Leisure Service Delivery Assignment 2- Nicholas Lazzara

INTRODUCTION

I made the trip over the University YMCA on Wright St. in Champaign. The University YMCA is a nonprofit organization that is maintained by donations provided by private individuals. This is not your ordinary local "Y" though; there is no gym or pool in the building. Rather, this YMCA's motto is "Engaging people in service, reflection, and action."

BACKGROUND

The University YMCA was established in 1873, just 6 years after the University was opened. It was originally intended to be a religious organization for the students and has had 5 different locations until it finally settled at the corner of Wright and Chalmers in 1938. It actually served as the first dormitory on campus in 1908! The university took over the reigns of the YMCA in 1932. Now the Y serves as a place that fosters to the student body by offering guidance to international students, sponsors service opportunities, and promotes a community feel among the student body.

EMPLOYMENT

The YMCA is run by a board of governors (33 people) who oversee the budget, policies, personnel, and programs. There is also a board of trustees who are from all over the country

 that oversee the endowment, which makes up about 20% of the annual operating budget; these people are mostly former Illinois students and friends of the YMCA. After speaking with Mike Doyle, the Executive Director, I was informed that there were not employment opportunities for students but rather there were volunteer opportunities. Volunteering, he told me, was a great way to do some good in the community as well as bolster your resume for future employment, not to mention it builds your character. "Volunteers are always welcome," he added.

CURRENT TRENDS

There has been an increase in volunteering in recent years. People have really come out in numbers for the big service opportunities offered by the Y and made a difference in the area. One of the issues is that there has been a decline in the YMCA's private donations because of the state of the economy. The YMCA still remains an institution for international students, though.

LEISURE

The University YMCA offers an escape from the hectic world of homework and jobs by offering leisure to students. By leisure, I mean a safe haven where one can learn about local and global issues and can go out and make a difference in the world. There are weekly forums about issues such as Pakistan vs. India to ideas about how we can solve the problem with the current economy. They also help students meet others with similar interests by encouraging people to join in YMCA activities. The main benefit is the volunteering aspect it offers to students.

SYNOPSIS

There are many pros about a career with the YMCA. One of them is that you are doing it out of the goodness of your heart, since it will be without pay. By working with the University Y, you can physically make a difference in the community. For example, they sponsor a "Dump and Run" donation drive in which they collect nearly any reusable items that people would normally throw out during their "spring cleaning." It reduces litter, saves space in landfills, and it raised over $25,000 for the university this year when the items were sold to students at the beginning of the school year. Students were able to buy expensive furniture and items for very cheap prices. One of the cons would obviously be the fact that you would need another form of income while working with the YMCA. This organization definitely fits into the leisure service delivery system because it provides its users with opportunities to relax, be social, and be enlightened with worldly knowledge.