Our Mission & Vision
Mission Statement
The YMCA OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO is an association based on Christian principles and open to all. Our mission is to develop healthy, caring, responsible individuals contributing to a society characterized by love and unity.
Our VISION
To be an international voluntary movement, open to all, with a special emphasis on and genuine involvement of young people; through the delivery of high quality services.
Our VALUES
Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility
Our Organization
The Organization is incorporated by an Act of Parliament as a charitable non-profit association and is on the Government’s approved list of charities for income tax purposes. Our audited accounts are published annually and presented at our Annual General Meeting. The organisation is guided by a Board of Directors, of no less than nine in number and a staff of over 30 trained personnel.
We have worked successfully with the United Nations agencies, UNESCO, UNICEF, International Labour Organisation (ILO), Canadian Foundation, JB Fernandes Memorial Trust1, Atlantic LNG, and BP Trinidad and Tobago and many of our local NGO’s to achieve our objective of empowerment of youth.
Because of our reputation and proven ability, our YMCA was selected some years ago to be the Coordination Centre for the Caribbean by the Latin American and Caribbean Alliance of YMCAs, a position we still hold.
Our Community
The YMCA conducts activities for thousands of children and young people all year round. Our programmes include outreach to children and young people. The YMCA offers community outreach, youth leadership training and empowerment, child care, pre-school, children’s activities after school and vacation camp. Through all of our programmes, we aim to instill and practise universal principles of Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility.
Our History
The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) is the oldest and largest youth organisation in the world and operates in 130 countries with a membership of 30 million people and its programmes reach over 150 million persons.
It was founded in London in 1844 by George Williams. His mission was to provide a wholesome, Christian alternative to life on the streets to young men away from home for the first time. To accomplish his task he offered Bible study and prayer to the young men.
“To provide a wholesome, Christian alternative to life on the streets to young men away from home for the first time.”
In Trinidad and Tobago, we have been operating since 1964 and our main focus is on work with children and youth. Our mission is to develop healthy, caring, responsible individuals contributing to a society characterized by love and unity. Participants include boys, girls, men and women of all ages, races.
International Mission
The World Alliance of YMCAs was founded in 1855 at its first World Conference, held in Paris. At that time, conference participants developed the YMCA’s first mission statement, the Paris Basis.
Since then, the YMCA’s mission statement has been interpreted to reflect contemporary realities, first in 1973 with the Kampala Principles, and most recently in 1998 with Challenge 21.
Challenge 21, adopted at the 14th World Council of YMCAs, Frechen, Germany, 1998 states that:
“Affirming the Paris Basis adopted in 1855 as the on-going foundation statement of the mission of the YMCA, at the threshold of the third millennium we declare that the YMCA is a world-wide Christian, ecumenical, voluntary movement for women and men with special emphasis on and the genuine involvement of young people and that it seeks to share the Christian ideal of building a human community of justice with love, peace and reconciliation for the fullness of life for all creation.”
The World Alliance of YMCAs was founded in 1855 at its first World Conference, held in Paris. At that time, conference participants developed the YMCA’s first mission statement, the Paris Basis.
Since then, the YMCA’s mission statement has been interpreted to reflect contemporary realities, first in 1973 with the Kampala Principles, and most recently in 1998 with Challenge 21.
Challenge 21, adopted at the 14th World Council of YMCAs, Frechen, Germany, 1998 states that:
“Affirming the Paris Basis adopted in 1855 as the on-going foundation statement of the mission of the YMCA, at the threshold of the third millennium we declare that the YMCA is a world-wide Christian, ecumenical, voluntary movement for women and men with special emphasis on and the genuine involvement of young people and that it seeks to share the Christian ideal of building a human community of justice with love, peace and reconciliation for the fullness of life for all creation.”