Thursday, January 24, 2019

When two men meet up after a gap of years! - Jim Jenkinson - we are back in touch !



When two men meet up after a gap of years!

I met up with Jim Jenkinson yesterday & it was wondrous.

WE first collided when we were at a YMCA Staff Conference in Malta.
He became active in the YMCA as a CEO of  Rotherham YMCA.
Being active in the Y always includes belonging beyond your locally based work.
The YMCA is in Europe and almost every nation of the world.
People belong to a local Y and then we discover Europe & the World.


This is so stimulating and creative.
We have a world wide family.
We support each other.
EXAMPLE::
When the iron curtain came down the YMCA’s, who had been closed down under communism - and their buildings compulsory possessed by the regime, returned to its mission with young people & young leaders at it’s heart.

The movement in the non-communist Europe came together to support the re-emerging YMCA’s.
I joined the support group for the Bulgarian YMCA.
They had no building, finance and only, if I recall right, had an ex member who was 80 years old - a great man.

Jim and I met often at various events at home and abroad.
He was appointed regional officer for the Midlands.
Appointed by YMCA England and let loose to co-ordinate the work in the region.

Jim got me involved in facilitating training - used in joint conferences with CEO’s and Chairs of his local YMCA’s.
ALSO integrating young hostel resident and young members - ALL TOGETHER with CEO’s and Board Members.
So many experiences of working together until he moved on to become a teacher.

So our meeting was full of passionate story telling. 
Updates & reflecting on the past too.
I can’t do him credit here.
I can’t do our time together credit here either.

🅱🅴🅰🆄🆃🅸🅵🆄🅻 ðŸ…·ðŸ†„🅼🅰🅽 




THIS is a fun Q&A I did with Jim some years ago when I was Editor of  a YMCA Staff Magazine backing the day =  I love questions !