A Healthy Y for a Healthier Central Maryland: Vision 2015

Today the Y serves approximately 140,000 individuals across our
entire set of programs and services. Our vision is to grow by 2015 to
be the primary catalyst for over 240,000 of Central Maryland's families and individuals to achieve their full potential in spirit, mind and body. It is only once we begin to actually influence lifestyle choices and build sufficient developmental assets in our community on a significant enough scale that we will have lasting, residual influence on the health and well-being of children, youth, adults and families. We will provide experiences and programs that are memorable, unique and enriching, which foster family and community bonds, build character, and promote success for all. By doing so, we will fundamentally enhance the quality of life in the communities in which we operate.

The Y does not exist in a vacuum. We are here to
serve the community and to address critical needs in
order to help strengthen the community. The challenges are not small but they can be addressed and significantly impacted through a focused, purposeful effort. Our strategic plan starts with a clear-eyed assessment of some of the most pressing social challenges before us:

• An epidemic of childhood obesity

  The prevalence of overweight children has more than tripled in the last decade leading to a public health crisis. Indeed, the CDC has predicted that, without proper interventions, the next generation could be the first in history to live shorter lives than their parents.

• A growing senior population
  Isolation and inactivity are a growing threat to the stability and well-being of older adults in Central Maryland, whose numbers are increasing faster than any other segment of the population.

• Increased financial and social strains on families
  It's no secret that families today are strained in many ways. Financial strain, divorce, loss of faith/spirituality and the impact of dual wage households pose major threats to the stability of families.

• Increasing amounts of unsupervised out-of-school time for youth
  Perhaps as a result of the increased strain on Central Maryland families, we see more and more children unattended before and after school when their parents work. When children are unsupervised after school, they are at-risk for dangerous social behaviors in far greater numbers than those who are productively engaged in after-school programs.

• Significant school drop-out rates We are witnessing alarming high school drop-out rates across Maryland, with urban drop-out rates among the highest. In fact, the divide between urban and suburban graduation rates in Maryland is the highest in the nation and the gap is growing each year.

Students who do not complete high school are at a huge economic and social disadvantage. The challenges they face to attain employment, housing and financial stability are exponentially greater than of those who do graduate from high school.

To address these critical issues, our strategic plan positions the Y as a primary catalyst for a healthy and connected community by developing and operating programs and services that promote:

• Youth Development
• Healthy Living
• Social Responsibility

To achieve our vision, we will focus on five mission
strategies:

• Mission strategy 1: We will make Y membership for all our core objective, as broad-based memberships in the Y will lead to a healthier and more connected community.
• Mission strategy 2: We will make a measurable impact on the success of Central Maryland’s children and youth through purposeful youth asset development programs.
• Mission strategy 3: We will energize the community to be highly engaged and invested in the Y's mission and success.
• Mission strategy 4: We will become an employer of choice with an exceptional culture.
• Mission strategy 5: We will ensure the Y is financially viable and sustainable.

We will be held accountable for our work through measurement in multiple key metrics by which to document our progress. They include measures in the following areas and encompass every aspect of our operations:

Social Impact Measures

• Improving Central Maryland’s Health & Well-being through expanded membership for all
  • who are satisfied with their lives as a whole
  • who feel that their health is better than it was a year ago
• Making a measurable impact on childhood and youth development
  • who feel hopeful when they think about their future
  • with improved or sustained performance in school
• Energizing the community to be socially responsible through strong engagement in the Y
  • who are satisfied with their community
  • who feel as though their community is a better place because of the Y