Foreword – Ian Long
When I began to create the images for this book, I had already worked from time to time in
Romford YMCA doing art projects for Pip and had experienced some of the YMCA ethos in
action during the weekends I had stayed there. What impressed me was the way that, from
the moment I walked through the door, people made me feel welcome and part of the community.
As I read about the wider YMCA community I was struck by its size, its international coverage, the importance of volunteers and the impact upon 58 million users - quite a long way
from its humble origins! An organization can only grow to this size if it is able to successfully connect with people and adapt to the local needs.
This book isn’t an attempt to cover every area where the organization works, rather it is a set
of tools to use to add to the resources of the YMCA. The Blobs fit in very comfortably to the
people work of the movement, because they originated from within the mind of a CEO – Pip
Wilson.
Each image can be used in a variety of ways to get the members and users talking at a deep
level about how they are feeling. The text alongside each image is sometimes extensive, to
suggest ways in which to structure a meeting containing the Blob, or sometimes provides a
few questions. There is space opposite each image so that the user can make notes.
Each image is designed to be photocopied and used within a group situation or in 1-2-1
work.
Blob YMCA Training Manual
Growth does not reside in a place called comfortable