Choosing the YWCA

One of the YWCA’s strengths is the way it brings women together from so many walks of life for so many different reasons.

I am a product of the organisation’s strategic vision to engage young women in decision making. I joined my local YWCA board at age 23 when it was struggling to meet its 25% minimum representation level for young women. That I stand before you now at age 37 asking to be considered as your President is because the YWCA believes in young women and their leadership abilities. I am grateful to the many women who have encouraged and mentored me along the way.

Our shared future

As a movement, we are rightly proud of our 150 year history, of our outreach to 25 million women and girls, of the outstanding women leaders we have nurtured. To truly honour our founders and our past, we share responsibility to focus on the next 150 years, on the women and girls who continue to struggle against poverty and injustice, on the future women leaders who will inspire their generations.

I want to share 6 priorities with you that are essential to the future of our movement:

The first is advocacy .

World YWCA has an unparalleled opportunity to shape global opinion, inspire action and bring about social change in women’s lives.

As an organisation founded in and inspired by the Christian faith, we have two unique perspectives to bring to the international women’s movement: first, a focus on the spiritual dimension of women’s lives and second, the lived experience of women in their local communities.

As a women’s organisation, we have a vital contribution to make to the ecumenical movement, encouraging greater leadership by and responsiveness to women’s concerns.

The second priority is good governance

We are facing a period of change within our own organisation: we have embraced a new Constitution; we will soon farewell our beloved Musimbi and welcome a new General Secretary; we will elect a new World Board.

Through my role on the Task Force, I know we have developed strong instruments to see us through the changes we face: they are our strategic plan, our Global Leadership Fund, our Standards of Good Management and Accountability, our growing human and financial resource base, our review of our governance structures. Moving forward, we will need a strong board with a sound understanding of governance responsibilities, leadership which maximises the contribution of every team member, and skills in representing the movement to donors, partners and stakeholders.

The third is capacity building of member associations

As a former National President I am aware that some associations will need support to fulfil the conditions of affiliation in the new Constitution. Through the Governance Task Force, I have heard that the movement has been calling for greater focus on working regionally. Capacity can be built with support from the World office and World board; through the creation of more spaces for our YWCAs to work together at the regional level; through peer support between associations; through continuing to conduct regional training institutes which provide opportunities for our leaders to collaborate, learn and grow. Much of the wisdom of the movement is held in local and national associations; we should share this.

The fourth point is resource mobilisation

A top priority for all non government organisations is finding sustainable resources to support our work. We must build on our existing donor base, foster our foundation and corporate relationships, distribute funds from the Leadership Fund wisely and harness the huge resource of our talented volunteers around the world. We also need to support our member YWCAs to raise their own funds to make a greater impact in communities.

The fifth point is young women

Young women’s leadership is essential to regenerate the YWCA, to reinforce our identity, to achieve our purpose and to harness the skills that young women bring.

We in the YWCA can model how leadership is shared as a partnership of young and older women. Each of us has a responsibility to ensure that young women leaders are informed, supported and nurtured.

The sixth is interfaith dialogue

In a world where religion is seen by many as a tool of oppression and a source of conflict, our response to our Christian basis is more important than ever. I believe we have two key responsibilities: to demonstrate in our own actions the values of service, justice, love and compassion and to respectfully engage with women and men of other faiths to better understand our shared values and common concerns.

My mentors in the YWCA have nurtured my spiritual self and helped me grow in my faith. I want the YWCA to be a place where all women can feel sustained and nourished, whatever their faith and whatever their circumstances. This is how I understand our Christian basis.

Conclusion

I share with you a vision of a World YWCA which promotes and practices young women’s leadership; which supports the growth of the YWCA movement around the world; which brings women’s voices and experiences into global advocacy; which fosters the spiritual dimension of women's lives while realising their human rights; which builds relationships between women of different ages, cultures and circumstances; which exercises responsible and ethical governance; which strengthens our resource base; and which demonstrates the difference women’s leadership makes.

This is the YWCA I want to see in all our communities. We have a lot of untapped potential and I want to lead us as we unlock it. I want to continue to share in the responsibility and opportunity to improve women’s lives.

Gracias, Merci, Sukran, Asante Sana, Thank you to the YWCA for making my candidacy a possibility and thank you all for considering me.

YELLOW IS TOO FAST, PURPLE IS ONE MINUTE

Susan Brennan

9 July 2007