FIVE THOUSAND MEMBERS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21733, 16 March 1936, Page 7

FIVE THOUSAND MEMBERS

ASSOCIATION’S WORK IN NEW ZEALAND WORLD-WIDE MOVEMENT Five thousand New Zealand girls and young women belong to the Young Women’s Christian Association. They are part of a world-wide movement which has 1,000,000 members, and counts! among their number young people of almost every nationality and religion. ; The 10 hostels in New Zealand accommodate 5000 women, and form ■ce&tres for social activities embracing a large section of the community. The association hot only provides hostels and cafetarias, but promotes interest .among young women in health and ■ recreation, club work, education, and all phases of citizenship. < The aims of the association are:—' I To build understanding and mutual ■ service between women of different ages and types. To provide opportunities for the best growth of the body, mind, and spirit for all young women in the community. ’ . To work for the building of a better world. The association in New Zealand sets out its aims thus: , . , . To unite women and girls in a world-wide fellowship. To help them to find a definite purpose in life, to be honest and fearless in their thinking, to attain the fullest appreciation of the joys of friendship, service, and beauty. To interpret by radiant living the love of God as revealed in Jesus.

Body, Mind, and Spirit

The sign of the blue triangle, representing the Young Women’s Christian Association, like the red triangle of the Young Men’s Christian Association, stands for the symmetrical development of body, mind, and spirit, and Is a familiar sight in every country in the world. The Young Women’s Christian Association began in England many years ago. It provided housing and training for the young women who were going out to the Crimea to help Florence Nightingale, and it has since extended its work to cover every phase of the life of young women, irrespective of class, creed, or race. As a purely voluntary organisation the association can depend on only two sources for money to maintain its work. The first is revenue, which may come from membership, or any profit from hostels or cafetarias, and the second, subscriptions or contributions from publicly-spirited men and women who recognise the importance of this many-sided work for young women. During the depression years the revenues shrunk very much, and today they are still small.

Facing Emergencies

The Young Women’s Christian Association has always distinguished itself for its ability to adapt Itself to all kinds of emergencies. During the depression it was able to maintain this reputation, and now it aims to take a big step forward to increase itsefficiency, and equip itself to meet the new conditions facing it. Even more valuable-than the emergency programmes of the past Is the constructive training through selforganised group work which association brings through its clubs and girl citizens movement. Into these have been put the. thinking and. long experience in the study of education. : The vision of the wholeness of life in all its aspects, and the working out of that vision in all practical emergencies of daily life has been the distinctive contribution ’ of the Young Women’s Christian . Association to Christian training.