From RD

Baltic Tour 11-13.5.2012
Regional director Veikko Juvonen ja regional sectretary Esko Vepsä

The main purpose of the trip was to meet the responsible persons of the next season and discuss about the current issues the region. Also the plan was to meet as many clubs as possible and discuss of the targets and receive local news. The route was following: Tallinn-Pärnu-Liepaja-Riga-Cesis-Tallinn and the trip was made with car of regional secretary.

The first short stop was on Friday noon in Raekylä school in Pärnu where Piia Karro, Kaljo Kaasik and a new member of the club was met. The membership of the club has grown up to eleven at the moment which was noticed as a positive development. Raekylä school is the base of the club. Many courses and other activities are arranged in the school the club being partly participating in these activities. During the visit there was a course for unemployed going on.

Liepaja club was met on Friday night in their club house in the middle of high block of flats. To the club was brought children's sports shoes, jogging shoes and sportswear which had been left over from the lottery of the calendar sales in Helsinki region. The club had received the flat from the city, renovated part of the rooms and built a playground for children. Immediately it was noted that the further development and renovation of the place was a good object of the regional project for which there had been collected money during all season without any definite target. It was decided to confirm the project in Cesis in the board meeting. The evening went on smoothly with the club members and during the evening it was heard about the future plans of the club. The most important issue on region's point of view was the arrangement of the regional meeting in September 22-23, 2012. This was seen an important matter for the club which agreed to arrange it. The night accommodation was arranged in Alzers Normund's house.

In Saturday noon three members of Riga club were met. The club arranges among other things small scale concerts for senior people. It was discussed of the views and possibilities of the future and the activities of Finnish Region. There are four active members in the club and two members who are at the moment studying and working abroad.

On Saturday afternoon it was participated into the meeting of the club of Cesis. Three new members were chartered and now the number of members is 19. It was a good manner that the new members told in the meeting about their background and life. The meeting was very lively and during it good food was served and there was even possibility to have a sauna bath. It can be said that the club is very energetic and its views of the future are positive. The club is also taking international responsibility when Ineta Krumina starts as a regional director and possibly Dace Kalnina as a regional secretary in coming summer.

The accommodation was given in Ineta Krumina's house. During the visit there was the board meeting in which it was confirmed the chartering of the new club of Vilnius in 9.6 in Vilnius, the regional conference in Liepaja 22-23.9 and the regional project in Liepaja: max. EUR 500,- during the ongoing season and max. EUR 1000,- during following season. Additionally the list of responsible persons was discussed but to this issue board must still return later.

The tour was considered useful and during it many current issues could be pushed forward.

Regional secretary Esko Vepsä taking photos of parts to be renovated.

Veikko Juvonen
RD Finland Balticum

Older posts

The regional meeting of Finland Balticum took place as a cruising meeting on the ship between Helsinki and Tallinn in 23-25.09.2011. The district meeting of Finland was held on the way to Tallinn and the regional meeting on following day when baltic members entered the ship. The district meeting of Baltic clubs was again on the way to Tallinn. The separate district meetings were arranged in the form of training which gave the participants the opportunity to discuss of the current issues. In the regional meeting there were handled only the issues provided by the rules.

The esential issues of the region are the membership conservation and acquiring new members, starting new clubs and supporting the youth.

Taking care of the club members has the major importance whether it concerns old or new members. Many clubs of District Finland have during these years celebrated their 35-40 years anniversary. The long period of activity is an achievement for the clubs but also we can see changes in their membership. Normally membership is reducing due to the natural ageing. There are, however, positive exceptions when the number of members has started a new rise. This is apparently a result of active membership recruiting and actions in taking care of the existing members. One potential group of candidates for club members are those who have recently retired or will retire in near future. Often they have free time and energy for the activities in different associations. Also their age is suitable with the other members. But the success in this way provides active membership recruiting.

To create new clubs is then another issue and it has an essential impact on the future of Y's Men's movement. This activity in Finland is at starting point and it will be activated during this period. Questions arise like for instance whom are we looking for, or whom do we want as members or which activities attract people especially in Y's Men's movement. Also the working life has changed hurried and this must be taken into account as far as people are still in working life. Perhaps the club can be created by a group which meets in a same hobby. There could be for instance a golf-club, nature-club or orienteering club etc. In this way the hobby could create a natural continuity for the meetings. The development aid, which is represented by TOF-activity and the Taggu Liggey project in Qambia of Vantaa club can become a remarkable activity which is considered important by many people.

In spring an ASF support was given to three YMCA young leaders for their participation of YMCA Youth Forum in Kenya, Nairobi in August this year. Contribution to the youth is an important part of Y's Men's movement and in this field new forms of activities and cooperation will be looked for with YMCA. The youth of today is soon young adults in working life who are needed to continue the Y's Men's activities.

The change of extension responsibility to Denmark does not mean the cutting of contacts to Baltic clubs. We are still the same region and both personal contacts and contacts between the clubs shall be further developed.

Veikko Juvonen
RD Finland Balticum
05.10.2011

Our Region

In the beginning of 2008 there are 13 Clubs in Finland: Rovaniemi (mixed), Oulu (mixed), Kuopio (mx), Jyväskylä (mx), Tampere (male), Pirkattaret (female), Turku (m), Vantaa (mx), Tretton (mx), Femella (f), Helsingfors (mx), Katajattaret (f) and Katajaiset (m), 2 in Estonia: Tallinn (mx) and Pärnu (mx), 3 in Latvia: Cesis (f), Riga (f) and Livani (mx) and 2 in Lithuania: Vilnius (mx) and Vievis (mx). One club in Latvian town Liepaja is under progress

The Y´s Men Movement landed in Europe 1928 and the very First Club was Tallinn, Estonia. This club was growing to the largest in Europe and one of the largest of all, but was prohibited by the Soviets 1940. Tallin Y´s Men´s Club was re-chartered 1991 and so we got the Caltic Y´s Men´s Movement on its foot again.

The first two clubs in Finland year 1966 were Helsingfors (Swedish speaking) in Helsinki and Oulu in the northern part of the country. In Latvia the first club was in Jelgava 1995, but the club died only few years later. In Lithuania the first club in Vilnius was chartered 1999

Y´s Men Club is a group of people willing help the local youth work mainly via YMCA and to support the social work done on their own community. Y´s Men Movement is having world wide programmes the clubs are taking part after their own decision. The most successful of these are TOF and ASF programmes. More information will be founded www.ysmen.org.

Internationality

Every two year (odd years) will be arranged large International Convention, which is the best forum of the Internationality of the Movement. Next one will take place in Denmark, City of Herning end of July 2008. The previous IC:s were held in Helsinki 1998, HongKong 2000, Sydney 2002, Kochin (India) 2004 and Pusan (South Korea) 2006 There are 1711 Clubs in 74 Countries with together 31.208 members regarding last official statistics 2007.

Links to

European Y´s Men
Y´s Men International
Y´s Men Clubs around the world

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