Leadership Training for Hendala Youth

Pamunugama YMCA believes that the youth are the once who has to take the YMCA movement forward from today not  from tomorrow as many people say that the youth are the future. There were 14 young people gathered at the Mirigama Scout Campsite from 12 – 14 August to learn about the YMCA and ICY activities and the qualities that require to become YMCA leaders.

Programme started on 12^th Friday evening with an introduction and a discussion on the objectives of the event. Saturday the 13^th August morning, youth were given an introduction to the YMCA including the history, structure and the today’s dynamics of the movement.  Afterwards group went through a chain of activities which led to a discussion on leadership and qualities that a leader has to improve. It was emphasized that the motto of the World Alliance of YMCAs is “That they all may be one” and it is the duty of the YMCA youth leaders take the movement towards unity through their involvement in the movement.

After the lunch on Saturday there was a quiz competition and a debate which broke the shackles of some of the participants who did not want to talk much at the beginning. After dinner the group spent some quality time listening to few songs that communicate great messages about social justice and love.

Sunday the 14^th was the last day of the programme. Group discussed about their future plans for the year and tried to synchronize with the ICY plans for the year and agreed for a common programme. Apart of the ICY events group agreed to conduct a book fare to mark the Literature month in September and a “Sramadana” in November to clean the cemetery and a Christmas programme in December.

Programme was led by Pramudu, Ridma and Shelton the president of Pamunugama YMCA and Sangeetha the Hendala Programme Branch Coordinator extended her fullest support by arranging the practical matters.

Youth discuss on Media

30 youth from YMCA of Pamunugama, Hendala Programme Branch and nearby schools attended a one day workshop on youth and media. This was organized by the ICY group of the YMCA of Pamunugama on 30 July, 2011 and Mr. Siyon De Alvis a senior consultant facilitated the day. Objective of this event was to educate young people on how the media challenges young people with their economic and political agendas. Further it was mentioned that a media has to be responsible and able to create a change in the situation they deal in order to become a social media. Mr. Siyon took few examples from how the media mislead the youth in Sri Lanka today.

Mr. Siyon challenged the participants to be analytical when we receive information through media and to use media in every possible way to create a change in the situation specially within organizations like YMCA.

This event gave the opportunity to promote the work of the YMCA among the students who joint this programme as their first YMCA event. We believe this was just an opening to continue the discuss n the same in a wider and bigger scale.