Our YWCA

YWCA USA is a member association of World YWCA – a global movement working for the empowerment, leadership and rights of women, young women and girls in more than 120 countries and 20,000 communities.

YWCA USA is a part of the North American Region that is shared with YWCA Canada. A major standard of affiliation with World YWCA is volunteer or member involvement and governance by women. The standard logo is a blue triangle, and over the past fifty years there have been different variations and other logos have been introduced, but most World YWCA member associations retain the original design. YWCA USA moved away from the triangle logo a few decades ago.

Across the globe, including in the United States, members and supporters include women from many different faiths, ages, backgrounds, beliefs and cultures working toward a common goal that :

"By 2035, 100 million young women and girls will transform power structures to create justice, gender equality and a world without violence and war; leading a sustainable YWCA movement, inclusive of all women."

The strategic priorities of the world YWCA movement are to:

• Strengthen young women and girls' transformative leadership
• Realize human rights
• Sustain the YWCA movement

World YWCA History

The first Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) was founded in London in 1855 by the philanthropist Lady Mary Jane Kinnaird and the committed Christian Emma Robarts. They addressed the needs of single women arriving from rural areas to join the industrial workforce in London by offering housing, education and support with a "warm Christian atmosphere".

The YWCA was the daughter of the industrial revolution, which from the middle of the nineteenth century started the movement of women and girls out of the home and rural areas and into factories throughout the Western world. The movement spread quickly across the world and has been at the forefront to advance women's rights.

In 1894, the U.S., England, Sweden and Norway joined together to found the World YWCA. The first world conference of the YWCA was held in 1898 in London, with 326 participants from seventeen countries from around the world. It was a pivotal point in the founding of World YWCA, cementing the principles of unity based on service and faith on a global scale.

Today, most members of World YWCA identify as a faith based organization, but other associations – like YWCA USA – no longer identify as a Christian organization but continue to focus on social justice principles.

YWCA USA played a key role in the expansion of YWCAs across the world. For example, YWCA USA staff went to India in 1894 (financially supported by the Dayton, Ohio YWCA). YWCAs in the USA supported work in China, Thailand, Japan and Argentina, for example. At the most recent World Council of World YWCA member associations that took place in Bangkok, Thailand, YWCA USA was recognized and thanked by YWCA Thailand for our role in founding the YWCA in Thailand.

Every four years, the World YWCA Council meets to make decisions on World YWCA's policy, constitution, strategic direction, and budget. The Council includes representatives from the member associations that are affiliated to the global YWCA movement. The World Council elects women to the World Board, the governing body of World YWCA, which includes representatives from all YWCA regions.

At the World Council, there are workshops, plenaries, caucuses, planning groups, and more. Member associations may also put forth a Call to Action for the YWCA global movement or a Resolution. The YWCA USA Chief Executive Officer and Board President lead the YWCA USA delegation to World Council.

World Council is hosted by a YWCA Member Association, and in 2019 the World Council will be hosted by YWCA South Africa.

At the 2015 World Council in Bangkok, Thailand, the Council adopted the Envisioning 2035 Goal, which states:

"By 2035, 100 million young women and girls transform power structures to create justice, gender equality and a world without violence and war; leading a sustainable YWCA movement, inclusive of all women"

The Envisioning 2035 Goal is designed to establish a clear objective for the future sustainability of the YWCA movement and articulates our commitment to scaling up our reach and impact on young women and girls around the world.

At World Council in 2015, the movement voted in a new World Board of Directors, with over 60% of the new Board being young women. At that time, Jenna Foster was elected from YWCA USA to represent the North American Region, which includes YWCA USA and YWCA Canada.

Also during World Council in 2015, the movement established a Young Women's Global Advisory Council, which was established to be a committee of the World YWCA board. The Young Women's Global Advisory Council (GAC) is charged with four goals:

• Engage young women and girls in the YWCA movement to advise on and monitor progress towards the Envisioning 2035 goal
• Report and make recommendations to the World Board and organs of the YWCA movement
• Develop a roadmap to 2035
• Represent the YWCA movement in various YWCA processes, spaces, other activities

Heather Redman was selected to represent the North American region (USA and Canada).

Global Relations Committee of the YWCA USA Board of Directors (GRC)

YWCA USA tends to global relations work in a number of ways. Since the YWCA USA's decision to revitalize the national office in 2013, efforts have been focused on nurturing YWCA USA's relationship with World YWCA and defining our contribution to women and girls globally.

The Global Relations Committee (GRC) is a standing committee of the YWCA USA Board of Directors. The World Service Council (see below) to the Global Relations Committee is a friend and fundraising entity of the GRC. The committee is made up of board members, regular guests, volunteers, and a staff liaison from the national office.

The primary roles of the Committee are to:

• Monitor linkages and relations between YWCA USA and World YWCA
• Plan, implement, and promote World YWCA and other worldwide initiatives on behalf of YWCA USA.
• Review and approve global related grants, stipends, and scholarships
• Provide regular reports and recommendations to the YWCA USA Board with respect to World YWCA relations, including United Nations involvement.

World Service Council to the Global Relations Committee (WSC)

YWCA USA has a rich history of active engagement in activities and programs of the World YWCA. In 1917 President Wilson asked the YWCA USA to create a War Council to help re-establish YWCAs in Europe that had been devastated by the war. After that initial focus, the World Service Council was officially organized in 1920 “to spread interest in the work that YWCA USA is doing in other countries and to discover and secure special gifts from individuals toward financing these programs.” Recently the World Service Council, comprised of women with a global vision, has become a Council to the Global Relations Committee of YWCA USA. Its purpose for nearly a century has been to support programs, trainings, and education in 120 countries through financial donations by its members.

Questions? 

Please contact Elisha Rhodes for additional information.