Strategic Plan 2010

As the YMCA of the East Bay moves forward, we will:

• Heighten the sense of urgency with which we act and advocate for needed improvements concerning youth development and health promotion.
• Broaden opportunities for involvement in underserved groups so that more people will be served.
• Deepen the quality and scope of our programs to provide greater meaning to individuals and bigger impact on communities.
• Strengthen alliances among our branches and with other organizations to more wisely and effectively make use of resources for the benefit of all.

The YMCA will deliver direct services, advocacy/promotion, education or referral in five key areas:

• Promoting and enabling healthy, active lifestyles
  • Offer guidance on diet, exercise, and health-enhancing practices
  • Offer culturally based classes and counseling on nutrition, wellness and managing the balance of body and spirit
  • Provide nutritious meals and snacks in child development programs and at camps
  • Offer biannual health assessment and plan for members
  • Sponsor periodic fitness events for the community
• Strengthening the academic ability and intellectual competency of youth and families through literacy
  • Help close the academic achievement gap by enabling youth and families to read, write, listen and speak skillfully and fulfill their potential with a view of the common good
  • Focus on childhood reading readiness will be a major focus
  • Make teaching young people of all cultures to draw meaning from abstract symbols – both words and numbers –an element of our programs
  • Make listening, analyzing, speaking and writing key components in all programs
  • Offer programs that encourage literacy through communication competencies in the whole family
• Enlisting and encouraging members of diverse ethnic and cultural groups to share cultural traditions and celebrations that promote respect, appreciation of diversity and mutual understanding
  • Initiate collaborative social marketing campaign that promotes ideals of the “Great Community”
  • Host premier cultural event each year (MLK Banquet)
  • Prepare teens and young adults for global citizenship
  • Provide service learning and leadership development experiences in global environments
  • Offer civic leadership training (Model United Nations)
• Creating memorable outdoor group experiences that respect, nurture and celebrate nature.
  • Provide overnight camping experiences for all 5th graders
  • Offer leadership development programs for teens and young adults
• Increasing Capacity
  • Strengthen our infrastructure capabilities to serve a larger community and to play a bigger role in our community’s health and literacy
  • Expanding Human Resources capacity to augment the expertise and proficiency of the YMCA staff team for enhanced members’ experiences and organizational effectiveness
  • Invest in improving our physical facilities
  • Upgrade our communications competence to disseminate YMCA message more broadly and consistently
  • Enhancing our information technology to increase convenient access to YMCA information and services for members, staff and the public