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Interim Report for 2019-2020
YMI Liaison to YMCA
Kohei Yamada, ASD-YMI Liaison to YMCA
1. Greatest Achievement 2019
- Attended the ASP Area Convention held in Sendai, Japan in July and discussed with ASP country leaders. ICM discussed and agreed to select a liaison on a country basis.
- Attended APAY General Assembly in September in Tozanso and held a special Forum for Building partnership between YMCA and YMI in the APAY Service Area. There I suggested that each country should select a liaison who would initiate such dialogues with leaders of both organizations.
- Conducted Partnership Meetings in Japan with both East and West Region leaders as well as a few YMCA General Secretaries twice a year.
- The followings are the observation of ASD of current situation by countries in Asia and Pacific Regions.
| Countries | |
|---|---|
| Japan East & West | Partnership Meeting (selected leaders from East Region, West Region, and National YMCAs.) was held in October and decided two important points. We need to move more concrete dialogues at the local levels of YMCA and YMI, another is to set up methodology to deal with disaster responses. |
| Taiwan | Sky, YMCA Taipei staff, has been trying to contact with YMI in Taiwan, but no report so far. |
| Philippines | I offered if I can help extending the YMI clubs in YMCA where no YMI exist. They want to do in their own way, it seems. |
| Australia | I heard that a staff I know applied for NGS position in National Council. I will move after finding out new leadership. I need to identify a liaison staff there hopefully from YMCA individuals. |
| Sri Lanka | I met Lagern (nick name?) in RDE Summit in Toledo. He is active in Columbo and I can work with them. I think the YMCA also recognize the merit of partnership. |
| South East |
Hong Kong -Joan, HK District Governor. YMCAs in Hong Kong have been working with YMI and will not demand further involvement of YMI since they themselves have huge operations in YMCA work. Mongolia -New Clubs were created by Korean cooperation. The original one should be joined or strengthened with mainly Mongolian people and YMCA leaders. Thailand -Already good partnership because top leadership of YMCA is also top leadership of YMI. Singapore -There are two YMI clubs and not much progress made so far. The staff who came to IC2018 was not involved. I need to identify proper liaison person maybe in two YMCAs. Cambodia -New YMI was founded and this is a good model including YMCA GS. Malaysia -May be possible in some YMCA such as Penang. Myanmar -This is a good chance to start YMI by the effort and cooperation from YMCAs. |
| Other Asia |
Korea -After the APAY Assembly, NGS and YMI leaders decided to meet in the end of November. Hope this will make a new step toward stronger partnership. India-Depend on the Regions, big difference in the idea of Partnership. Those YMI clubs or regions which are having good relationship with YMCA should be recognized as a new model. |
2. Greatest Challenge 2019, first half year
It has been difficult to keep track since this is not really assigned work for many of the so called Liaison. Besides, in some countries, it seemed that partnership with YMCA has not been taken as the priority issue.
We, in order to move forward, need to identify persons who would become a real liaison between YMCA and YMI in each country. I think the greatest challenge is that many YMCA leaders do not think YMI movement in each country is really asset for the YMCA movement. YMCA leaders should understand the benefit of partnership first. One good example of World YMCA taking part in the RBM as a joint global project with YMI and involving some other organizations and donors. This kind of initiation is necessary.
3. Key Activities of the first 6 months in 2019(July to Dec)
- Meeting with leaders of both YMI and YMCA in Asian countries. On the surface it went well as we discussed many issues. This happened in Sendai in July and in Tozanso in September, and RDE Summit in Toledo, USA.
- I have tried to make a good example of partnership model in Japan first since 2017. We organized a special task team from both YMCA and two Regions of Japan as well as two retired YMCA staff and YM members as liaisons.
4. Status/Result (Completed, Ongoing, etc.)
- It seems that presence of a YMI leader promoted a good understanding of YMI by one of YMI leaders attending YMCA meetings of APAY and World YMCA EXCO Meetings.
- In Japan, four meetings were held in the last two years, starting in Oct 2017 and the last one was in October 2019 and discussed the possible partnership works in several YMCAs in Japan with their partners YMI clubs. We conducted liaison staff meeting @Regional Convention of both E & W Japan Regions in June 2019. Gradually we can see the understandings from several YMCAs in Japan.