YMCA, YWCA

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) and the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) began separately in mid-19th-century England as Protestant voluntary associations. Their early, middle-class members sought to provide moral guidance, Christian community, and charity in the context of industrialization; the movement was also a response to the evangelical revivalism ignited by the visiting American Protestant Revivalist preacher Charles Grandison Finney. National YMCAs and YWCAs have since formed around the world, and many of them have abandoned missionary fervor in favor of more secularized agendas promoting the intellectual, physical, and spiritual well-being of Christians and non-Christians alike. While perhaps best known for sports facilities and travel hostels, the YMCA and the YWCA have rich histories of societal engagement in many countries.

The national YMCAs came together to form the World Alliance of YMCAs in 1855, while the national YWCAs came together to form the World YWCA in 1894. Although the YMCAs and YWCAs developed as separate organizations, they remain closely affiliated at the international level. According to the official websites, the World Alliance of YMCAs claims the status of the oldest voluntary international organization, and the World YWCA prides itself as one of the first international women's organization to exist independently of male organizations. Currently, both international organizations have national branches in more than 120 countries.

Their missions remain rooted in nondenominational Christianity yet are open to global concerns and the needs of individual countries. The first world conference of YMCAs in 1855 in Paris adopted what became known as the Paris Basis, which stated that the mission of the YMCA was to bring together young Christian men despite their differences. Bringing men together often took the form of team sports, which led to the promotion of “muscular Christianity” in the late 19th century and the invention of various sports, including basketball. In 1973, the mission was reaffirmed and updated with the concern for fostering love, honesty, and creativity within the international organization; working toward equality and justice in the world; and promoting the holistic development of its members. In 1998, the World Alliance of YMCAs expressed a desire to address the concerns of the 21st century in what they called “Challenge 21.” These concerns included attention to the rights of women, children, the poor, and those oppressed due to their religious or racial affiliations.

Both the YMCA and the YWCA are dedicated to contemporary social change. The World YWCA considers its mission to be the improvement of the lives of women and children around the world. It has supported job training programs for women and encouraged the development of female leadership. It also holds a wider agenda of spreading awareness of environmental sustainability, human rights protection, HIV/AIDs prevention, and international peace and justice.