New Year, New YAC
We’d like to start off by welcoming all new YAC members and welcoming back all returning members! With the ongoing pandemic, YAC was fortunate to be able to safely adopt a hybrid model for this year’s meetings.
To kick off the year, we held an in-person meeting at Mission Bay where members were able to get to know new faces, reconnect with familiar ones, and engage in a lively discussion about their passions in community improvement.
To help members get to know each other better and strengthen team dynamics, they participated in various activities which included two truths and a lie and telephone charades. The meeting finished off strongly as members broke out into two groups to brainstorm their passions in improving the communities around them. Among some brilliant common ideas was to clean up community parks to make park facilities and equipment easily and safely accessible.
Let’s Bowl, YAC!
The second meeting saw another in-person meeting as YAC members took their bowling skills to Aztec Lanes for some friendly competition, a chance to unwind from the mid-semester rush and an opportunity to strengthen team bonding. After a couple of lively games which saw strikes, spares, and the occasional gutter ball, YAC members sat down for an enjoyable dinner and ended the night with a lovely chat.
Envisioning the Ideal Community
With the third meeting taking a virtual format, it was a great chance to welcome in more new faces. To start off, members shared some of their thoughts about team expectations and agreed upon a set of ground rules to foster a healthy and welcoming team environment.
Members were then split into two breakout rooms with the goal of finding common interests in specific areas such as sports, shows, and pet peeves. While it wasn’t the easiest of tasks, YAC members used this opportunity able to learn more amazing things about one another and about the dynamic of decision-making in a team setting.
The meeting finished off with a lively discussion about factors that would make for a perfect community. Big issues were touched upon such as air pollution and noise pollution, but there was a strong attention to detail in areas that might get overlooked at times such as well-lit streets, walkable sidewalks, and easy access to a health food store.
Over the last few meetings, YAC members were able to build a strong and supportive team environment and share their visions for the ideal community, all of which are key steps in moving towards addressing specific issues in their communities.
