YWCAs started in the eastern part of the United States more than 130 years ago. They were a result of the great religious revivals of the day and the industrial revolution which thrust women and girls into the new labor market and into strange cities. At the same time, other YWCAs developed in the Midwest in women's colleges and in new coeducational institutions.

YWCAs exploded into life and activity, starting from these different, yet similar, situations. The early leaders, with concern and faith, tackled a whole range of women's needs, both in the U.S. and around the world.

The years moved fast and in 1906, student and community associations in the United States established a national organization, the Young Women's Christian Association of the United States of America. The development of membership policies began at that time, though membership had been a key concept during the formative years.

Membership policies evolved through many YWCA National Conventions. However, the search is still unfinished for the most effective ways of drawing together members who relate to the YWCA as participants, as leaders and as supporters. Members, in one or a combination of those roles, together enable the YWCA to fulfill its Mission. The understanding in 1906 of the basis of joining, of who voted and how, and the Mission were both very different from today. There was a long search for words to express the religious philosophy, the Christian heritage and the Mission of the organization.

Today, the Young Women's Christian Association reaffirms its belief that it can fulfill its Mission best as an autonomous women's membership movement,

• committed to self-determined social change for all women
• committed to the respect for diversity and uniqueness of race, culture and belief
• committed to provide leadership in our community, nation and world in the struggle for peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all people.

In this reaffirmation, the YWCA will firmly maintain the established channels of a local, national and world membership movement, fully cooperating with other organizations where goals are shared.

The World YWCA is the channel through which National YWCAs share resources and experiences. Through its consultative status with the United Nations, the World YWCA works for economic and social Justice and the building of a world community.

Every four years, delegates from affiliated National Associations gather at a World Council meeting. There, in legislative sessions, they elect officers and members to the World YWCA Executive Committee and determine priorities for the next four years. The council meeting provides an opportunity to sensitize delegates to the reality of women's problems in the world; to broaden their knowledge about world affairs; to see women's issues from a world perspective. Officially established in 1898, the World YWCA operates from its offices in Geneva, Switzerland.

Associations are clear that individuals become members for many reasons. They are not as clear about the question of when and how members come to know the wide outreach of the Mission and have an opportunity to be involved.

The answer is that every kind of event, activity, experience and relationship in the YWCA carries the potential for growth in understanding and involvement. The key is to make conscious and positive use of that potential.

Commitment grows out of experience and cannot be required. It is required that all members have the opportunity to understand the Mission and work for its fulfillment in the associations.

The responsibility for ensuring that such opportunity is provided is charged to the leadership in each association. It is a unique characteristic of the YWCA's concept of membership.

The constitution and bylaws of every YWCA states that it will operate in accordance with provisions that include "communicating the Mission to members and assuming that they have opportunities to take part in furthering it."

How can each YWCA work to make membership and membership policies real in the life of the association and to its members?

1. The board, staff and other member/leaders must understand their corporate responsibilities and see that those responsibilities are carried out. They include:
   • The constitutional requirement that women in designated leadership positions must be voting members who have consented to individual responsibility to further the achievement of the Mission in the life of the association.
   • The constitutional requirement on responsibility for the growth of members.
   • Clarity about policies and sound administration of those policies to ensure that:
     • there is recruitment and outreach to include members of diverse backgrounds and beliefs
     • membership dues and activity fees are clearly differentiated and interpreted
     • distinction is made between members and others who are not eligible to be members but participate in YWCA programs and services as registrants or associates (children under 12 years of age, men and boys)
     • the constitutional limitations on exemptions from the membership requirement are honored
2. The association needs to pay careful attention to accurate recordkeeping and develop and administer sound systems and procedures for:
   • maintaining a central file of all members, registrants and associates
   • communicating regularly with members
   • collecting, recording and processing all dues and fees properly
   • identifying voting members (women and girls 15 years of age and over)
   • collecting information needed for statistics, reports, evaluations and planning

Because membership is so basic to a YWCA and because the Board has a specific responsibility, associations might consider having a membership committee of the Board. If an association decides to establish such a committee, the President, after consultation with the Executive Director, could appoint a chairperson for the committee from among the members of the Board.

Study and screening of issues takes place in committees, and reports or recommendations can be thoughtfully formulated for action by the Board. Committees make it possible for members who are not on the Board to:

• participate in developing and carrying out plans through individual input, group discussion and activity
• develop leadership capacities
• gain firsthand experience in dealing with association planning and problems

The membership committee's job may include gathering the information it needs; establishing goals and objectives for member recruitment, education, growth and involvement; assessing the effectiveness of methods and procedures for keeping accurate membership records, and initiating plans for membership events. The membership committee has responsibility for developing reports and recommendations related to membership for presentation to the Board. It works on plans for carrying out approved recommendations.

The committee's work is closely related to that of other committees, making coordination or cooperation a necessity (e.g., program, finance, public relations, leadership, plant and equipment). The Board of Directors needs to understand this and give active support to coordinated and/or cooperative work.

A job description — a clear statement of its task.

An assigned staff member — who is an associate to the chairperson and provides necessary resources and pertinent data, assists in gathering the needed information and develops plans.

Committee members — thoughtfully appointed who are representative of the diversity of the membership and of the community and who bring skills and experience which help the committee in its work.

A climate — in which committee members know each other; have a clear understanding of the job of the committee; feet free to raise questions, make suggestions, discuss and resolve differences.

Understanding of the YWCA membership concept — in membership policies and the interrelationship of membership, program, leadership, finance, public relations and facilities.

Work plans depend on a variety of factors (e.g., size and structure of the association, status of the association's work on membership.)

Whatever the situation, these are essential parts of the committee work:

• gathering and organizing information
• identifying and evaluating association practices and actions which have to do with or affect members and membership
• setting membership goals and objectives and planning the steps to accomplish the objectives and the ways in which progress will be measured carrying out the steps

Successful work on membership requires using marketing techniques. That means among other things, having the information on which to base decisions and plans. Part of this responsibility might be assigned to one or several of the committee members. The committee should think carefully about what information will be helpful.

Some essential information is: