Reducing Gangs and Youth Violence

Gangs and youth violence are significant problems in our community. Recent Star-Telegram articles (March 4-6, 2010) reported on gang shootings, one in a park and another near an area high school. A May 5, 2010 Mansfield New-Mirror article also highlighted the problem: “Gunshots fired April 19 in South Arlington were a loud and clear signal that gang violence is still a community concern.”

You might ask, “Why do youth join gangs or use violence to resolve conflict?” Experts tell us that gangs replace something that is missing in a youth’s life. The missing elements might include “attention,” “respect” or “love.” When they don’t get these things from caring adults (parents, coaches, school officials, church leaders or other positive role models), they find them from others who are less concerned about their well-being.

If we can help youth be successful in school, they invariably will be successful in other aspects of their lives. This, however, may be easier said than done. Working with high-risk youth requires a coordinated effort. They often need a continuum of services to ensure their success, which may include: mentoring, tutoring, conflict resolution skills, substance abuse education and intervention, child abuse prevention and intervention, parenting skills, medical and dental services, job training and placement, food, shelter and transportation to youth development programs and other needed services.

The YMCA of Arlington is proud to collaborate with the City of Arlington, the City of Mansfield, Tarrant County, Arlington ISD, Mansfield ISD, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Tarrant County, Cornerstone Baptist Church, Boys and Girls Clubs of Arlington, The University of Texas at Arlington, Tarrant County Juvenile Services and Arlington Alliance for Youth in the formation of Our Community, Our Kids, a collaboration whose purpose is to reduce gangs and youth violence and increase support for youth in our community.

If you want to make a difference in the life of a child, take time now to get involved with Our Community, Our Kids by contacting Cynthia Jensen at (817) 548-9595, or cynthia.jensen@unitedwaytarrant.org, or contact me at the Y. Our children need you! Will you answer their call for help?

Learn to Swim at Any Age

Nearly 50 years ago, when I was about age nine, my older brother and I were learning to swim at a public pool in our hometown, Memphis, Tenn. Tragically, two children drowned at the pool during an open swim period and our parents never let us go back. This was the beginning and the end of my childhood swimming instruction. I later took lessons at the Y and learned to float, swim on my back and meet the requirements for my undergraduate degree; however, I never became a proficient swimmer. Now five decades after my first attempt at learning to swim, I’m back in the water!

I chose to take an adult swim class at the Cooper Street YMCA, a branch of the YMCA of Arlington, not just because the class is complimentary to full-time employees or that the pool is close to my home. I took the class because of my confidence in the Y and our staff to be caring and professional towards me as a beginning swimmer with trepidation about the experience. I had fears such as: Would others in the pool look upon me differently as an older adult learner? Would I look silly in the water? Would I have the physical stamina and coordination needed to kick, stroke and breathe at the same time?

It turned out that my instructor, Lindsey, was caring and very professional. She worked with each student at their own level. She often moved about the pool giving pointers and answering questions. She demonstrated the proper techniques and then offered a critique to help us improve. Lindsey explained the techniques and demonstrated them to help me correct my form. I’m a visual learner and her demonstrations aided me tremendously!

My improved fitness level is a bonus to learning to swim. The aerobic benefit of swimming is well known, however, I’ve benefited also from the exercise of my shoulders and back. Using the water as resistance has helped with my chronic back pain. And, after just one week in the water my weight was down nearly three pounds!

My class met from 8 to 8:50 p.m., Monday through Thursday, for two weeks. By the end of the first week, I had learned to kick and stroke in unison. And, by the end of the second week I could swim about a third the length of the pool. I’m still working on kicking, stroking… and “breathing” together!

When I mentioned to my staff that I was trying to emulate the form of Mark Spitz from the 1972 Olympics, almost no one knew who I was talking about. Finally, a staff member, who is almost a contemporary of mine, said few on the staff were old enough to know who Mark Spitz was. Some had not even been born in 1972! She recommended I reference Michael Phelps, from the 2008 Olympics, for my illustration. I was dating myself, but the point is…you can learn to swim at any age!

In the weeks since my class ended I’ve been to the Y to practice my technique a couple nights per week. I’m still trying to get the breathing down and to improve my endurance. I can swim the length of the pool on my back and about half the length with my face down and breathing about every fourth stroke. I know that with practice I’ll become a more proficient swimmer.

I now know that you can learn to swim at any age. Each year the Y teaches thousands of kids and adults nationwide how to swim and be safe around water. If you or your kids want to learn how to swim, I recommend calling Cory Brazeal, Association Aquatics Director, at (817) 419-9629, or email him at coryb@ymca-arlington.org.

I set five personal goals when I was in my early 50s: 1) earn a doctorate, 2) earn a black belt, 3) become a better swimmer, 4) become proficient in Spanish, and 5) improve my guitar skills. The first two goals have been completed and I’m well on my way to becoming a better swimmer. Now as I approach age 60 in seven months, I’ve got to get serious about Spanish and the guitar! Vaya con Dios!

Willie Dean, Ph.D.
President and CEO
YMCA of Arlington

August 23, 2010

Exciting Time for the YMCA

With all the talk about brand revitalization, you may be wondering, “Will the YMCA’s mission and values change?” The short answer is no. Our mission, “to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all,” remains intact. Our core values (caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, and faith) continue to guide our interactions with one another and the decisions we make. Our new brand strategy and focus will undergird our mission and values and allow us to serve more people and change more lives for the good.

As I said earlier, I see my Y work as more than a job. I feel it is a calling. It allows me to earn a living, to witness my faith and to serve youth, adults and families in our community. With the brand revitalization, the Y will be even more effective in communicating its impact and attracting support for the great work that we do, and I can finally answer the question, “What impact does the Y make?”

The volunteers and staff of the YMCA of Arlington are excited about the brand revitalization. We believe that members, donors and the public will gain a fuller appreciation for the work that we do and the impact that the Y makes. As a result we will be able to serve even more people.

This is a very important, exciting time for the Y. Our commitment to building greater awareness for the important work we do will allow us to expand our efforts and further strengthen communities locally and across the country. More information on the brand revitalization can be found on www.ymca.net. I am excited about our brand revitalization and its potential to help us better communicate the Y’s impact and help us serve more people in our community.

I look forward to seeing you at “the Y!”

The Y's Impact

The Y serves the community in numerous ways; however, to help members and the public better understand our impact the Y will communicate our impact in three focus areas: youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Here are examples of just a few of the many programs offered by our Y.

Youth Development
Members and participants have long enjoyed YMCA youth development programs that are designed to nurture the potential of children and teens. These programs and their visibility will be enhanced by this new focus, enabling the Y to have an even greater impact in our community.

The Y is particularly adept at using youth development programs as tools to change the lives of youth and teens for the better. Just think about the youth sports programs offered by our Y like: basketball, baseball, t-ball, flag football, volleyball, track and field, and swim teams, and you can see how we teach skills and values that help mold youth and teens into caring and responsible adults. Or, think about the aquatics, health and well-being and leadership development programs we offer at the Artisan at Rush Creek Apartments and the Rush Creek Apartments and you will understand the impact the Y is having with the youth, teens and families in these moderate-income apartment communities. Or, consider the lives that are changed through the participation of children and families in our before- and afterschool, summer camp, KidZone, Father/Child and teen programs!

Healthy Living
YMCA Activate America®, the Y’s response to America’s health crisis, focuses the Y’s effort to improve health and well-being and change lives for the better in local communities across America. We are working to address the needs of health seekers, individuals who may need additional support to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Amidst our current health crisis with childhood obesity, overweight and diabetes, the Y is a beacon of hope in our community. We are working with children, parents, educators and healthcare professionals to address this crisis locally and nationally. Each year hundreds of children and their families locally, and thousands nationally, participate in YMCA Health Kids Day®, the Y’s effort to promote healthy living and good nutrition.

Promoting healthy living requires more than just providing health and well-being programs, facilities and equipment. While these tools are important components of what we do, the uniqueness of the Y is our people—the members, volunteers and staff who are the YMCA—and the impact they make on individual lives. The Y provides a sense of community, or connectedness, which allows members to form friendships and fellowship with other members, staff and volunteers who share common goals and values.

Y programs that support healthy living include: group exercise, cycle, and nutrition classes, personal training, water activities, Father/Child programs, Community Prayer Breakfast, lunch ‘n learns, community gardens, and group fieldtrips, just to name a few.

Social Responsibility
Another important focus of the Y is social responsibility, our desire to motivate people to support their neighbors and the larger community. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the work we do through collaboration with others in our community. Collaboration helps leverage limited resources and creates synergy to address community problems. Our Y is proud to be involved in a number of collaborations, including:

· The YMCA Activates After School – This United Way FitFuture® program is offered at five elementary schools in Arlington and Mansfield. The project, which is designed to combat childhood obesity serves 175 youth in our afterschool program and includes physical activity and nutrition. A number of the students have gotten to grow their own vegetables in community gardens at their schools. Collaborators include: United Way of Tarrant County, AgriLIFE Extension, Methodist Hospital of Dallas, Texas Health Resources, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, Texas Health Resources, Tarrant County Public Health and the Arlington Public Library.

· Our Community, Our Kids – I have the privilege of chairing the Policy Committee of Our Community, Our Kids, a newly formed collaboration that will address gangs and youth violence in Arlington, Mansfield and southeast Tarrant County. The financial and societal impacts of gangs and youth violence are staggering. The collaboration seeks to: reduce gang involvement and youth violence, develop a continuum of services for area youth, increase communication and civic engagement, improve student achievement, and prepare youth for careers after high school. Our partners include: the City of Arlington, Arlington Independent School District, the City of Mansfield, Mansfield Independent School District, Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Tarrant County Commissioner, Arlington Police Department, Arlington Parks and Recreation Department, Arlington Public Library, Arlington Alliance for Youth, Boys and Girls Club of Arlington, Cornerstone Baptist Church, Tarrant County Juvenile Services, and The University of Texas at Arlington.

· Community Prayer Breakfast – The annual Community Prayer Breakfast brings together over 150 clergy, community leaders and Y members for prayer, inspiration and music to reinforce our faith, and to support youth, adults and families in our community.

· The Miracle League – The Miracle League, offered in partnership with the Miracle League of DFW and the City of Arlington, provides a baseball program for children with developmental disabilities where every child plays every inning and every game ends in a tie. Players are assigned volunteer buddies who help them bat and traverse the bases. Parents and children alike enjoy fun, fellowship and physical activity in the out of doors.

· Special Friends – This program offers activities for special needs adults four afternoons each week, providing fun, fellowship and exercise for them and a respite for their caregivers. Members, volunteers and staff make our “Special Friends” welcome at the Y.

· 21st Century Learning Centers – Y staff members collaborate with the Arlington Independent School District on 21st Century Learning Grants at five schools, to provide sports, recreation and leadership development programs to over 500 teens.
Volunteerism and giving is another important facet of social responsibility. Each year hundreds of Y volunteers serve untold hours on Y boards and committees and help in fundraising efforts designed to make a difference in the lives of youth, adults and families in our community. Examples of volunteering and giving include:

· Strong Kids Campaign – Volunteers help raise over $400,000 annually to provide financial assistance to ensure everyone in our community has access to Y programs and services.

· Boards and Committees – Volunteer leaders from throughout the community serve on the Corporate Board, Branch Advisory Boards and numerous committees, and help to raise funds and provide insights into community needs. Volunteers on the Corporate Board also set policy and employ and supervise yours truly, the President/CEO.

· Taste of Arlington – Volunteers and staff from the Y partner with Theatre Arlington to raise funds to help support youth programs of both organizations. Participants enjoy fellowship, learn about the Y and Theatre Arlington, enjoy music and other entertainment, and get to sample food and beverages from some of the finest area restaurants.

Next time I'll discuss what an exciting time this is for "the Y!"

About the Y's Brand Strategy

Recently, we unveiled a brand revitalization strategy to reinforce that the Y is a cause-driven organization, which focuses on three main areas: youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Y is worthy of support, however, many do not realize that the Y is a charity that supports and strengthens communities. Many see the Y in terms of the facilities and programs that they use, or in terms of “gym and swim.” But, the Y is much more than that. The brand revitalization, which includes a bold new logo and reference to “the Y,” will help us tell our story in a fresh, new way and “change public and stakeholder understanding of the power of the Y’s work in order to serve more people.”

For the first time in 43 years, the Y is unveiling a new brand strategy to increase understanding of the impact our organization makes in the community, so that more people take advantage of the YMCA’s unique capacity to foster lasting personal and social change.

The Y is about changing lives for the better. We view participation in our programs and services as a means to a greater end. Through our rebranding effort we want to help our communities learn more about our work so we can help our communities learn and grow.

By simplifying how we describe our programs, we hope it will be apparent that everything we do is designed to nurture the potential of children and teens (Youth Development), improve health and well-being (Healthy Living) and motivate people to support their neighbors and the larger community (Social Responsibility).

The new brand strategy—the result of more than two years of analysis and input from Y leaders across the country—is designed to help us tell the Y’s story and reach more people. There are several components to our strategy, among them an updated logo, a refreshed framework and new nomenclature. What remains unchanged is our mission: to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

· Updated logo – Our updated, forward-looking logo reflects the vibrancy, diversity and heritage of our organization. The updated logo retains the triangle (symbolizing spirit, mind and body—foundational elements of the Y), and for the first time in 43 years, our logo requires “YMCA” to be present in all treatments, creating a stronger connection between our name and visual identity. This was not the case with the previous logo.

· Refreshed framework – With a focus on the three specific areas of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y is changing how we talk about ourselves so that people better understand the benefits of engaging with us.

· New nomenclature – When speaking about the Movement in the United States, we will refer to ourselves as “the Y” to align with how people most commonly refer to our organization. Individual Ys are required to use YMCA as a part of their formal association or branch name. We will continue to use Young Men’s Christian Association in legal and constitutional materials.

More next time on the Y's impact!

What Impact Does the Y Make?

What is the YMCA? What does the Y do? More importantly, what impact does “the Y” make? These are questions that I have asked myself over my 34-year YMCA career. And, often I have pondered how others—colleagues, volunteers, donors, and the public—would answer them. The problem is our organization is so vast and does so many things that it is hard to grasp what we do, why we do what we do, or more importantly, “the impact the Y makes.” Oftentimes people view us from their experience with the programs or facilities that they use when they come to the Y. However, the Y is much more than that. In short…we are a cause-driven charitable organization, a community of people dedicated to changing lives for the better.

Ever since I joined the Y as a young program director, back in 1974, I have been committed to helping people. Back then we said, “We’re in the people business.” More recently, our tagline has been, “We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities.” While taglines and slogans are catchy they do not tell the whole story. The Y changes lives for the better! I see my Y work as more than a job. I feel it is a calling. Working for the Y allows me to earn a living, while witnessing my faith and serving youth, adults and families in our community. I get to work with volunteers, staff and donors and collaborate with others to change lives for the better.

The Y’s recently announced brand revitalization will aid the public’s perception of the Y as a cause-driven organization and help us serve more people in our community. Next time I’ll discuss the Y’s recently announced brand revitalization strategy.

I look forward to seeing you at “the Y!”