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YMCA announces YMCA Ignite – the charity’s newest digital platform for communities across Canada
YMCA BC and the YMCA of Greater Toronto launch YMCA Ignite, powered by the RBC Foundation, through RBC Future Launch.
Prince George and Toronto – May 17, 2023 – YMCA BC and the YMCA of Greater Toronto are excited to announce the first-of-its-kind digital platform – YMCA Ignite – thanks in part to $1.2 million in funding from the RBC Foundation, through RBC Future Launch. YMCA Ignite is a new virtual platform that will initially focus its offering on employment and leadership development programs for youth across the country, beyond brick-and-mortar YMCA locations.
YMCA Ignite aims to increase availability to critical programs previously inaccessible due to geographic location; increase impact on Canadian youth ages 15 - 29, with a focus on BIPOC and rural communities; and prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow. This platform aims to serve 25,000 youth by 2025.
“When young people succeed, we all succeed,” said Mark Beckles, vice president social impact & innovation, RBC. “With partners like the YMCA, we’re working to increase access to the resources that young Canadians need to build more inclusive companies and communities where everyone can reach their full potential. We are excited to see YMCA Ignite come to life.”
YMCA Ignite will feature over 70 workshops per month through a range of live, virtual, self-directed and in-person courses. Programming is currently focused on employment and leadership development, tailored to young people ages 15 – 29.
“The past three years have helped us reimagine what “community” means at the Y, through virtual and socially-distanced interactions,” said Medhat Mahdy, President & CEO, YMCA of Greater Toronto. “Community expands well beyond in-person interactions – and YMCA Ignite allows us to use technology to reach communities without a physical YMCA location.”
Available programs include:
· Financial Empowerment & Well-being Certificate
· 12 micro-courses focusing on personal finance, topics include: Income, expenses & budget, Saving & investing, Credit & debt management, Income tax & benefits, Financial planning and more.
· Responsible Adult Course
· Build essential skills for working with children and youth.
· Additional Online Courses
· Topics include: Mental wellness workshops for teens (13 – 18) and youth (18 – 30), Core Skills for Actionable Professional, Leading successful teams, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Practicing Allyship and more.
"YMCA Ignite is a major milestone for YMCA BC, and across Canada,” said Heidi Worthington, President and CEO, YMCA BC. “We’re pushing critical resources and programs beyond brick-and-mortar Y locations, introducing new ways to share programming with a greater number of youth, and of course, reconnecting as a community.”
YMCA Ignite would not be possible without support from the RBC Foundation, through RBC Future Launch. The YMCA is grateful to the RBC Foundation for their commitment to connecting young people with community leaders and partners to help them prepare for the future of work. Through $1.2 million in funding, YMCA BC and the YMCA of Greater Toronto developed YMCA Ignite to help achieve the joint goal of empowering youth as they plan for their future.
YMCA Ignite is an exclusively digital platform, available at ymca.myabsorb.ca.
The Y values diversity and inclusion. If accommodations are required for individuals to participate, the Y will arrange reasonable and appropriate accommodations as required.
About the YMCA BC
YMCA BC is the result of the unification of YMCA of Northern BC, YMCA-YWCA of Kamloops and YMCA of Greater Vancouver. As a community-based charity, YMCA BC is committed to fostering belonging and providing people of all ages, stages, backgrounds and abilities with safe and inclusive spaces where they can live healthier lives and connect with others. With hundreds of service locations across the province, children, youth, adults, families and seniors from Fort St. John to the Sunshine Coast can access a wide range of life-enhancing programs, which include employment and training; health, fitness and aquatics; child care; mental wellness; camps; and newcomer services. YMCA BC works collaboratively with the YMCA of Southern Interior BC and YMCA-YWCA of Vancouver Island to serve British Columbians. For more info, visit gv.ymca.ca, kamloopsy.ca and nbc.ymca.ca.
About the YMCA of Greater Toronto
The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that ignites the potential in people, helping them grow, lead and give back to their communities. For 170 years, the YMCA of Greater Toronto has provided opportunities for people to shine through a variety of programs and services including health and fitness, licensed child care, camps, employment and immigrant services, education and training, and services for youth, families and seniors. Promoting equity and boosting well-being across more than 440 locations in the Greater Toronto Area, the Y is a leading charity that helps everyone shine. For more information visit ymcagta.org.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
YMCA BC: Oliver Lam, 778-227-7170, oliver.lam@bc.ymca.ca
YMCA of Greater Toronto: Camille Cote-Begin, 416-819-2035, cotebegin@veritasinc.com
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW WESTMINSTER, BC – January 9, 2023 | The YMCA of Northern British Columbia, YMCA-YWCA of Kamloops and YMCA of Greater Vancouver have officially completed their legal unification to become one entity – YMCA BC. Collectively, the new YMCA will employ 1,800 British Columbians and serve 150,000 individuals, with hundreds of service locations across the province, from Fort St. John to the Sunshine Coast.
The strategy is consistent with YMCA amalgamations taking place across the country and throughout the Canadian charitable sector. The focus, said YMCA BC Chief Executive Officer Heidi Worthington, is to combine collective strengths to achieve even more, together.
“Each organization came to this unification from a position of strength and we knew that by coming together, we could have even more impact in communities across the province,” said Worthington. “As one strong, unified team, we will continue to build communities, transform lives, provide unique opportunities for people of all ages, stages, backgrounds and abilities to learn, grow, thrive and reach their potential.”
The vision of YMCA BC is providing those we serve with even more opportunity today and for the future, including our staff, confirmed Amanda Alexander, former CEO of YMCA of Northern British Columbia and now Vice President, Northern BC with YMCA BC.
“Unification will help us increase our impact today and for generations to come,” said Alexander. “We’ll accomplish this by serving local communities more broadly and deeply, of course, and also providing more opportunities and resources for our valued staff and volunteer teams, who are the backbone and the heart of the YMCA.”
Colin Reid, former CEO of YMCA-YWCA of Kamloops and now Vice President, Greater Kamloops with YMCA BC, emphasized the continued focus on local needs and responsiveness.
“While we will experience immediate gains in strength and effectiveness as a larger team, we also remain committed to meeting the unique needs of each of the communities we serve,” confirmed Reid. “That was a core value of unification and a commitment we are making through YMCA BC.”
Members, participants and clients should not expect any changes in programming or experience in the short term, said Worthington, but the opportunity to explore how YMCA BC can have even more impact on local communities is coming soon.
“Community needs are dynamic and ever increasing,” says Worthington. “It is crucial for us to be as strong as we can to meet these needs, and by becoming YMCA BC, we are proactively doing just that.”
More information:
Oliver Lam Director, Marketing & Communications 778.227.7170 oliver.lam@bc.ymca.ca
YMCA BC is the result of the unification of YMCA of Northern BC, YMCA-YWCA of Kamloops and YMCA of Greater Vancouver. Families, children, and seniors—in communities from the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and Sunshine Coast to Prince George, Vanderhoof and Kamloops, British Columbia—all have the opportunity to belong, grow, lead and thrive through YMCA BC.
We are part of an international and national movement that has brought lasting social change for over 136 years; we’ve cared for children, shaped leaders for tomorrow and helped generations of people come together to find support, get healthier and make friends for life. Together we create vibrant and healthy communities with a shared sense of social responsibility, where children and families reach their potential.
As one association with one mission to strengthen our impact for communities across British Columbia, YMCA BC combines the strength of each association and we’re able to collectively achieve more with more, together.
YMCA BC works collaboratively with the YMCA of Southern Interior BC and YMCA-YWCA of Vancouver Island to serve British Columbians.
Aquatics
Health & Fitness
Kids Programs
Employment Services
Mental Wellness
Child, Youth and Family
Whether new to the work force or a skilled professional, a YMCA career is the right fit.
Through the gift of time and skills, volunteers are an integral part of the YMCA team.