Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter
YMCA General Secretary Sarah Newland-Martin with two children at the YMCA's 21 Hope Road headquarters. - PHOTO BY ROSS SHEIL
THE YMCA always needs volunteers but demand is outstripping supply.
At its 21 Hope Road headquarters, there are more than a hundred children occupied in a range of activities. Their 'Auntie', YMCA General Secretary Sarah Newland-Martin, says with a sigh, that she often ends the days exhausted.
Raised in orphanages herself, Mrs. Newland-Martin believes in giving back, which she has done through 40 years service at the YMCA, including 20 as a volunteer. The 'Y', she says, cannot exist without fresh volunteers coming forward.
"Volunteers can come from a range of backgrounds and offer skills from sports, school teaching or mentoring. Most pressing is the need for someone to assist in fund-raising, perhaps if a company could second one of their employees here for a year or so," she told The Gleaner.
FUND-RAISING
Such a person would be assisting in the fund-raising to help start the YMCA's performing arts centre and to redevelop the Amy Bailey training centre which, says Mrs. Newland-Martin, is now dilapidated.
"And there is a pressing need to reopen the 'Y's Camp Hamilton summer camp facility in Caymanas Bay, which has been out of use since it was vandalised in the 1970s."
Swimming coaches would also be welcomed at the famous 'Y' Speedos Club, which claims to have trained 75 per cent of the nation's swimmers. During the school year 35 schools use the YMCA's swimming facilities each week.
Youth training programmes remain the key focus of the 'Y', such as the Youth Development programme, which takes on children who have fallen out of the education system.
Over the past four years 100 per cent passes have been achieved in the Grade Nine Achievement Test (GNAT), Mrs. Newland-Martin said.
VITAL ELEMENT
Archibald Shaw, board member, and occupational teacher, believes organisations such as the YMCA continue to be vital for the nation's youth. Mr. Shaw helps to run the youth programmes.
"There are a lot of challenges facing our youths and the 'Y' is a way to channel their energies to something more positive," he said.
"Honestly there is no remuneration involved, but the benefits to yourself, what you learn in terms of skills and people themselves, you cannot put a figure on that."
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME
But it is not just specialised or adult volunteers that the YMCA's work involves. Young people taken into the 'Y' are not only involved as pupils, but can also be involved in the Leadership Training programme which trains 250 young people aged 14-26 annually.
One such youth is Dexter Francis, from Three Miles, who volunteered two years ago as a 15-year-old.
"I came here when a lot of things were happening in my community and I needed to stay out of trouble," he said.
Still at the YMCA, Dexter helps with basketball and swimming and aims to carry his computer studies into a degree course. There are, he says, several different ways to get involved in the Y.
The YMCA can be contacted at 926-8081/754-9034 or email: kymca@cwjamaica.com.
