YMCA and YWCA

THE YOUNG MEN'S Christian Association (YMCA) and the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) are both nondenominational community service organizations. They were formed separately in the 19th century to minister to the needs of young men and women in the urban conditions created by the Industrial Revolution. Despite strong similarities, neither the YMCA nor the YWCA has ever been related to the other.

The YMCA movement began in London in 1844 when George Williams gathered together a dozen young men to create a club that would provide a wholesome alternative to London's slums, saloons, and brothels. When Williams, a young draper, came to work in London, he was horrified by the living conditions that many were compelled to endure. His club began providing assistance to members in locating good lodging, and club meeting rooms where Christian companions could find appropriate reading materials, join Bible classes, and engage in service opportunities. The movement Williams founded spread quickly in England and beyond. [Page 1207]The first YMCA in Australia was founded in 1850 and the first in Montreal in 1851. Also in 1851 the first YMCA in the United States was founded in Boston. During the Civil War the YMCA began its service to military personnel. This service in war relief has been continued ever since. Evangelical preachers and workers like Dwight L. Moody and John Mott dominated the movement in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

As the YMCAs spread they adapted themselves to the needs of the young men they were serving. From almost the beginning, exercise programs became a major part of the services provided by YMCAs. In 1856 the first swimming pool was opened in New York City. The YMCA also began to develop its own schools, colleges, and education programs, such as night school.

In 1891 James Naismith was a physical education teacher at the School for Christian Workers, which had been formed at the Amory Hill YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. Now called Springfield College, it became a historic site when Naismith invented basketball as an indoor winter exercise. In 1895 W.G. Morgan, the physical education director at the Mount Holyoke, Massachusetts, YMCA, invented volleyball. Morgan offered it as a less strenuous alternative to basketball that would benefit older businessmen. The YMCA was also instrumental in aiding the formation of other volunteer service groups. The Boy Scouts, Camp Fire, Toastmasters International, Gideons International, United Service Organization (USO), and other groups were all originally formed with the encouragement and assistance of YMCA workers.

The YMCAs are organized as a confederation. The national YMCA, the YMCA of the United States, is headquartered in Chicago. It is the national resource center for the local YMCAs. Each local “Y” is autonomous, but adheres to the national constitution and pays annual dues as part of its support of the mission of all YMCAs. The staff of the local Ys makes the decisions for local organizations and operations.

Today the YMCA is a Christian ecumenical organization that has spread to over 120 countries. The World Alliance of YMCAs is an international organization of YMCAs. It has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Together all the YMCAs around the world serve 45 million people. In the United States the 2,500 YMCAs serve 19 million people. All YMCAs work for social justice for all peoples.

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