THE LINK BETWEEN CHANGE AGENTS AND “OUR WAY” STRATEGY

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World Alliance of YMCAs
12 Clos Belmont – 1208 – Geneva – Switzerland | +41 22 849 51 00 | office@ymca.int | www.ymca.int
President: Peter Posner | Secretary General: Rev. Johan Vilhelm Eltvik
Change Agents – Our Local Resource to Strengthen OUR WAY Globally
Change Agents are part of OUR WAY vision and strategy. They are local leaders, multipliers and
role models of our Christian and ecumenical identify – working to support and strengthen their
local YMCAs. At the same time, they are global in their focus and responsibility. In each local
YMCA, a Change Agent (aged 18 to 30 years) is identified as a local leader. In this role, the Change
Agent serves as a resource for an integrated approach to youth empowerment. In local YMCAs
everywhere young people are being engaged and empowered through the YMCA Change Model of
Space – Transformation – Impact. Change Agents are action-oriented leaders with a voice for
change.
Collectively, as the World YMCA movement, we believe that Youth Empowerment is our common
purpose. In July 2014 the YMCA World Council, represented by YMCA leadership worldwide,
unanimously approved the World YMCA Strategy OUR WAY. In OUR WAY, our primary focus is on
Youth Empowerment. Change Agents are one of our key resources to reach our goals for youth
empowerment.
A Change Agent’s job description is to Be the Change, Communicate the Vision, and Inspire Action.
Change Agents are part of OUR collective promise as local leaders and holders of a process of
change for improving the lives of young people and the conditions that affect their lives. Every
Change Agent works locally first and connects globally. Through the global connection and
network, a Change Agent becomes part of a unified vision and a collective effort for lasting and
sustainable change.
What does this mean in practice?
Local: Change Agents are foremost local YMCA leaders. Local YMCAs recruit, prepare them as
leaders and plan for their integration to secure the investment. On the local level they engage in
their local communities and work on programmes and activities through their YMCAs. They are
THE LINK BETWEEN CHANGE AGENTS AND “OUR WAY”
STRATEGY
This document explains the relation between the Change
Agents programme and “OUR WAY”, the strategic plan for the
World YMCA movement approved during the 18th
World Council
of YMCAs in Estes Park, USA – July 2014.
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CONTACTS
Romulo Dantas
Executive Secretary for Youth
Empowerment and
Communications
World YMCA
romulo@ymca.int
+41 22 8495100

2.
World Alliance of YMCAs
12 Clos Belmont – 1208 – Geneva – Switzerland | +41 22 849 51 00 | office@ymca.int | www.ymca.int
President: Peter Posner | Secretary General: Rev. Johan Vilhelm Eltvik
promising young people a local YMCA decides to invest in for creating a cadre of leaders for their
YMCA and their communities. They are multipliers and help to identify and develop other young
leaders. Some Change Agents serve in governance roles.
Globally Connected and Relevant: A Change Agent is a locally developed leader with a global
network. Through the global network, each Change Agent brings their local reality to the
conversation, learns about the global reality, and shares perspectives with other Change Agents. A
Change Agent with a global perspective is forever changed as a person and is a change maker with
an eye on the future for a better world. Change Agents bring their global experience back to their
local YMCA.
Action Oriented: Collectively Change Agents are a resource for action. They are champions for
change and impact within the YMCA Change Model framework. All participants of the programme
are expected to implement at least one project during 2015-2016.
What Does a Change Agent do within the YMCA Change Model Framework?
• Engages with and uses Space as a convener, connecting point, place for belonging and
building of character and self-esteem. Promotes and uses YMCA Spaces for young people to
act, realise, and fulfill their potential.
• Takes part in Transformation as learners themselves and as promoters of learning and
sharing. Learning involves sharing best practices and broadening the understanding of the
untold story of young people – where young people have critical concerns about issues of
health, employment, civic engagement, and the environment.
• Focuses on Impact and takes action to engage in local realities as programme leaders,
advocates, and voice for improved access to opportunities and impact for youth
empowerment.