From Indian Guides to Adventure Guides

Change can be difficult. The YMCA Indian Guides and YMCA Guides programs hold a very special place in the hearts of fathers and children nationwide. When the decision was made to modify the program to make it more appealing to a wider range of families and to more closely align it with the goals of the national YMCA Diversity Initiative, YMCA of the USA and local Y staff received feedback from participants. Much of this feedback was the result of speculation (e.g., about reasons for the change, about ending the program, about the viability of any alternative, etc.), which was due in part to the program being in transition and the subsequent delay in the delivery of the revised program.

We mention this here to give you a heads-up. As you move forward in introducing YMCA Adventure Guides in your YMCA, you might find resistance from individuals who have been misinformed. To prepare yourself for this, take some time to become familiar with the change process and to review the decisions made and the specifics of the new program. This will help you to clearly differentiate between truths and rumors and to communicate more effectively with your members.

Common Questions and Comments

Although many YMCAs have been in dialogue for more than a year with their members regarding this program change, they still often are confronted with questions and comments similar to these. If you need help in answering members’ questions, try these responses.

Member: The only reason you’re doing this is to be politically correct.

YMCA: Being politically correct was never a motive for this change. We always have believed that this is the right thing to do for the right reasons. We must align our program practices with our initiatives for character development and diversity. We can no longer in good conscience support an Indian-themed program.

Member: We’ve already given up so much. How much more is expected?

YMCA: Yes, the 2001 transition from YMCA Indian Guides to YMCA Guides meant we had to let go of some of our program practices. I know this was difficult, but we appreciate your support and willingness to do so. When the review team met in 2002, they really tried to preserve as much of the original program as possible. The team concluded that to retain any Indian terms or practices could be misconstrued and some of what has been deemed inappropriate might continue. Anything short of a new direction would not have addressed the real issues. We have retired some of program’s most controversial elements, but we were able to hold on to so much more: the aims, purpose, structure, slogan, pledge, etc.

Member: Why are we giving up something that isn’t broken?

YMCA: Some Ys have adapted the program over the years and have had the support of Native Americans. This has made the need for change difficult to see. Although many feel the program wasn’t “broken,” it appeared to be severely flawed to people who found it offensive. For many Ys, Indian Guides was no longer a relevant program, and they had stopped offering it years ago. As you may know, the number of Ys offering the program has declined over the past decade.

Member: Who has complained? How many complaints have there been? Where is the pressure coming from?

YMCA: The decision wasn’t based on the volume of complaints we received. We had heard that many Native Americans were reluctant to share or had stopped sharing their concerns because we didn’t appear to listen—we continued to offer the program. For others, filing a complaint with the YMCA just wasn’t characteristic of their individual or cultural makeup. We made the change to keep our programs consistent with our Diversity Initiative and character development values and to create a new direction in programming that has a broader appeal to families of all cultures and configurations.

Member: Who drove the change? Why is it being done? Who is going to make us change?

YMCA: The change process began, as it often does, with conversations at the local Y level. Staff members expressed concerns, and many Ys stopped offering the program. YMCA of the USA staff and volunteers have debated this issue for the past two decades. The adoption of the National Diversity Initiative heightened the need to move quickly to a resolution. Local YMCAs have complete autonomy and will make the decision to end, change, or continue this program. YMCA of the USA has no authority in this decision. The role of Y-USA is to provide leadership and materials. Local YMCAs will need to assess their own abilities to continue a program without national materials and consider the concerns voiced in their own communities, the potential for controversy, and any repercussions they might face by not following the change.

Member: We’ve done this backward: You should have introduced a new program at the onset of any talk of change.

YMCA: This has been one of the most difficult factors in this change process, and we’ve received some criticism for our decision to have a dialogue about change before we introduced a new program. We saw the dialogue as a way to prepare for the change process. Knowing what we know about how people adapt to change, we felt we would have fallen flat had we simply released a new program. The dialogue created an impetus for change. It also allowed us to talk to and involve hundreds of people in the process. We were also faced with a pretty small window of opportunity. The National Diversity Initiative was in effect. For us to be credible, we needed to acknowledge the problems we saw in the Indian Guides program. Experience has taught us it takes about 18 months to develop a program and provide published materials. It was too long to wait.

Member: Doesn’t the Indian Guides program do more good than harm?

YMCA: I guess that depends on who answers the question. Of course, the program did so much good in building relationships between a parent and a child. Some will argue, however, that we did harm in teaching and perpetuating Native-American stereotypes. We’ve tried very hard to preserve all that was good in the program so that we can continue to strengthen relationships between parents and children. It also is helpful to keep in mind that YMCAs offer programs as a tool to achieve the YMCA’s mission. YMCA parent-child programs are tools to build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. Some questioned if the messages being conveyed about Native Americans were really healthy and accurate.

Member: But we’re being respectful. Why can’t we continue? We’re educating our children about Native Americans.

YMCA: Yes, some YMCAs worked closely with Native Americans, museums, and other resources and were able to teach their children about Native-American history and culture. However, in many cases, what we taught was not well-researched, accurate, sensitive, or authentic. Native Americans told us that that kind of information and teaching does more harm than good, not only to our children but also to theirs.

Member: We really have been respectful and have researched the Native-American themes.

YMCA: Then we hope you’ll be able to carry some of this into YMCA Adventure Guides. Inviting Native Americans into your program, visiting museums, reading stories about Native Americans, and doing research are all appropriate activities. What is no longer appropriate is adopting another culture to deliver a program.

Member: There isn’t enough magic in the new program. It doesn’t feel right. I can’t get people excited. Where’s the magic? Where’s the spirituality?

YMCA: Most participants agree that it took YMCA Indian Guides decades to evolve into the magical program we know today. Like all YMCA programs, the magic wasn’t created in the manuals, program promotional materials, or direction provided by YMCA of the USA. Instead it was created in local YMCAs, inspired by the creativity and dedication of participants who shared their best ideas with others. We’re confident the same will happen with YMCA Adventure Guides.

In meetings and in print, YMCAs have delivered these messages:

Change can be difficult. The YMCA Indian Guides and YMCA Guides programs hold a very special place in the hearts of thousands of fathers and children across the country. We will be careful and thoughtful in this transition process as we work to bring everyone along.

Key Messages for Volunteers Through the Transition
YMCA Staff-volunteer partnership has always been the cornerstone of YMCA parent-child programs. Retaining and attracting committed volunteers to see this transition through is critical. The planning team identified these message points to inspire our volunteer leaders to stay with the YMCA through the program transition. In Ys with no parent-child programming, staff members may want to use the same messages to entice key volunteers to help launch YMCA Adventure Guides.

YMCA father-child programs are magic; the testimonials are incredible. It’s a feel-good experience for you. 

It helps you to succeed in the commitment you make to your child and the program. You are more likely to stay in the program and stay committed to spending time with your child if you assume a leadership role. 

It’s a great support base for you. Circle meetings and outings provide great times for father-to-father bonding. Friendships develop. Fathers receive advice and feel supported by other parents.

This program helps provide focus and structure to the commitment you have made to building strong families. It provides you with a routine and lots of opportunities for fun and creative bonding experiences. The program is aligned with what matters most to families: values, fun, and community. Be a part of making that happen for other families as well. 

The volunteer tasks associated with the program give you ample opportunities to develop or reinforce your leadership skills. Leaders receive lots of positive affirmations. You are making a difference. “It’s the most fulfilling leadership thing I’ve done,” one volunteer said. It builds your self-esteem. 

Volunteers and participants meet people in their neighborhood and get connected. Some stay connected for years after their kids leave the program.  If you’re an active volunteer or active participant, the program gives you an opportunity to give something back to your Circle, your YMCA, your own family, and your community. 

You’re a part of program stability. Volunteers are essential. You’re a part of building the program legacy. You’re a part of keeping the program alive for another generation of participants. 

The built-in parental supervision and attendance requirements make this a unique program; everyone pulls his or her own weight. It’s structured, organized, and predictable, making it easy to handle demands on your time. Responsibilities are clearly defined and divided among many.

Message Points to Children
Some staff members and volunteers have asked for guidance in helping children let go of YMCA Indian Guides and embrace YMCA Adventure Guides. In several Ys, staff members and volunteers reported that the children were having an easier time transitioning than some of the adults. Children just want to be reassured that the program will continue and that they’ll still be able to go camping, spend time with their friends, and hang out with their mom or dad. If children in your program question the decision, you might try these simple explanations. 

The Indian Guides program began 77 years ago. It’s changed a lot over the years. Recently, we’ve heard from some people that the way we borrowed rituals from the Native-American culture and portrayed it in our program was hurtful. We’ve tried very hard to respect and honor Native-American culture. However, Native Americans asked us to please change the program, especially the use of Indian tribal names. They also asked us not to wear headdresses or feathers because these are sacred to them. Because we believe it’s important to be caring and respectful of others, we believe we need to make these changes.

Although we will retire our Indian names and our headbands, we will get to pick new names. These are our Adventure names or Explorer names. We also get a compass to use in the program, and we’re going to practice some new language in our Circle (formerly tribe) and campfire ceremonies.

Much of the new program is going to feel the same as the old one. You’ll still get to spend lots of time with your dad and your friends. The aims that we already memorized are almost the same as the new ones. We’ll still meet for monthly meetings, but instead of being called a tribe, we’ll be a Circle. Most importantly, we’ll still get to go camping, play games, be silly, and have fun.

Some YMCAs across the country have already started to make these changes. We hear that the kids think the new program is pretty cool. Some of them have already picked their new names. They really like the new compasses.

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