Center For Youth Voice State Steering Committee Retreat

In continuing tradition, YMCA Center for Youth Voice’s annual State Steering Committee Retreat took place on Saturday, August 9th, at the YMCA’s historic Camp Ihduhapi. The State Steering Committee is made up of CYV leaders in their respective conference program areas and delegations. CYV’s staff team works directly with Steering Committee members to shape its programs using feedback and experiences from those who matter most: its participants.

The annual Retreat, which kicks off the program year for the season’s Steering Committee, brings together these young leaders in a place where they can bond, reflect, and work together in the fun and focused environment only camp can bring. In the morning, members bonded over charades, three-legged races, and musical chairs—team building at its finest, building relationships that will power a year of innovation and collaboration. In the afternoon, members broke out into specialized subcommittees covering five different areas of focus:

• Recruitment, providing delegation growth support and materials for delegation leadership;
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, working towards making CYV programs accessible for all;
• Evening Activities & Merch, offering a participant perspective to entertainment programming at conference;
• Election Rules, powering the election of young leaders at CYV programs; and
• Program Evaluation & Surveys, reviewing participant feedback and making behind-the-scenes changes for a smoother conference.

As subcommittees met together, they got to know each other and started conversations that make their way back to CYV’s staff and volunteer team for program improvement.

This year, the Steering Committee’s elected and appointed youth leadership team, called the Steering Committee Executive Office, introduced a new project management and innovation process developed by YMCA of the USA. The process, which will make it easier for Committee members and staff team members alike to track ideas and feedback from identifying needs and opportunities to activating solutions that improve the program experience, provides young leaders with critical administrative and organizational skills that are invaluable in professional settings.

The State Steering Committee is just one way that CYV incorporates and develops youth voice in every aspect of its operations.