Organizational structure and governance of the YMCA in the United States

Service Agency

RECREATION and LEISURE SERVICE AGENCY

The recreation and leisure service agency identified for this study is that of local Park and Recreation Services throughout the United States. These services include YMCAs and other community centers from the non-profit sector (501c3 agencies) There are other similar services located in cities and towns across the United States however, those services are for-profit agencies such as local gyms and other fitness agencies or they are non-profit agencies that do not focus on the market in terms of fees charged for their services, although these fees are minimal.

RECREATION and LEISURE SERVICE AGENCY

I. Organizational Structure

AYP is stated to be the professional society for YMCA staff members in the Unites States. The Operating Principles of the AYP are stated to be those as follows (1) Connects and Supports AYP members; (2) Encourages Life Long Learning; (3) Enhances Personal and Career Development; (4) Advocates on Issues of Concern to AYP Members; (5) Promotes High Ethical Standards and Christian Values; and (6) Recognizes Individual Achievement and Excellence." (AYP, 2007)

II. National Board

AYP serves as the governing body for the YMCA and consists of 30 to 35 elected and appointed members. The National Board determines the policies and establishes the goals of the YMCA as well as appropriating and allocating funds. The member of the AYP includes those as follows:

national officers (chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, chief executive officer) members-at-large two elected officers from each of the seven regions

CEOs or their designees from the YMCA of the U.S.A., the YMCA Retirement Fund, Springfield College and the North American Fellowship of YMCA Retirees

The members are both elected and appointed and serve for three-year terms. The AYP programs and services are managed at the National level through the Board's standing committees, Chapter Services, Communications, Finance, Leadership Development, Member Services and Support Services. Seven geographic regions have been identified by the AYP with Chapters within each of the seven regions, which are organized to make provision of the "most meaningful grass-roots experience possible for the members." (AYP, 2007)

III. Regions/Chapters/States

The Regions, Chapter and Associated States are depicted in the following chart labeled Figure 2.

Regions/Chapters/Associated States of YMCA in the United States

Region

Chapters

Associated States

Northeast

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

ME, MA, NY, NH, CT, VT, RI

Mideast

NJ, MD, DE, PA, DC

Southeast

21, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

VA, KY, TN, FL, NC, SC, GA, AL, MS, LA and parts of Southern in Great Lakes

MI, OH, WV

North Central

IL, IA, NE, WI, MN, ND, SD, in and Billings, MT

South Central

MO, Southwestern IL, KS, AR, OK, TX, CO

Pacific

AZ, NM, NV, CA, HI, UT, ID, or, WA, MT, AK and parts of West TX

Source: AYP: To Advance the YMCA Profession (2007)

IV. YMCA - Collaboration with Other Organizations in Community

The YMCA works with other organizations in the community. The YMCA states the following statistics:

1,712 Ys work with elementary schools;

1,406 Ys work with middle schools;

810 Ys work with homeschool programs;

1,282 Ys work with hospitals;

1,515 Ys work with churches; and 519 Ys work with juvenile courts (About the YMCA, 2007)

V. Other Services Provided by YMCA

Recreation and leisure services are only a part of the YMCA's program scope and reaches "far beyond the United States" into more than 120 foreign countries providing services to in excess of 45 million throughout the world. Other services provided include "job training, new immigrant education, teen leadership opportunities, parenting classes, social opportunities for seniors and housing." (Ibid)

VI. YMCA Economic Model

The economic model of the YMCA is one "which combines enterprise, market, sales, and charity" (Wallace, 2006 Chronicle of Philanthropy) While other organizations that provide similar services are known to exist the difference in those and the YMCA is in that the YMCA does concentrate on the market and provides services that are in demand by the population that they serve with the reasoning being as stated in the Chronicle of Philanthropy (2006) in the statement of Elston Collins, marketing and communications director at Project Open Hand. Collins relates:

we found that those customers and consumers were already engaged...." In the promotion of a healthier lifestyle thus, reports Collins: "The business broke even in January, a little more than a year after its start. Total sales for 2005 were just below $600,000. The charity projects sales will reach $1.2-million this year and that the business will generate $120,000 in profits to support the organization's charitable mission." (Wallace, 2006)

Other differences in similar agencies are illustrated in the fact that the YMCA is in collaborative partnerships with schools and other community organizations to increase the stretch of provision throughout the community.