The Y is made up of people of all ages and from every walk of life working side by side to  strengthen communities. Together we work to ensure everyone, regardless of gender, income, faith, sexual orientation or cultural background, has the opportunity to live life to its fullest. We share the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility—everything we do stems from it.

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Strengthening Our Work Through the Diversity of Our People

We know that the key to effectively nurturing the potential of children, improving the nation’s health and well-being and supporting our neighbors is a passionate, experienced and diverse array of staff, volunteers and members who value what everyone brings to the table. Working in 10,000 U.S. communities and more than 120 countries worldwide makes strong diversity and inclusion practices paramount for the Y.

This means:

• Recognizing that a diverse and inclusive organization is foundational to developing and engaging everyone across the entire Y spectrum.  Our volunteers, members, program participants, families, leaders, staff, vendors, suppliers, donors, collaborators and the community at large all contribute to our efforts to make positive, lasting personal and social change.
  
  
• Believing we all benefit from the unique talents of our diverse staff.  We encourage all Y employees to form and participate in active groups with other employees who share similar interests or lifestyles.  These Affinity Groups give our 20,000+ employees opportunities to contribute, learn, network and share experiences as they progress in their careers.  YMCA Affinity Groups provide invaluable input and insight to address challenges in our communities.
  
  
• Having a supplier diversity program that seeks out talented minority- and women-owned contractors and service providers.
  
  
• Offering professional development and training programs that steward staff through a range of opportunities that build 21st-Century leadership competence and help them obtain the experience they need to lead YMCAs in all our communities.

Diversity and inclusion practices at the Y foster a high-performing learning environment where staff and volunteers are engaged, valued and encouraged to collaborate, generate ideas and contribute at the highest level.  We are passionate about our cause and know that our ability to achieve it begins with reflecting and partnering with all people and communities. 

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