to learn about the circular economy through the HP Life courses. They were presented with examples of eco-activism, both in our country and from many places around the world, as well as the development of current environmental problems and proposing solutions for them. Tips for preserving nature through games and interesting outdoor activities were also discussed and suggested. The third day was specifically dedicated to air pollution, causes of pollution, steps taken to reduce it and what we as individuals can contribute to cleaner air. In addition to others, the topic of modes of transportation, their efficiency, economy and availability was raised here. Each working day ended with an evaluation of what was learned from the current day. During the event, the European Mobility Week was announced and the possible activities that we as participants of this eco camp would take to share some of the knowledge with other children and youth in an interactive and fun way. It was decided that on the last day of the eco camp, a final event will be held, fully planned and implemented by all participants with their ideas and suggestions, of course with the full support of the YMCA team. The participants were divided into 3 teams, and the following day a meeting was held with each of the coordination teams where 15 ideas for outdoor activities were selected to announce and support Mobility Week. On 26.08.2023 under the motto Learn. Share. Get involved. Get active the open event started in the City Park in Bitola with pre-prepared games for children, Jenga, slackline, a workshop for making pin badges, an improvised training ground for cyclists, educational games and the like. The goal was greater awareness of cycling, healthy lifestyle and environmental protection. The event was attended by a large number of young people from our city and we introduced many surprises for the best visitors – cyclists. We are happy that at the event we cooperated with corporate partner Alpsko, as a great supporter of organizations that support a healthy lifestyle. After two hours of activities with the children, we ended the event with a bicycle tour through the streets of Bitola with cyclists of all ages from our city, as a call for the installation of cycling lanes in order to make it easier and safer for the cyclists who are more and more numerous in our city.
My Story from one year in The Netherlands with ESC (European Solidarity Corps)
By Jovan Leshev If you have done any sort of volunteering work in any capacity, inevitably you have been asked how or why you would be doing paid work without being paid. It is never easy to explain why or how one decides to spend a year in a foreign country to serve as a volunteer. The positive experiences, the people I met, and the challenges I had to overcome while living and serving as an ESC volunteer in the Netherlands were more than enough reasons why I want to share my story. When I was selected as a volunteer from the Rock Solid Foundation to serve in their social restaurant Aan Tafel I was beyond excited. It was one of my long-standing wishes to live abroad, and this was the perfect opportunity to do just that. Aan Tafel is a social restaurant in the small town of Lunteren run entirely by volunteers and staffed by people with disabilities. Having worked in hospitality for a number of years, I thought this would be one of the easiest challenges I have faced, but the reality proved different. I had never shared working space with people with special needs and although challenging my time there taught me patience, compassion, and solidarity – qualities that every human being should possess if we want to live in a better world. My time in Lunteren and in Aan Tafel resulted in opportunities to learn, improve myself, and develop skills that I never thought I needed. In addition, great opportunities to meet, work alongside, and nurture relationships with people from all over the world, different age groups and cultural backgrounds, while helping me understand how astonishingly similar we all are when it comes to our core values. My long-term volunteering was not just limited to restaurant work. Rock Solid Foundation provided me and my fellow volunteers with opportunities to do meaningful volunteer work on a number of other projects, such as collecting food and clothes for people in need and organizing creative workshops for the elderly and people with disabilities. Along the way, I participated in various other activities they had going on in which we met and shared experiences with other volunteers in the Netherlands resulting in a bigger network of people and creating even more friendships along the way. It was not just working and learning, however. During the one year I spent as a volunteer, I got to immerse myself in a culture entirely different from my own, travel, learn a new language and visit places I had never seen before. I even got a chance to join a local choir and create even more experiences that are positive for me. So, yeah. If any youth is looking for a chance to do something meaningful and create some wonderful new experiences while living abroad and meeting people from all over the world, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Do not hesitate to volunteer, whether it is your time, your knowledge, or sometimes just your positive attitude. In the social restaurant Aan Tafel in Lunteren there is a quote hanging on the dining room wall: “When you have more than you need – build a bigger table, not a higher fence.
