A publication by the Association of YMCA Professionals
Inspired Leadership for the YMCA Professional Vol. 7 No. 1 Feb/Mar 2017
lighting the way How YMCAs will stay the course on culture, compensation, and inclusion in 2017
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perspective
Your Role in the Changing AYP Model AYP’s need to evolve is secured by its proven ability to adapt. In 1871, our professional society was founded as the Association of General Secretaries of the Young Men’s Christian Association of the United States and British Provinces. Now, that was a mouthful! Over the course of the past 146 years, our name has changed five times to the present-day Association of YMCA Professionals. Each of these changes was made to better reflect who we are as the staff leading the YMCA movement. In 1871, our association did not include women, people of color, or non-Christians — how far we have come! We have changed with society, the communities, and the people we serve. That is the genius of the Y — its ability to respond, adapt, and lead change. From its inception, our association has been volunteer-driven. In fact, it was not until 1952 that we had a paid part-time staff person. In 1967, we employed the first full-time executive to lead our organization and have had six over the past 50 years. There have been two constants to our organization throughout its history: to serve the career YMCA professional and to adapt to changing times. In the last AYP magazine, AYP Board Chair Sandy Morander provided an overview of the research and discussions regarding how AYP can best serve the movement in the future. She shared several models being evaluated to restructure AYP to continue its role as an impactful, relevant, and sustainable professional society.
Sal Cisneros
President and CEO Channel Islands YMCA
As planned, a detailed survey went out to AYP chapter leaders and CEOs, soliciting their input on the various models developed. At the end of January, the AYP board reviewed the extensive data and feedback collected. After a new model is agreed upon, it will be presented to the membership for approval. This process will take several months and will allow for review and clarification before the actual vote. Our need to evolve is a reflection of our historical ability to adapt to a changing society and YMCA environment. Many Y programs are expanding, while the economic engine of membership has flattened. The difficulty of operating in a complex economy is evidenced by more Ys going out of business or consolidating. As Baby Boomers retire, our bench strength seems weaker; women and people of color are embarrassingly under-represented in the C suites and on our boards. As an independent national body, AYP can play a critical role in addressing these challenges.
During this time, the focus of Y-USA has strengthened and expanded. The General Assembly has grown to a must-attend event for staff and volunteers. Training and leadership development has exploded in providing programs and services, including the Learning & Career Development Center, an extensive training and certification structure, National Cohort programs, and national conferences. A Diversity and Inclusion Department as well as multicultural leadership development programs have been created and are serving thousands of staff in their career development. These tremendous advances in the role Y-USA is playing in career development leads AYP to explore its next best version to complement these changes. AYP has always had a unique relationship to the greater Y movement: We have been singularly focused on development of the Y career professional. That has taken many shapes over the past 146 years and will evolve again with your support and guidance. We will continue to be a society dedicated to the notion that, through the Y, we can impact our world — one child and one community at a time. Because of this uniquely federated structure, Y-USA cannot lead this effort alone. AYP has a structure in place that can support and lead our movement. It all starts with the individual Y professional; it all starts with you and your acceptance of this wonderful opportunity. I am confident AYP will evolve into an even more impactful organization, because a strong you is a strong Y.
February/March 2017 AYP magazine 1
Interested in contributing to AYP magazine? Contact Carla Kalogeridis at 313-884-0988 or ayp_edit@networkmediapartners.com.
Custom Publishing Services provided by Network Media Partners, Inc.
Advertising Contact: Holly Klarman hklarman@networkmediapartners.com 410-584-1946 AYP magazine is published bimonthly by the Association of YMCA Professionals. Š2017 by the Association of YMCA Professionals. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission. Address copyright queries to ayp_edit@networkmediapartners.com Annual subscription to AYP magazine is $35 (international is an additional $75 a year) and is included in the membership dues for AYP members. If you are unsure of your subscription status, please contact Josh Cruz at josh@ayponline.org or call 413-748-3884. Statement of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers or members of AYP. AYP magazine connects, inspires, and advances the leaders of the YMCA through an exploration in leadership arts, thereby inciting creativity, strength, and strategic thinking.
Association Media & Publishing 2015 Silver EXCEL Award, General Excellence 2015 Bronze EXCEL Award, Design Excellence 2012 Silver EXCEL Award, Most Improved, 50,000 or fewer APEX 2014 Award of Excellence, Magazine, Journal & Tabloid Writing 2013 Award of Excellence, Magapaper & Newspaper Writing 2012 Grand Award, Design and Illustration 2012 Award of Excellence, Design and Illustration 2012 Award of Excellence, Magazine & Journal Writing Printed in the United States of America
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Lighting the Way By Thomas Marcetti How YMCAs will stay the course on culture, compensation, and inclusion in 2017
Great businesses are powered by great people.
We c elp you have both.
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AYP National Board of Directors Chair Sandy Morander, YMCA of Greater San Antonio Chair-Elect Sal Cisneros, Channel Islands YMCA Treasurer Kelly Kay, YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City Secretary Kimberly Moser, Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA Immediate Past Chair David Byrd, YMCA of Greater Kansas City Theresa Hillis, Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA Harry Rock, Springfield College Kim Moser, Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA Tracy Miller, YMCA of Metropolitan Washington Michael Bright, YMWCA of Newark and Vicinity Ted Wenta, YMCA of Snohomish County Craig Heinrichs, YMCA of Greater Indianapolis Terri Radcliff, YMCA of the USA Lisa Ramirez, YMCA of Greater San Antonio Ebony Young, YMCA of Greater New York Jon Agnew, Philadelphia and Freedom Valley YMCA
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postings
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AYP news
EAF Board Chair Eric Ellsworth, YMCA of Greater Indianapolis Chair-Elect George Romell, YMCA of Greater Rochester Secretary/Treasurer Bob Hastedt, YMCA Retirement Fund Teresa Rogers, Volusia-Flagler YMCA Karen Leslie, YMCA of Greater Providence Rig Riggins, YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh Dick Bennett, Lake County (Ohio) YMCA Krystal Canady, YMCA of Eastern Union County Joan Lovell, YMCA of the USA Jim Havlick, Association of YMCA Retirees Tracy Miller, YMCA of Metropolitan Washington Andy Vamis, YMCA of San Francisco Rob Wilkinson, Kishwaukee Family YMCA Sean Elliot, Philadelphia and Freedom Valley YMCA Alan Hostrup, YMCA of Greater Los Angeles
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AYP Mission The Association of YMCA Professional inspires, connects and empowers Y leaders to achieve personal excellence to support the movement.
AYP Fundamental Principles Innovate, Lead, Support — these guide the AYP focus and Its leadership Data Driven, Defined Outcomes, Relevant, Network Plus — these shape the development, delivery and direction of AYP experiences
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Latest information for members
got a minute? Shannon Reierson, YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities
feature Ys and Women YMCAs are prepared for the role of championing diversity and inclusion because most have been femalefriendly for years
News from AYP chapters and members
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marketplace
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spirituality
findings
Items of Interest from vendors and partners
Spirituality is a Conversation We Need to Have Every Day Spirituality is how the Y reaches us and how we reach others
Combating Pessimism
Engaging Millennials
Kimberly Moser, Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA Theresa Hillis, Kandiyohi County Area YMCA Richard Bennett, Lake County YMCA
Stitzer YMCA Center, 2nd Floor Springfield College 263 Alden St. Springfield, MA 01109 www.ayponline.org Tel: 413-748-3884 Fax: 413-748-3872
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Growth in the Gig Economy
AYP Editorial Advisory Group
Association of YMCA Professionals
perspective
How to Gift Employees
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the science of... Longevity Can humans live to 150?
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feature What Does it Mean to be a Member? Defining the membership experience is key to growing and enriching Y communities
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body, mind, spirit No more paper pile-ups, and an anagram for freedom
BECAUSE WE TAKE CARE OF
EACH
OTHER Since 1904, AYP members in need have found financial support and caring through the
Emergency Assistance Fund of AYP. It is only possible through your contributions.
The next person in need might be you.
Please send your EAF pledge today.
https://goo.gl/8DQDQy
postings
AYP news
CHAPTER 25
Chart Your Course With the Northeast Regional Conference
Virginia Chapter 25 is gearing up for its spring conference on May 10-12 at the Williamsburg Lodge, in Williamsburg, Virginia. This year’s keynote speaker will be improv comedy group The Panic Squad, and the conference will feature numerous TedX-style talks as well. Chapter president Tricia Puryear says all AYP members are welcome to attend and can find information at www.ayp25.org.
SPREAD THE WORD
Your News is Our News AYP members and chapters are encouraged to submit personnel announcements and promotions, YMCA news, and other stories to Thomas Marcetti at ayp_edit@networkmediapartners.com. Relevant photos are welcome, too!
Join your Y colleagues at the Northeast Regional Conference, Charting Your Course, from March 29-31, 2017, in Newport, Rhode Island. Whether you’re a senior leader or in the first year of your Y career, our workshops, speakers, and networking opportunities are for anyone at any stage seeking to chart the course of their Y profession. Speakers throughout the Y movement and outside organizations are specially selected to provide meaningful and diverse learning opportunities. Registration is open to any AYP member across the country. For more information, visit ayponline.org/events.
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February/March 2017 AYP magazine 7
got a minute?
shannon
REIERSON Administrative Coordinator, YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities
Your idea of perfect happiness? Feeling complete, surrounded by life’s simple pleasures Your greatest fear? Losing someone I love Historical figure you most identify with? Mother Teresa — she inspires me to embrace everyone Living person you most identify with? Ellen DeGeneres — I adore her sense of humor Favorite fictional hero? Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Favorite real-life heroes? Those who stand up for what they believe in Greatest achievement? My son, Benjamin Harris Favorite plant? Hydrangeas or lilac bush — both smell delicious Favorite food? Any type of Mexican cuisine — mostly chips and salsa Where would you rather be more than anywhere? At home with family Greatest extravagance? Traveling the world Your ultimate vacation? Exploring somewhere I’ve never been What tops your bucket list? Venturing to Paris to eat a chocolate croissant, sip on coffee, and see the Eiffel Tower Trait you deplore in others? Negativity On what occasion would you lie? My mother always said: “A lie has no legs to stand on” What word do you overuse? “Yes” What is your greatest regret? “Forget regret, or life is yours to miss” — Rent Your current state of mind? Content and at peace If you
ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY MORROW
could change one thing about yourself? To take more time for me —I tend to put others first. What you like best about YMCA co-workers? The willingness to always lend a hand What you like best about YMCA members? Their motivation and dedication What inspires you more than anything? People who aren’t afraid to work hard and follow their dreams What you regard as the lowest depth of misery? To be alone Where would you like to live? On a beach Your dream occupation? I’d love to make music for a living Your most obvious characteristic? Kindness Quality you like most in a friend? Compassion and the ability to laugh at life Quality you like most in a co-worker? Hard work, dedication to the movement — yet having fun along the way Quality you like most in a man? Sense of humor Quality you like most in a woman? A good listener who offers great advice Favorite writer? Stan and Jan Berenstain — I will never be too old to read the Berenstain Bear books Favorite movie? The Devil Wears Prada What keeps you up at night? My to-do list Your favorite names? Classic names What you dislike more than anything else? When people put others down in attempt to bring themselves up — and creamed corn The most important thing to secure the viability of the YMCA movement? Expand our service offerings and grow our volunteer base Your motto? “It’s a good day to have a good day” How did this interview make you feel? It was fun
partner program
AYP Partners support our community The AYP Partner Program is designed to help connect Y professionals with vendors and suppliers that have made a commitment to AYP. AYP Partners want to support the Y movement and provide you and your facility with the best products, services, and solutions. You can find AYP Professional Partners featured in AYP magazine, at www.AYPonline. org, and at AYP events throughout the year. Consider supporting the companies that support your association — just look for the AYP Partner logo.
February/March 2017 AYP magazine 9
findings MEDITATION
3 Keys to Combating Pessimism Among Americans By Jeffery Chapman Americans are becoming overwhelmingly pessimistic, and there’s no shortage of studies to prove it. The most recent American Psychological Association’s Stress in America survey reports more than 33 percent of adults are experiencing increased stress over the previous year, while the National Center for Health Statistics show suicide rates in America at a 30-year high. While the statistics might be depressing, there is hope for those dedicated to making favorable changes. and leading more positive lives. Think it. It is widely believed that the mind has a powerful influence on the body — a belief that can be traced all the way back to the 4th century with Hippocrates. To unlock inner greatness at work, at home, and in social circles, maintain a transformational, positivity-oriented mindset that’s open to change and adaptation. The mind has the greatest propensity to either enrich our personal growth or limit it. It has the highest potential to advance our life or destroy it. Speak it. Identify the undermining thoughts that play over and over inside your head and replace them with positive truths about yourself. Go a step further and speak those truths aloud. Audible affirmations have a powerful, positive effect. Research from Carnegie Mellon University substantiated that self-affirmation “can protect against the damaging effects of stress on problem-solving performance” and that it “boosts stressed individuals’ problem-solving abilities.” During this
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“speak-it” exercise, there is no need for rationalization; it is a simple act of focusing on the positive certainties in your life to manifest more. Live it. The most powerful weapon we have to transform our life is to not just to think and speak these truths, but to live in ways that will serve a cause and effect to actualize and make them a reality. This is very much the principle at work with the scientifically-validated Law of Attraction. Want to be lose 100 pounds in six months? Go to the gym today. Want a raise at work? Invite your boss to lunch this week and share your aspirations. Take some form of “live-it” action each and every day toward your goals, no matter how large or small. If you find yourself in the grip of pessimism, stress or depression, turning the tide around and living a positive, productive, and rewarding life can seem nearly impossible. However, all it takes is one positive thought to get the ball rolling in the right direction. With those thoughts leading to audible words, and those words leading to action creating a cycle of “think it, speak it, live it,” this simple technique can truly transport you from wishful thinking to tangible transition.
Dr. Jeffery Chapman is a motivational speaker and author of the book, Timeless Truths: Three Keys to Unlock Your Inner Greatness.
WORKFORCE
Survey Finds More Growth Coming for Gig Economy While 74 percent of the U.S. working population works in full-time or permanent roles, more than one in 10 employees have already joined what’s now known as the gig economy, according to a new survey by ReportLinker. Experts have had a hard time pinning down an accurate description for this slice of the workforce. It’s expansive, encompassing both sharing services such as Uber and TaskRabbit, as well as business and creative professionals working as freelancers on short-term projects that fit their schedules and interests. These workers have figured prominently in experts’ predictions about the future of work. One study by Intuit predicts freelance workers potentially could make up 40 percent of the workforce by 2020. And they might be on to something. Key findings of the ReportLinker survey show that: A third of U.S. respondents say they would consider exiting the traditional workplace to work as a freelancer or independent contractor. M en are more likely than women to consider becoming an independent contractor, with nearly half of them saying they would be willing to take the leap within the next three years. When giving the main reason for a change: 3 9 percent of job seekers say the gig economy appeals to them because it offers better work-life balance. 2 1 percent of part-time workers say they would enjoy the freedom that goes with being your own boss. Being happy matters as well: 84 percent of freelancers say they feel a sense of purpose working this way. 38 percent say they are strongly convinced they are happier than their counterparts in cubicles. Unlike older generations, Millennials, who are more likely to be students, looking for a job, or part-time workers, are less interested than other age groups in embracing the gig economy. Still, a third of students do express an interest in freelance work, although 36 percent also aren’t convinced it will make them happy. This might be because freelancing requires foundational skills generally picked up in the traditional workplace. To be successful in the gig economy, independent contractors need to be able to set their own goals, manage their own time and workload, juggle multiple priorities, promote themselves, and solve a wide range of problems on their own. This may be why people rarely start out as freelancers. Instead, two-thirds of freelancers say their move into the gig economy came after a stint in the traditional workplace, according to ReportLinker. Another reason professionals may hesitate is because life in the gig economy isn’t always paradise. One in four freelancers say the lack of retirement benefits is a drawback, while others see the lack of unemployment insurance and job security as downsides.
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February/March 2017 AYP magazine 11
findings MOTIVATION
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How to Get America’s Largest Workforce Engaged By Karen Leland You know who they are — those unengaged employees who simply show up, do their jobs, and then go home, not giving their work a second thought. However, also fairly obvious are fully engaged employees, those who are clearly passionate about what they do, why they do it, and — particularly notable — the impact their work is having on the world around them. Unfortunately, high employee engagement among Millennials — the largest workforce in the U.S. — is proving to be the exception and not the norm. A recent Gallup poll of more than 1 million participants revealed that less than one-third of Millennials — only 29 percent — are engaged in their jobs. The data also underscores the critical difference employee engagement makes, considering that business units in the top quartile of employee engagement realize multiple key benefits that directly impact the bottom line. Specifically, they: Enjoy 17 percent higher productivity Experience 41 percent less absenteeism Have 10 percent better customer ratings Have 70 percent fewer safety incidents Millennials make up 38 percent of the current workforce, but in less than 10 years they are expected to account for a staggering 75 percent of America’s labor pool. This is why today’s savvy, forward-thinking employers are seeking innovative strategies to increase employee engagement among Millennials. To find the best ways to engage Millennials, it’s first important to understand why current engagement levels are so low. For engagement to occur, employees must feel a sense of purpose in their work. While this can take many forms, one means toward this end is empowering employees to make a meaningful and quantifiable impact in helping address environmental and social issues. For Millennials, making a difference isn’t exclusively about money. Simply passing around the hat for charitable donations won’t cut it to get staff pools fully invested in a cause or overarching culture. Rather, there must be a direct, hands-on connection with the problem, issue, or goal being addressed. Millennials are motivated to give of themselves and their talents — not just their money.
Karen Leland is CEO of Sterling Marketing Group and author of nine books, including The Brand Mapping Strategy: Design, Build, and Accelerate Your Brand.
CAREER
5 Tips For Young Professionals to Succeed and Make a Difference Jamie Wright knew that African Americans make up less than 5 percent of the lawyers in the U.S. But she didn’t let that statistic keep her from being successful in a field dominated by men. Wright’s dedication to bettering herself and her community vividly mirrors the passion that drives so many Y professionals. “You cannot just wait for the statistics to get better before you blaze your own trail into your career of choice,” says Wright, a renowned Millennial lawyer and political pundit. “You have to be the one to help change those statistics.” Wright has used her own advice on how to reach success by making her way to being a partner in the Los Angeles-based Millennial Government Affairs group. She is also considered a Millennial expert, specializing in such areas as crisis communication, conflict resolution, and government affairs. Wright offers these tips to young YMCA professionals: G et support. It’s not a weakness to get help from people. It takes a strong person to seek out the right kind of support. Get to know successful people within the Y; get support and advice from them. If you are lucky enough to find a mentor, take good notes. Think positive. Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want, and immediately replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Use the laws of attraction to bring to you what it is that you want in your life. Banish excuses. Too often, people are caught up in their own excuses for why they can’t do things. This year, get honest with yourself as to whether something really is a hurdle or just an excuse. Banish the excuses and keep moving forward. T he Golden Rule. The way you treat people will always come back to you. Put good things out, so good comes back to you. It feels good to treat people with kindness, and it will open many doors. Having integrity in all you do is important and will help you get ahead. Forget expectations. Blaze your own trail. Don’t stick to a path simply because others walked it before. Use your instincts to help navigate your way.
Jamie Wright is a partner in the Millennial Government Affairs group, a political pundit, and crisis communications expert.
57% More than half of SilverSneakers® Fitness members – 57 percent* – would be exercising less today if SilverSneakers had never been available to them.
“I would never have joined the YMCA had it not been for SilverSneakers. I go several times a week. Now my blood pressure is under control, and I’ve lost 10 pounds!” – Annette P., Ohio SilverSneakers and YMCAs partner to help members like Annette live their best lives. Learn more and download your free benefit guide at
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February/March 2017 AYP magazine 13
findings
We make it our business to know your business.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Six Ways to Gift Your Employees That Increase Fulfillment By Dr. William Schiemann
We make it our business to know your business. When something happens at your YMCA, it may not be a disaster. But no matter what kind of claim you may have, it’s reassuring to know West Bend will handle it with efficiency, professionalism, and compassion. That’s because we understand your business. When a summer camper fell out of a bunk bed and suffered a head injury, getting good care for him and taking care of the medical bills quickly was important. So that’s just what we did. Your Y is important to you, the people you serve, and your community. It’s also important to us. That’s why we make it our business to know your business.
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Well, the holiday season has come and gone. That doesn’t mean the season of giving has to end, especially when it comes to your employees. Based on recent research by Metrus Group, employee fulfillment was in short supply. Over 80 percent of employees sought more fulfillment in their lives. And because work was first or second in importance to fulfillment for most people — they spend 50 percent or more of their non-sleep time at work — their job and employer influence their fulfillment a great deal. We also know from our research that fulfillment leads to more productive employees. Highly fulfilled employees talk about being more engaged at work, eager to take on new challenges, and often volunteer for special projects both at work and in their communities. In short, the more fulfilled people were more aligned, capable, and engaged at work. Here are six ways to gift your employees this year to increase their fulfillment:
1 . Recognize people. Recognition is one of the most powerful forms of motivation. Who doesn’t like to be thanked? Most of your employees have worked hard during the year to make the organization more successful, and yet too often, that effort goes unnoticed or unrecognized. Even in tough years, your people are doing their best to make the organization successful. Thanks should come from both the immediate manager and from senior management. That could be in the form of an all-employee video or personalized letter to your people, a bonus, or small gifts that say, “I recognize what you do.” But gifts without a recognition ‘thank-you’ will not increase their fulfillment. 2 . Celebrate. While recognition is important, celebration brings about team or department good will and camaraderie, leading to closer working relationships. There is so much to celebrate, even in down years. Most YMCAs have invested in good talent, overcome obstacles, reached hurdles, built new programs, acquired new customers, and many other achievements. Parties, lunches, or toasting are fine, but they should include messages about accomplishments during the past year. Or you might think about something quirky — going to a winery, bowling, snowmobiling, boating — that signify something is special and different from the norm. Celebrate and get the New Year off to a good start emotionally.
3 . Remember employees’ families. Your hard-working employees are often bolstered by great families — persons or groups that enable your people to manage their work and non-work lives. Your employees have varied and rich lives outside of YMCA work that are often overlooked. Great leaders not only understand the challenges of work and home, but get to know their contributors in deeper ways. They know who has elder care issues, who is going to school, who is dealing with child-rearing challenges, and who might be alone at the holidays. Engaging your employees beyond work brings stronger bonds and loyalty. 4 . Remind people about your organization’s mission and vision. All employees want to work for an organization that has a purpose. When employees have options, they want to be affiliated with a company, nonprofit, or agency that is making a difference. A compelling mission and vision are key requirements to the alignment mentioned above, which drives fulfillment.
5 . Tell employees how they will grow in the future. A new year is often a time when employees take stock of how they have grown over the past year. If they have been denied access to training, not been stretched in some new way, or don’t see development in the future, some will be searching for a new role, and others will simply be less motivated. Start the year discussing some new opportunities for your people to grow.. Give them something to look forward to. 6 . Give back. The most fulfilled people talk about giving back and valuing employers who give back to the community in one form or another.
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Try a few of these New Year gifts. The more you enable your employees to have greater fulfillment in their lives, the more your YMCA will be rewarded by their greater commitment and energy.
William A. Schiemann, Ph.D. is CEO of Metrus Group and author of Fulfilled! Critical Choices — Work, Home, Life.
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February/March 2017 AYP magazine 15
the science of... LONGEVITY
The Limits of Life: Will Humans Live to 150? By Johannes Koettl
L
ooking at the past development of life expectancy, we can see a clear trend of considerable gains across all world regions since 1950. The question arises: Will this past trend continue forever, allowing future generations to live at some point to the age of 150 years and even beyond? Or is there some limit to increases in life expectancy — an upper bound that humankind won’t be able to cross? There is a physiological limit to human life, but there is no absolute maximum age, which no human can ever cross. In biology, the concept of life span determines the age a species can reach under optimal circumstances. For humans, this life span stands at about 97 years. So 97 should, in principle, be the limit to human life expectancy. But there is a twist that gives us hope for more. Measuring life expectancy is not straightforward. For example, the latest estimates by the United Nation don’t represent the life expectancy of a baby who is born today. It is an estimate based on a cross section of today’s population, which means it includes, for example, today’s 70-year-olds. Yet, today’s 70-year-olds lived in an entirely different health environment than children born today will experience — in other words, these estimates fail to take into account so-called “cohort effects” — improvements in health conditions of the recent past and in the future. A much better estimate can be found at population.io (the World Popu-
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lation Project), which models these cohort effects. According to that website, my recently born daughter has a life expectancy of 93, which is considerably higher than the U.N.’s estimate of life expectancy at birth of 83 years. Biology provides more promising insights. Every species, including ours, has an intrinsic life span, similar to an upper bound to life expectancy. One way to interpret life span is this: If you kept a population of, say, flies in perfect laboratory conditions, nurtured them well, and kept them generally out of harm’s way — in other words, if you allowed that population of flies to live to its fullest potential — that population would converge to a maximum feasible life expectancy that is intrinsic to this particular species of flies. Life span is independent of time or place — it is the same for all flies around the world throughout history.
For humans, the estimate of life span is around 97 years. Improving health services and overall economic development do not influence this physiological limit. Better health systems make people survive infections and other sickness. However, the healthier we are as young people, the faster we will age when we are old. Biologists call this the “compensation effect of mortality”: lower mortality at younger ages is associated with faster increases in mortality when getting closer to the physiological limit. Related to that is a “compression of morbidity,” meaning that we now are generally healthier at all ages. For example, Italian males experienced a significant increase in survival rates in 1975-1999 when compared to 1900-1924. Another interpretation is that an 80-year-old Italian man in 1999 was — in terms of health — like a 60-year-old around 1900 — a significant improvement over the span of 100 years. However, a 95-year-old in 1999 was essentially the same as a 95-year-old in 1900, so no improvement in health at that age. Hence, the 80-year-old today, although much healthier than an 80-year-old 100 years ago, experiences a much higher rate of bodily decay in the last years of life. Sometime between the age of 90 and 95, the human species reaches its limit of life, no matter how healthy we were while young. Somehow, nature has equipped our species with an intrinsic rate of bodily decay that will allow only a few of us to live beyond 97. So, biology suggests that the limit of human life expectancy is somewhere around 97 years, but there is a twist: Humans seem to be special. If the theory of constant life span was really true for humans, we should observe a slow-down in growth of life expectancy in more developed countries and a convergence across all regions; but life expectancy keeps increasing continuously. More importantly, data suggest that 100 years ago, survival probability of Italian males to live another year came down to almost zero at around age 89; but, according to the theory of life span, even 100 years ago it, should have come down to almost zero only at age 97, as it is today. At least for developed countries, the theory of constant life span more or less held until the 1970s, but after that, life span of humans suddenly started to increase. In other words, we managed to manufacture our life span. In fact, life expectancy and life span are now moving in parallel in developed countries, while before 1970, life expectancy was converging to a constant life span of around 89, as predicted by theory. Somehow, we found a way to slow down the process of bodily decay that was given to us by nature, a truly remarkable development that no other species has achieved before. Of the many implications this brings to light, the importance of maintaining body, mind, and spirit is certainly not the least.
Johannes Koettl is a senior economist with the World Bank’s Social Protection and Labor Global Practice. He wrote this article for the Brookings Institute.
February/March 2017 AYP magazine 17
lighting
the way
How YMCAs will stay the course on culture, compensation, and inclusion in 2017
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By Thomas Marcetti
T
hey aren’t just policy police. Human resource professionals are critical in ensuring the success of each employee, maintaining a productive and positive work environment, and championing the Y’s values and culture. That work is especially important during times of change. As the social and business landscape in the U.S. shifts and transforms — in areas such as compensation legislation, demographic shifts, and legalization of controlled substances — HR professionals are front and center in the Y’s mission. “YMCA HR professionals will continue to be challenged by the delicate balancing act between leading our Ys in attracting, developing, and retaining cause-driven leaders while remaining diligent and ensuring day-to-day compliance with current and new legislation,” says Kerra French, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, senior resource specialist-human resources of YMCA of the USA.
February/March 2017 AYP magazine 19
CHANGING DRUG POLICIES
WE STILL HAVE A drug-free policy. Marijuana may be legal in Colorado, but we are following the federal law. Boyd Williams CEO, YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region
Being in Colorado, Boyd Williams, president and CEO of YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, says his branch is on the frontlines of the marijuana legalization issue. Even though the state legalized the drug in 2012, Williams admits there are still a lot of unknowns. “A lot of things are changing daily,” he says. Where some people see the unknowns and worry, Williams seems pretty confident. That might be because he feels good about the root of his branch’s approach. “We talked about what legalization meant for us. We talked about a lot of scenarios, but it always came back to making sure any changes we made didn’t move us away from our values,” Williams says. “We’re trying to do what’s best — best for our staff, best for our members, and best for the community.” Ultimately, Williams says the issue was pretty easy when it was boiled down to that one question — what’s best for our community? “We still have a drug-free policy. Marijuana may be legal in Colorado, but we are following the federal law,” Williams says. “Until that changes, until we’re forced to change, that’s what we decided would help us maintain a safe and friendly environment for families.” But Williams acknowledges that the key to the marijuana discussion was the understanding of what is most important to the branch. When people truly understand what the Y is doing and what it means to be a part of the organization, many HR decisions become clearer. “We need to truly educate new staff on who we really are,” he says. “Our reach is so far beyond swim-and-gym, but there are people working at a Y right now who don’t really know just how far. We’ve taken a stand on educating them from their very first day.” He says this means making sure training doesn’t get caught up in the transactional portion of the job. It also means that the ongoing conversation with staff about their growth involves looking at the larger picture. By showing people where their piece of the puzzle fits into place, they gain a better understanding of what is truly important about their position.
CHANGING COMPENSATION
RECRUITING AND retaining diverse staff can be key to reaching underserved populations and growing membership. Kerra French, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Senior Resource Specialist — HR, YMCA of the USA
20 AYP magazine February/March 2017
With minimum wage increases being passed into law across the country and ongoing debates about overtime compensation and paid leave, many organizations, the Y included, are especially concerned about maintaining the ability to care for their staff and their members. Williams says these types of challenges speak directly to the culture of the Y and importance of keeping the mission front and center. “It is certainly a challenge from a moral standpoint,” he says. “We want to be fair to staff, but we have to be competitive. And we can’t keep passing the cost onto membership.” While increased wages and benefits are a boon for Y staff, they do put pressure on budgets that are likely already stretched and tenuous. For many Ys, increases in personnel costs will translate directly to cuts in programming or services. That will mean many Ys will be undergoing very hard self-evaluations. For example, Williams notes that diversity among the Ys and the necessity of an increased critical look at services could be used to have some positive outcomes. “We’re going to have to change our thinking and change with society,” Williams says. “Are we offering our communities the right programs? Are our facilities meeting their wants? Are we open at the right times for them? Many Millennials are
HR RESOURCES FOR Ys “Ys will need to continue to stay abreast of laws, regulations, and best practices to ensure all federal, state, and local laws and regulations are complied with, including laws on child labor, wages and hours, nondiscrimination, employment, workplace safety, etc,” says YMCA of the USA’s Kerra French. “There are a variety of resources available to local Ys. Many of the legislative changes that will affect operations will be at the state-local level. Working with other Y leaders in a state through State Alliances can ensure the best outcome in advocacy and in compliance.” Resources Ys should take advantage of include: Exchange HR Connections Y-USA HR Partner Network Local HR networks Local employment attorneys “Another key resource for Y leaders and HR professionals is HR Forum, a tri-annual conference sponsored by Y-USA. HR Forum is being held April 26 - 28, 2017 in Anaheim, California, and will provide an opportunity for Y leaders to network, collaborate with peers from across the country to exchange ideas, share best practices, learn about initiatives and resources from Y-USA, and discuss the direction of the movement and how we can collectively focus our efforts and lead our Ys in attracting, developing, and retaining cause-driven leaders,” French says.
perfectly happy, or even prefer, to work out after work, or 10 p.m., or later. What are we offering them? We have to be flexible with the younger generations. Young employees, young members, want to do good in their communities. Our good work does speak to them. But we also have to be flexible so we can stay with them.” A hard look at what works and what is important for each Y may also help address another HR issue — attracting and retaining talented staff.
CHANGING HIRING, RETENTION “With the shrinking workforce and lower unemployment, Ys will continue to experience recruiting challenges, particularly for frontline positions such as lifeguards. Many Ys are experiencing challenges recruiting frontline staff and are — perhaps for the first time — needing to develop strategies to attract staff,” says Kerra French, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, senior resource specialist —human resources for YMCA of the USA. “Whether it is using social media to advertise jobs or leveraging opportunities to attract mature employees for positions traditionally held by teens, Ys are becoming more creative in how they recruit. Additionally, Ys are beginning to see that recruiting and retaining diverse staff can be key to reaching previously underserved populations and to growing membership.” Linda Daly, CEO of The Family YMCA Los Alamos, New Mexico, says recruiting the right people and building on the mission of the Y might seem like a challenge in the current national climate, but she reiterates that Y staffs are not in this alone.
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February/March 2017 AYP magazine 21
AS WE SEE unemployment rates continue to decline, we’ll see increased competition for skilled, educated staff. We’ll need to think creatively about attracting the best employees. Linda Daly CEO The Family YMCA Los Alamos
“As we see unemployment rates continue to decline, we’ll see increased competition for skilled, educated staff. We’ll need to think creatively about attracting the best employees,” Daly says. “I think we all understand the importance of reflecting the communities we serve, both staff and volunteers, and how beneficial this can be in a Y’s operation. The Y has a great culture for us to incorporate — building on the social responsibility piece that Ys embrace.” She also notes that Ys have access to numerous resources to help staffs adjust and grow. “We’ve enlisted in Y-USA’s Diversity and Inclusion training on the Dimensions of Diversity and Cultural Lens. This led to a wonderfully increased awareness and authentic dialogue in the Y’s Global Leadership training,” she says. Training will become even more crucial to ensure the culture of the Y as increasing legislative changes impact the Y’s activities and initiatives.
CHANGING TECHNOLOGY One big aid in this ongoing conversation has been technology. Daly says that, even while newer channels of communication, such as social media, create opportunities for coaching and conversation among staff and new ways to connect with members, there is plenty to consider before diving in. “Social media has been terrific as a marketing tool, but it requires training if you’re going to add it to your marketing-advertising mix,” Daly says. “Just because one can use Facebook or Twitter doesn’t mean one is an expert at social media marketing. This can be managed by very clear policies around social media.” With the proper policies and training, Williams says new technology offers more than just increased conversation. Most noticeably, evolutions in technology have created better channels of communication among the staff and between staff and members. Many of these new channels also offer new insights. For example, through wearable technology and fitness and health-tracking software, staff can better serve members because they better understand the specifics of their fitness goals. Those types of metrics also help with the staff themselves. “It is definitely changing how we hold staff and ourselves accountable,” Williams says. “We can now see whether trainers are meeting recommended guidelines. We were never able to measure things like that before. Now we can look at every person the trainer is working with and see how they are doing. In the past, we wouldn’t have known if we were meeting those goals. Now we have the opportunity for coaching that trainer. We are having more meaningful conversations about how to best support our staff as well.”
Thomas Marcetti is associate editor for AYP.
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CHANGES TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK IN 2017 Not all employee handbooks are created equal. “An employee handbook is a great way to communicate your organization’s overall plans, practices, and policies,” Rob Wilson, president of Employco USA says. “From a legal standpoint, it offers a layer of protection to the employer as it proves that the employee was given pertinent information relating to their employment and job performance. It’s also a good way to communicate with employees and remove unnecessary confusion and false assumptions from the workplace.” However, Wilson says that today’s employee handbooks should look a bit different from the handbooks of the past. “Employers need to review and edit their handbooks at least once a year,” says Wilson, “and with so many changes in employment law, it’s probably time for most employers to take a hard look at their current handbooks.” Here are Wilson’s tips for creating an employee handbook in 2017. EEO policy. Your policy probably already states that discrimination against employees based on age, race, or nation of origin is not permitted, but today’s handbook needs to make clear that discrimination against people who are transsexual, bisexual, asexual, intersex, etc. is not permitted. A simple “Discrimination based on an employee’s gender/sexual orientation is prohibited” will suffice. Substance abuse policies. Many states have now made marijuana use legal, either for medical use or recreational use. However, it is still illegal on a federal level, so your employee policy can simply state that no illegal drugs are allowed. You may also include information on your drug-testing policy. For instance, if you do random drug testing, what levels of marijuana would be considered a termination-worthy offense? Dress code. Your dress code needs to be gender non-specific. For example, instead of saying “Women’s skirts and dresses must be knee-length,” the handbook should say “Skirts and dresses must be knee-length.” Social media. In today’s world, most employees have some sort of social media, be it Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or all three. They might also be regular users of sites like Reddit. What rules are in place regarding what your employees can post online about your YMCA and its members? What policies are in place to monitor employees’ cyber behavior? These are issues that need to be addressed and clearly laid out in the handbook.
February/March 2017 AYP magazine 23
What Does it Mean to
BE A MEMBER?
Defining the membership experience is key to growing and enriching Y communities.
J
By Thomas Marcetti
ames Fink recalls recently discussing something very close to his heart. “I was at lunch with a friend, and they said, ‘James, I never really understood the Y until I became a member. Even then, I didn’t really know what it truly meant to belong to the Y. When it really rang true for me was the day after the election. I did not feel good. When I went to the Y, I saw a place everyone could be together and feel good.’ To me that’s the Y,” says Fink, CEO of YMCA of Austin.
24 AYP magazine February/March 2017
The story reflects several questions that Fink asks himself on a regular basis: What does it mean to be a Y member? And how can Ys position themselves so their communities understand that? “When we do try to tell people, we end up throwing up all over them because we do so much,” Fink says. “We’re not a single-focus organization. We’re doing work that started decades ago — but it’s changed. How we’re doing it has changed. Communicating what we do in the community will always be a problem. But how we serve people is more important than any large ad campaign we could do.” Fink says when he started making membership the No. 1 focus in Austin, he wanted to make sure everyone could articulate what it means to be a member. But he quickly realized that the goal wasn’t very realistic. “It’s an easier question to ask than to answer,” Fink says. “I’m not sure if we will ever be able to define that because everyone we serve is different. Our definition needs to be that it’s OK for it to be different because everyone is different.”
WE NEED TO SHOW people that we are a mission-driven organization. James Fink CEO YMCA of Austin
START WITH THE FIRST STEP Fink says some of the biggest opportunities for spreading the word about the Y come from giving people great experiences. That’s why he says it is so important for Ys to start the member experience from the moment people walk in the door. “We don’t have to point out what a treadmill does. But that first trip inside is when we want to point out what the Y does in the community,” he says.
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February/March 2017 AYP magazine 25
John Kind, executive director of Mankato Family YMCA in Minnesota, says there are subtle ways to help send the message to members. He says they try to leave classroom doors open at the Mankato Y and do as many programs as possible in the main area so members have to walk by and see what’s going on at the branch. “We make sure our children’s programs are visible to people who use this mostly as a gym,” Kind says. “When people walk in, they have to walk by our preschool program to get to the gym. So they always see kids getting a preschool education. We make it obvious that there is a lot more going on here than just a gym.” Kind and Fink both maintain that word of mouth is the best way to spread the message of the Y. “I’m a big believer in the basics,” Fink says. “When people come in the doors, we know who they are after a short time. We know something about them. When we get to know them, know about their wellness journey, they are going to bring others in our doors.”
BEFORE THEY GET IN THE DOOR Fink says in his 33 years with the Y, he has seen a number of approaches for getting information about the Y experience to people. He remembers that not long ago, positions like director of marketing or anything of communications were reserved for only the largest of the large Ys. Now, most branches have them. “How we get people in our doors is completely different than it was years ago,” he says. “It’s not enough to send out ads for two-for-one membership specials. We need to show people that we’re a mission-driven organization.” Kind has some experience in that approach. He says that initially, there was concern that members might be upset if they knew that part of their membership fee went to pay for people who couldn’t afford the fee. “It was a worry that was just kind of there,” he says. “But then we decided to be completely upfront about it. We put it right in our membership ads: ‘When you join the Y, you’re helping people who can’t afford to join.’ We want to make sure that right from the beginning, we show that simply by joining, members are doing something to give back to their community.” This move, along with some other outreach efforts, worked for the Mankato branch. Kind says that not only has membership risen from about 8,700 to 10,000 members in the past couple of years, but in one year alone, the branch saw its share of members on financial aid grow from 8 percent to 16 percent. “That tells me this is something the community needed, but they didn’t really know about it,” he says. “We just had to tell them.” Kind says one of the most important things he does is one-on-one meetings with community partners and community leaders. These periodic meetings are most often simply about connecting and talking with people, building relationships, and finding out what is going on in the community. “Even here in this town, I think we do a good job, but people don’t know the full scope of what we do,” Kind says. “I recently finished individual visits with more than 200 people, and I found that even the people who are our ardent supporters really don’t know the full extent of what we do — all the different programs and different needs we fill — because we do so much.”
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FINDING THE NICHE Again and again, conversations about maximizing the membership experience come back to the same question: Which experience? Fink says if you ask 100 Y professionals what the Y is and what it does, you will get 100 different answers. “When we have a group of young Y professionals in for training, I like to ask them ‘Why do people come here?’ We get all kinds of great answers — answers like ‘Mind, body, and spirit.’ And I tell them they’re wrong,” Fink says. “When people come in, they don’t do so because they drank the YMCA Kool-Aid. They come because they are looking for something.” Kind says he often falls back to his own definition of what it means to be a member. “It means that I belong to an organization that is filling the gaps in my community,” he says. “We are looking for people who need help, and then going out and helping them.” Not only does this help Kind keep in mind what is important about being a member, it also offers its own road map for how to share the message with others. Kind says his branch took over management of a few municipal properties including several public pools and a skatepark and recently held a community celebration marking the skatepark reaching self-sustaining status.
HOW WE GET PEOPLE in our doors is completely different than it was years ago. John Kind Executive Director Mankato Family YMCA (Minnesota)
February/March 2017 AYP magazine 27
“We made it so the community can enjoy it without having to worry about it,” Kind says. “The reaction has been very positive. Of course, the parents of skaters love it because there is a safe place for their kids to skate. We’re starting to attract people from outside the area; it’s becoming a destination for skaters. And people who have nothing to do with skaters have stopped by to tell me how great it is. They know it’s good for the community, and they know it’s something we did for the community.”
THE STAFF EXPERIENCE “We can’t talk about the mission unless we’re clear on what the culture of the Y is,” Fink says. “What our staff brings every day is so important. It’s our job as managers and leaders in the Y to make sure every person on staff has the tools they need to spread that message. These aren’t just words to us. It’s not a matter of whether we show up. It’s how we show up. It’s how we show our members what the Y family is all about.” On an individual basis, Fink says every Y professional can start improving the member experience and spreading the word about what membership is by starting with themselves. “Whatever position you are in, find out about work that’s being done in the Y. We aren’t in silos, but you might be not hear what another department is doing or what another Y is doing,” Fink says. “Embrace the training opportunities. Educate yourself. Advocate for yourself. And share those things with others — staff, members, and people in the community.”
Thomas Marcetti is associate editor for AYP.
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Ys AND WOMEN YMCAs are prepared for the role of championing diversity and inclusion because most have been femaleand family-friendly for years.
W
By Carla Kalogeridis
hile YMCAs are among the most female- and familyfriendly places to work, the recent emphasis on diversity and inclusion is making them even more so. Flexible schedules and discounted or free access to children’s daycare, after-school programs, camps, etc. have made YMCAs an excellent choice for family-focused professionals. And while family-friendly does not always mean that female Y professionals are at the same career level as male counterparts, the trend is in the right direction.
WE’RE WORKING smarter, not harder. It makes you more thoughtful with your time. Cathy Quinlivan Director of Healthy Living, St. Paul Midway YMCA
30 AYP magazine February/March 2017
“There are definitely opportunities for women to expand in their Y careers,” says Cathy Quinlivan, director of healthy living at St. Paul Midway YMCA in Minnesota. “Y-USA offers a leadership path for women that takes them through the necessary core competencies. It’s project-oriented guidance to get you there.” Among chief officers in the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities, seven are women — including a new female CFO — which is up from five women holding these titles last year. At YGTC, about half of the directors are women, and over half of the directors of healthy living are women. “The number of women in top Y leadership positions is definitely changing,” she says. Theresa Hillis is CEO of the Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA, also in Minnesota, and a member of the AYP board of directors. She, too, has seen women making headway in Y leadership positions. “When I interviewed for CEO, there were two men and myself in the candidate pool, and I got the job,” she says. “Our board is focused on diversity, and they are constantly monitoring the national salary range for CEOs to make sure that I am not being faulted for being a woman.” Hillis points to recent research that shows about 27 percent of the nation’s YMCA CEOs are women, noting that in Minnesota, the number of female Y CEOs is 22 percent. “I read a study recently that said the best ratio was at least 33 percent women on a board of directors,” she says. “The study said that when fewer than one-third of the board is women, then they are perceived as women. But when women comprise at least 33 percent of the board or more, that’s when they are more likely to be viewed as a person and not a female. It’s an interesting statistic for us to think about in the Y movement.” Hillis, who has 28 years working in YMCAs, jokes that she has stitches on her head from the glass ceiling breaking when she got her first executive director job in the 1990s. But she points out that the amount of female Y CEOs cannot just be blamed on gender bias. “How mobile are women? You have to be able to pick up and move to keep rising up the ladder,” she says. “Traditionally, women aren’t as mobile. They have to worry about a spouse who may have a higher-paying job and may not want to move, as well as pulling children out of their schools.” Quinlivan says her YMCA is conscious about shepherding leadership among a variety of groups. Her Y has four resource networks to help promote multi-culture and multi-gender success, including Y-Pride for the LGBT community and its allies, the Black Employee Resource Network, the Asian Employee Resource Network, and the Women Employee Resource Network. These employee networks, she says, help ensure that her Y is supporting, monitoring, and providing resources that meet the professional needs of all staff members. In addition, Quinlivan says her Y does a great job of communicating to employees that their advancement is important to executive leadership, adding that her Y is run more like a corporation than a nonprofit. “Our CEO emphasizes that leadership in our Y reports from the bottom up, not the top down,” she says. “We think of it like an inverted pyramid with the frontline staff at the top, followed by middle management, and then executive leadership at the bottom. The executive leadership sees its job as supporting and valuing the people up the pyramid.”
WORKING SMARTER, NOT HARDER In light of recent rulings from the U.S. Department of Labor, Quinlivan says her Y has implemented some changes that at first appeared to possibly inhibit familyfocused staff, but now seem to be working in their favor. “With exempt employees now working toward 40 hours a week and hourly employees staying at 40 hours a week, our schedules are more pre-set,” she says. “The new labor laws were actually a catalyst for more work-life balance.” At her Y, many staff were salaried, and they did not use a time clock. “Now, instead, we have team members who by responsibility may be hourly, but it is our intent that regardless of exemption classification, all team members work toward a manageable work week,”. she explains. “We’re working smarter, not harder,” Quinlivan adds. “It makes you more thoughtful with your time. It’s now easier to say, “No, I can’t be part of that project,’ because there’s a limited number of hours that you can spend.” Another example of how her Y is working smarter is in hiring new staff. “Now HR is hiring instead of that activity happening at the branch level,” Quinlivan says. “Finding and hiring staff was taking a lot of our time.” With employees’ schedules more set, how has that influenced women with children? “We still offer some flexibility, but you just can’t go overtime,” she explains. “You have to be in the branch at certain times on certain days, but there are still ways to customize your schedule a bit to accommodate needs at home.”
RECENT CHANGES IN legal, social, and political climates have led YMCAs to tackle the question: What constitutes a family?
February/March 2017 AYP magazine 31
Furthermore, she points out that part-time women can bring their kids to free Ychildwatch programs for up to three hours per day, and if they work in the Ychildwatch department, they can bring their kids with them. Full-time Y staff also receive discounts on licensed childcare. “This flexibility and support helps some women build their resume so that they can go full-time with some great experience when they’re ready,” Quinlivan says. “Without the childcare at the Y, they probably could not afford to work part-time.”
HOW MOBILE ARE women? You have to be able to pick up and move to keep climbing up the ladder. Theresa Hillis CEO, Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA
32 AYP magazine February/March 2017
DEFINE FAMILY Recent changes in legal, social, and political climates have led Ys to tackle the question: What constitutes a family? “It’s good to say your Y is family friendly, but you have to go a step further,” Quinlivan says. “What makes a family today is different than a few years ago.” She points out that today, there are grandparents living with their adult kids, grandkids living with grandparents, and same-sex marriages. Both Hillis’s and Quinlivan’s Ys serve a large Somali population, where children are often living with aunts or uncles because that’s who is raising them. “For us, whoever is living in the household, that’s the family,” Hillis says. “But I know that some Ys may struggle with a same-sex marriage household. I know of one Y whose board’s policy is that if adults with children are living together but not married, they do not qualify for a family membership because the unmarried status is not beneficial to the children in the family.” Quinlivan and Hillis think that when it comes to defining family, transgender equality is going to be huge. “If you asked five Ys how they define family, you’d get five answers,” Hillis says. That said, she counts her Y as one of the more progressive on this issue. “We’ve had a transgender family policy for more than 15 years.” Quinlivan says Ys in North America set the tone for others around the world. “At YGTC, we strongly believe in diversity and inclusion, and our Diverstiy, Global, Inclusion Department helps make it a focus as we serve our communities,” she says. Some Ys, depending on the culture of their geographical area and community, may have harder challenges with inclusion than others. “Historically, look at where the Y started — young working men who needed safe places to have Bible study. And now, Ys are safe places for everyone. We have to change because the world is changing. If we don’t, we will become irrelevant,” Quinlivan says. The diversity and inclusion changes at YMCAs are even evident in even the smallest examples. “We just did new uniforms at our Y, but we try to let people have the freedom to express their individuality, including tattoos, piercings, and hair color,” Quinlivan says. “It’s all OK, because that’s what makes you an individual.” And broadening the definition of family and committing to inclusion is really just another opportunity to put Christian principles into practice. “The goal is to build a strong mind, body, and spirit for all,” she says. “That’s the way to look at it.” The philosophy is working: Membership has tripled at her branch since January 2016 when it opened up in a new building. “It’s just exploded,” she says. “We are a hub in the middle of the city for a five-mile radius.”
QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE IF YOUR Y IS FEMALE FRIENDLY o women team members plateau at a certain level in your Y? D Are women team members over-represented in certain areas and under-represented in others? Have you looked at the facts for your Y regarding promotion rates and how long women tend to stay at one level? What is the difference in the turnover rate between male and female staff at your Y?
FEMALE FRIENDLY BENEFITS EVERYONE Hillis calls herself a feminist — in every good sense of the word. “The rights that we win for women should extend to men as well,” she says. “A true feminist believes in equality to all, male and female. If a male employee needs time off because he is adopting a child, why shouldn’t he have it?” Inclusion in today’s world, however, can have its challenges. Take the legalization of marijuana, for instance, and the confusing message it delivers to children who have been taught to avoid drugs under all circumstances. “In areas where marijuana use has become legal, children will be exposed to individuals who use it and it could be confusing,” Hillis says. “But it’s not much different than the parent who smokes cigarettes or abuses alcohol in front of their children — these are substances that we teach children to avoid as well.” Yes, the legal marijuana user could walk into your YMCA and must be welcomed and included. But for Hillis, the challenge goes far beyond that. “Addiction is where the family-friendly Y really has to do its job. We have to keep kids active in programs that create strong and healthy individuals. We’re consistently trying to expand to deal with challenges like kids addicted to the Internet, to pornography, and to video games. There are all kinds of addictions beyond alcohol and drugs, and they are just as dangerous.” Hillis and Quinlivan note that Ys focused on being family- and female-friendly tend to be those who also do a good job at championing diversity and inclusion. “And just think,” Quinlivan says, “the Y advocates for women succeeding in the workplace, but it has always been a strong advocate for equality and social justice.”
Carla Kalogeridis is managing editor for AYP.
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West Bend Goes All In With Safety Training Each year, right before the summer camp season kicks off, West Bend’s loss prevention representatives hit the road to visit dozens of Ys to discuss camp safety concerns. Over the last 10 years, this in-person camp training has reached thousands of camp counselors. Weeks before each presentation, West Bend works with the Ys to piece together the most appropriate topics and make these presentations unique and personal. After all, every Y is different — putting together a single presentation for every camp just wouldn’t make sense. In addition to this valuable in-person training, West Bend offers West Bend Academy, an online training environment made specifically for Ys. Many West Bend Y customers already use West Bend Academy for new-staff orientation or refresher courses for current staff members. CultureofSafety.com is a website designed specifically for the safety of West Bend’s customers. It includes safety tips, best-practice guides, resources, videos, and a safety blog — all to help protect Y employees and members.
Technology Helps Manage Diverse YMCA Workforces
nnYERDI Integration nnY Payroll Features ssTax and ACA eFiling
YMCAs deliver quality services to their members through many different employees of all ages, including full-time, part-time, seasonal, and student workers. Hiring and managing this diverse workforce can be a challenge, especially with frequent on- and off-boarding and the need to perform background and certification checks to ensure program safety. To simplify these employment processes, many YMCAs are turning to workforce technology. Kronos workforce technology is helping YMCAs everywhere focus less on processes and more on fulfilling their critical mission. Regardless of how many branches a YMCA has, employee information is centralized in one easy-to-use system. Benefits such as mobile access and schedule flexibility motivate multigenerational workers to stay in their jobs longer and provide excellent service. And increased efficiency and productivity helps control costs, allowing YMCAs to reallocate the savings into member programs.
VENDORS: ENGAGE WITH AYP COMMUNITY ®
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34 AYP magazine February/March 2017
AYP recently released the AYP Partner Program, which gives the YMCA vendors and suppliers better access and engagement with the AYP community. The Partner Program offers marketing packages within your member resources, including this magazine. Know an outstanding company that should become a Partner? Send an email to ayp@networkmediapartners.com.
spirituality
Spirituality is a Conversation We Need to Have Every Day Spirituality is a two-way street. It’s how the Y reaches us and how we reach others. But what does that mean? Is it religious? Is it Christian? Is it faith — “the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1)? Is it at the core of our organization? It’s all of those things. It’s a living connection between staff, members, and the community. I asked a few respected friends to define spirituality in the Y. Their responses not only made me feel really good about our organization, it showed me how alive and well spirituality is in the Y. Jake came up through the Leaders Club as an active member volunteering and serving as staff in several roles. He recently finished college and is now into his career. “The spirituality of the Y’s mission dates back to its inception,' he says. 'Like the organization itself, spirituality has evolved to reflect the community each Y serves. Spirituality is a core value because every individual who comes through our door is embraced for their talents, gifts, and opportunity to make an impact. Each person who enters the Y is not only offered an opportunity to better themselves, but more importantly, is granted the gift of serving others.” Katerina, a Leaders Club alumnus and college student, says, “Leaders
Steve Tarver President and CEO YMCA of Greater Louisville
Club is where I grew in my spiritual walk with Christ. The Y provided me an outlet to be encouraged by a community of teens who believed in God’s promises. Leaders Club remained the constant window in my life reminding me how faithful our God is, something today I treasure above all.” Malcolm, a college student and Leaders Club alumnus, says, “Spirituality in the Y means that ever-present feeling of a unifying force. In the way that religion brings different people together around a central practice and belief, the Y brings together people who all have a passion and dedication to bettering the lives of others. For me, spirituality in the Y comes from that immediate love and appreciation I feel every time I step foot into a YMCA,
regardless of its branch or location.” I also talked with Tricia, a board member and business executive with a long history with the YMCA dating back to her high school years. Her reflections went immediately to the golden rule as a Y lesson about how to treat others. She talked about the Y’s impact on her and the growth of her spirituality through the Y. She spoke of vespers, prayer, values clarification, personal development, vulnerability, being who you are, and self-acceptance. Each of these individuals shined a light on the Y’s core themes: bringing people together, seeing the magnificence in every person, and encouraging it. It’s welcoming, nurturing, genuine, hopeful, and determined. It isn’t just our outreach. It isn’t just how we approach our community. It’s how we affect others and how others affect us. Now, this cannot simply be a concept, philosophy, or a mission statement posted on the wall. These are only starting points. The spirituality of the Y comes alive only when we translate all these great aspirations into our behaviors. Then and only then can we say we are addressing the spirituality of the YMCA — for ourselves and our organization. Spirituality is the feel of the YMCA. And I’m a beneficiary of it myself.
THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE Y COMES ALIVE ONLY WHEN WE translate all these great aspirations into our behaviors. February/March 2017 AYP magazine 35
body, mind, spirit. MIND
The following not only describes a famous monument, but is an anagram for its name. What is it?
Built to Stay Free BODY
Healthy Work Habits: Don’t Let the Papers Pile Up
Do you really need all that paper in your workspace? Interestingly, Xerox did a study a few years ago looking at how often we use the paper by our desk. It estimated that as many as two out of every five pages printed in the office are for what it calls daily use, such as emails, Web pages, and reference materials that have been printed for a single viewing.
Instead: File paperwork and put in place a system for removing paper that you don’t need access to on a regular basis or moving paper off-site Put in place a good system for scanning and digital filing of documents, so that you and your team know where to find things later. A trusted electronic system can help reduce the need for a paper back-up.
Answer: Statue of Liberty
Paper on your desk, especially if it has been sitting there a while, is likely full of dust and dust mites, which for many people can trigger serious allergies and asthma. Removing paper can also give the appearance of having more space. Big piles of paper (and all the furniture that stores it) eat into the workspace and make it feel more crowded. This feeling of being crowded in increases stress.
Courtesy: www.braingle.com.
SPIRIT
“ I have learned that if one advances confidently in the direction of his DREAMS, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a SUCCESS unexpected in common hours.” — Henry David Thoreau
Leigh Stringer, LEED AP, is a workplace strategy expert and researcher.
36 AYP magazine February/March 2017
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