For “World YMCA Vision 2030”
300 members of the Japan YMCA joined the Japan YMCA Conference
The “Japan YMCA Conference” is held once every two years. This year’s conference was held at the Tozanso YMCA from November 15th to 17th. A total of 300 members, including 100 online members, participated.
This year’s conference theme is “Link! ~ I, YMCA, World, and the Future~”.
All the world YMCAs shared their “Vision 2030” goal, and this conference discussed how the Japan YMCA can approach “Vision 2030.” We introduced each Japanese YMCA’s local activities, attended a lecture by the guest speaker, and connected online with other overseas YMCAs. We linked with the worldwide YMCA and thought about our ideal society in 2030 together.
●World YMCA’s initiative activities were shared
●Lecture「For a sustainable planet」
At the conference, we connected online with the Bangkok YMCA, Singapore YMCA, and Madagascar YMCA. They reported on the “World YMCA Accelerator Summit” held in Kenya this past October and shared each country’s effort towards “Vision 2030.”
Also, the Japan YMCA hosted a lecture by the guest speaker, Ms. Akiko Yoshida from the certified NPO corporation FoE JAPAN(Friends of the Earth), and Mr. Syuta Mano from the UPDATER (Everyone’s Electricity). We learned about Japan’s electricity situation and the possibility of future energy policies.
●YMCA award “Number One in Japan”
● Ukrainian Refugees also joined this conference
On the second day of the conference, all the Japan YMCAs participated in introducing their programs and then voted for which program is the “number one in Japan” activity. As a result, Iwate YMCA’s “Children’s Human Rights Project” promoting anti-bullying throughout the elementary schools in Iwate prefecture was chosen. This program started two years ago and is incorporated with the Iwate Bar Association. Their mission is to achieve zero bullying and teach children about ”human rights”, which is a right everyone should be given to live a happy life from their birth. Last year, they organized a human rights slogan from a local elementary school and made human rights karuta (traditional Japanese playing cards). They plan to distribute these Japanese playing cards throughout the elementary schools in Iwate to help promote human rights education.
Also, teenage refugees from the Ukraine war joined this conference. They enjoyed a campfire together. Ukrainian refugees appealed that “the war’s only outcome is to destroy people’s lives and the environment”.
Participant’s voice～ “ YMCA in 2030…”
Participants brainstormed during the conference, helping to produce the 4 goals set out in “Vision 2030”. Each person wrote an opinion for what we can do to achieve outcomes.
【Vision2030―①】 Community Wellbeing
●Childcare, enriching the child raising programs
・Enhancing the activities of childcare for families who need support. We will ask for donations from companies.
・Organize playgrounds/protection of children’s rights/provide a safe place for children.
・Childcare support goals (100% of childcare leave, grandparents help, equal quality of childcare facilities).
●Correspond for local needs
・Decreasing birthrate and a growing elderly population (elderly will gather at the local childcare center/elderly will participate in lively activities with children).
・Enhanced support for people with disabilities, foreign nationals, and low-income families.
・Meet societal disadvantaged persons by offering a human-centered YMCA community.
●Strengthening connections
・Strengthen the connection with other NGOs/offer a place where every generation can congregate.
・Society without isolation/offer a place where help each other and be active/ help each other in a supportive community.
・Promote overseas exchange. Cooperate worldwide to support nations without war.
【Vision2030―②】Meaningful Work
●Improve YMCA’s employment environment
・Create demand for people wanting to work at the YMCA, such as “top ranking desirable jobs”.
・Everyone who is involved in the YMCA is happy with their mind and health / can utilize their abilities / can work in a variety of ways/ and focused on staff benefit improvement.
・Staff with a diversity of backgrounds can work/ employment opportunities for people with disabilities and foreigners.
●Promote job training
・To promote and create employment opportunities for people who are socially withdrawn, or someone who has a hard time connecting with people.
・To concrete jobs that young people would like to do. Create a work environment where employees are motivated / share the joy of working together.
・A society where children can choose freely.
・Implementation of foreigner’s professional job education programs.
・Promote to accept more internships.
【Vision2030―③】Sustainable Planet
●Implementation of environmental education
・To raise people who love nature, to encourage thoughts for environmental awareness
・Nature school/agricultural workshops/experience a lifestyle with no electricity or gas.
●Eco activities
・YMCA’s recycling action and food loss initiatives
・Incorporate environmentally friendly initiatives in facilities (install water fountains instead of vending machines/installation of solar panels/use of clean energy/power generation by air bicycles.
●Other
・Aim to completely abolish unclear weapons and nuclear power plants
・Making a YMCA vegetable farm (to supply staple food for low-income people).
・To promote organic farming by supporting employment.
【Vision2030―④】Just World
●Peace Education
・Peace education, research peace activities/ find ways to stop war or civil war.
・Promote no nuclear weapon/ no violence in society.
・Increase opportunities for international exchange/exchange peace education by grassroots activities.
●To experience what is poverty, equal gender learning opportunities at the YMCA
・Provide learning opportunities for children in the world.
・All children, such as young caregivers, poor families, etc., can participate equally.
●No discrimination at the YMCA community for gender, disabilities, or nationalities
・respect diversity, to create a more inclusive society.
●No one would be left behind in the YMCA community
・offer a place for youth who lost hope, socially disadvantaged people.
・Social security network offers a place where you can talk about your problems.
The Japan YMCA will continue to promote “Vision 2030” with friends of the world.
The activity report will be uploaded➡to this website.
Thank you for your cooperation and support.