The YMCA of Greater Louisville has strived for 167 years to meet the ever-changing needs of our community. Uncovering those needs requires that we listen to our community.
To determine our strategic priorities over the next several years, we brought together a diverse group of community stakeholders, more than 600 in total, to provide feedback and insights from their unique perspective. From the sessions we identified a variety of common themes and a working group of volunteer leadership and YMCA staff set out to refine those themes into FIVE ASPIRATIONAL AREAS.
“The choices people make are the choices people have.” Citizens across our region do not have access to the same opportunities to things that promote health of Spirit, Mind, and Body. We will work to expand these opportunities.
AS A RESULT OF THE WORK OF THE YMCA:
People will have expanded opportunities and broader choices brought closer to them such that “The Healthy Choice is the Easy Choice.”
The concept of Health will be expanded to reflect, per the World Health Organization, “a harmonious balance of Spirit, Mind, and Body, and not just the absence of illness or infirmity.”
Access to healthy choices and behavioral change (using the Transtheoretical Model of Change) will be added to build, through collaboration, a continuum of health ranging from treatment of illness to a thriving, energetic, quality of life.
Concepts of Health Equity and recognizing the impact of Social Determinants of Health will become fundamental to the Y’s program delivery system and deployment of resources.
Opportunity, Education, and Leadership Development will support workforce development, inside and outside of the YMCA, with particular focus on those just entering the workforce will be promoted. Soft skill development will be emphasized.
There is a strong connection between a sense of belonging and positive mental and physical health. By addressing social isolation and depression through our core behaviors of being WELCOMING, NURTURING, DETERMINED, GENUINE, AND HOPEFUL, we will work to foster human connections.
AS A RESULT OF THE WORK OF THE YMCA:
Human connections will be nurtured, thus enhancing the sense of belonging and advancing positive spiritual, mental, and physical health.
Connections will not only occur between those that engage in the YMCA, but to ONE ANOTHER.
Proactivity and collaboration will broaden the reach of the YMCA and with other strategic partners.
The YMCA will use its history and heritage to serve as a catalyst for promoting dialogue among citizens addressing challenging issues such as RACISM, POVERTY, EQUITY, EDUCATION, and RESILIENCY.
We are challenging ourselves and our community to address how social determinants of health, like geography, financial capability, and environmental factors affect equitable access to opportunity. We will work towards equity.
AS A RESULT OF THE WORK OF THE YMCA:
Advocacy will increase for EQUITY, promoting equitable participation in education, health, and all aspects of society.
Competence will increase in the areas of Diversity, Inclusion, and Global Perspective inside and outside of the YMCA.
Collaboration will serve as a primary system for broadening impact among those we serve directly and the community at large.
Strategies that advance equity, promote justice, and eliminate racism will be prioritized as well as addressing health and education disparities.
Deployment of resources and systems will be reviewed through the lens of equity.
“Change Makers” represent the youth of today that will determine the future leadership of our communities, country and world. They are caring, energetic, intelligent, and very tech-savvy.
AS A RESULT OF THE WORK OF THE YMCA:
Using the lens of EQUITY, we will work with others in the community to engage youth impacted by trauma, poverty, low academic achievement, and other factors that result in being vulnerable, alone, disenfranchised, or without hope.
Every youth feels welcome and finds a safe, nurturing, environment at the Y that offers a place to belong thus helping them reach their fullest potential.
More youth will enjoy the influence of a caring adult in their life.
Youth will have the opportunity to serve as leaders, and become competent and motivated to create communities in which we all want to live.
The YMCA of Greater Louisville remains known for its commitment to positive values through the long-standing YMCA Character Development Program focused on articulating and demonstrating the four Core Values of Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility.
AS A RESULT OF THE WORK OF THE YMCA:
More adults (staff, volunteers, and community) will be trained and engaged in understanding their role in integrating values in decision-making so that these values will ultimately show up in the behavior of our internal and external audiences.
Those in ALL Y PROGRAMS and membership activities, particularly youth, will be aware of the Y’s Four Core Values through formal and informal strategies and interactions.
Values will serve a higher role in personal relationships, soft skills, and behavior change.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR OUR WORK:
We will maintain a strong focus on Mission, Promise, Values and Personality while continuing to evolve as a YMCA by addressing community needs as they arise.
In all that we do, we will seek to collaborate to promote, scale and impact of the services and resources meeting the needs of our community.
We will work toward improving cultural competence and reducing institutional racism through training, dialogue, public policy, and fighting for justice.