The YMCA
Whatever the formal words say,
Whatever the Paris Basis says,
Whatever the Challenge 21 says
Whatever a strap-line says We are about the growth development and 'fitness for life' of the whole person it seems to me.
Different nations and individual YMCA's do it differently.
Rightly so as each strives to live and operate contextually.
Relevant to their local community, town or city.
This 'Blob YMCA Book' is a TOOLBOX.
Tools to use in different contexts with different groups also
with different objectives.
You could give it to your youngest child asking them to colour in
But it has not been created for that purpose.
Each tool is about developmental purposes
Body, mind and spirit.
The Blobs only come alive when they are experienced.
Blob Tools are experiential exercises.
AND only really powerful in a two person interaction –
Better still in a group/team context.
Try this now - just you and a Blob Tool
Look at the Blob Tree and interact with it like this.
THE BLOB TREE
1. This Blob Tree is your YMCA.
2. Chose one Blob (Blobs are not male/female/ black/white young/old - they are Blob humans!)
3. Physically touch the Blob which you are in the YMCA - which one do you FEEL like?
4. I ask you to TOUCH one because I believe in 'motion changes emotion' and by touching,
we feel more connected just as we do when we have connected relationships with
people.
5. Now write down two or three feeling words. Words that describe this particular Blob - and
your own feelings.
6. I ask you to write down the words because writing is more powerful than just thinking
these feelings. You can imagine how much more powerful it is when this exercise is
with a Team or group of people. Everyone sharing how they feel in their YMCA. I
have used these techniques in many YMCA's around the world. Within local
YMCA's and with International groups too. Great interactions to get a group to come
Blob YMCA Training Manual
Growth does not reside in a place called comfortable