How to make Y’s Men attractive for younger people

1. How to make Y’s Men attractive for youngerpeople ACM, Vejle 15.03.2019 Bjørn Arve Bentsen RD Norway 2018-19

2. Membership status YMI

3. Current status for Y’s Men in Norway • In oneyear - «lost» fourclubs: • Eidsvoll YMC • Åsane YMC, Bergen • Tiller and Heimdal YMC, Trondheim • Stockholm/Bromma YMC, Sweden • Twonewclubsstarted in 2018 – not yetdecided to be Y’s Men • Four newclubintiativestaken • Member status: 1330 (-97 during last year) • Numberofclubs: 47Regional board is worried – Actionstaken! • Mistet disse klubbene: Eidsvoll, Åsana og Till49 klubber mot 50. • 3 direktemedlemmer mot 4. • Alle distrikter har mistet medlemmer bortsett fra Møre hvor Hareid og Ulstein har fått 5 nye. • Regionen har nå 1320 medlemmer mot 1377 (-57) pr 01.08.18.

4. YMI – is gettingweakerNo clear actions for improvement • Topheavyorganisation - not focusedon fundamental challenges • Great distancebetweengoverning elite and members at clublevel • Is there a dangerthatrecruiting to management positions is characterized by prestigeratherthan skills and competence • An organisationaldevelopmentprocessneeds to be initiated • # Unrealistic goal for growth: 50.000 in 2022

5. Status: YMI Area Europe • Long lasting decrease in numberofmembers • Sweden is almosterased – alarmingsituation! • Topheavyorganisation - traditional and unclearroles and tasks • Lonely ASDs miss challenges and complain for lackof feedback • Annual reports can be copied from previousyear – nochanges – noactionstaken(?) • WE MUST TAKE ACTIONS!! Europe must takethe lead

6. What do we do in Region Norway?No quickfix – thingstake time! • An internalworkgroupwasestablished in September 2018 – expected to answerthese questions: • Are Y’s Men’sclubs a valid choiceonlyfor retired adults • Why is our YMI concept not attractive for youngpeople? • Their report waspresented to the regional board in December • The leader ofthenewclub, Y-FOLK was an importantmember and contributor in theworkgroup • (Y-Folk has not yetdecided to join YMI) – (Hopefullytheywill !!)

7. Reflections (1): • Today’sconceptof Y’s Men’sclubs is not attractive for younger adults in the age group 35-55 • May youngpeoplethinkthattheconcept is too rigid – it has similaritieswithmasonry - theframework is too old-fashioned? • Membersmightdislike to committhemselves to service effortsbeyond personal capacities and desires • The languagespoken is unfamiliar («a triballanguage») – abbreviationsareplentyfull • Currentmember-age in Norwegian clubs signals that «This is nothing for me, at the age of 42!»

8. Reflections (2): • The name «Y’s Men’s Club» is difficult to understand and communicateexternally • For a club to becomemember (chartering) theceremony is toocomprehensive and old-fashioned • For people to becomemembers, theceremony is too formal and personal focused • The Rules and Regulationsareconsidered rigid and demanding – littleroom for individuallocalsolutions • The expectations for service activities, thatcreatemoney, areoverwhelming

9. Reflections (3): • Adults in their 40-50’ies have been providing intense support and logisticservices for theirchildren for about 20 years (sports, scouting,music, etc.) Bothparentsarenormallyworking • Theyare not looking for new service opportunities in the first place • Service activitiesmight be valid and interesting in thelong run,but do not come first! • WELL-BEINGis whattheysearch for – togetherwithpeopleof same ageand lifesituation • An eveningout – to meetwithfriends – in a goodatmosphere – listening to a good and interesting talk/lecture - is attractive

10. Reflections (4): • Young adults look for informalvenueswheretheycanmeetinterestingpeople and discuss relevant issues and everydaychallenges • Christian basis must be the basis – must be a natural element in everymeeting • A formal membership in an internationalorganisation must prove tobe ofsignificantvalue (What is in it for us?) • How shouldwe in YMI «sell» ourmovement to convinceclubinitiatives to becomemembers?

11. Recommendations: • For making YMI, an organisation to join for youngerpeople –weneed to loosen up formalities and create a conceptthatbecomesattractive for 40+ generation in 2020! • This is whatweareworkingon in Region Norway at the moment • Weworkcloselywith YWCA – YMCA Norway • First step is a revised Agreement of Cooperation between Y’s Men and YMCA

12. Importantpoints in Agreement ofCooperation between Y’s Men Norway and Norwegian YWCA-YMCA “Y's Men International, Region Norway (Y's Men) has as its main objective to support the work within the YWCA-YMCA movement in Norway”. “YWCA-YMCA of Norway will actively contribute to maintain and establish new clubs (e.g. Y-people / Y Service Clubs / Y's Men’s Clubs) for adults over the age of 30”.“YWCA-YMCA will communicate (internally and externally) that membership in clubs affiliated with Y's Men are recommended alternatives for adults within YWCA-YMCA”. “The Y’s Men’s clubs are to be profiled on the YWCA-YMCA website and in social media”.