New YMCA Central CEO returns to Whanganui and ready to make a difference for youth

Aaron Palmer has returned to Whanganui after 22 years away to take the reigns at YMCA Central. Photo/ Bevan Conley

YMCA Central has a new CEO and two weeks into his tenure he is all about leading by example and raising awareness.

Aaron Palmer was born in Whanganui, attended Whanganui City College and left in 1996 for Massey University in Palmerston North.

There he studied a bachelor of business studies, majoring in management, before moving to Italy to play rugby and later finding himself coaching the international rugby team in Qatar.

After 12 years in the Middle East, Palmer was ready to come home and he saw the perfect opportunity advertised in the paper.

"I thought I knew what the YMCA was from when I was a kid, the organisation was familiar, I knew their values, which I definitely agree with and promote," Palmer said.

"Coming home to Whanganui was appealing to me, all my family are still here, but the leadership role was the grand appeal."

Palmer said he would mentor the staff and hoped they would view him as a leader who could help bring the organisation forward.

He praised their commitment.

"Their work ethic is second to none, they work above and beyond their hours and are probably stretched, but they make it work," he said.

"It's great to come home and see that Kiwi work ethic, that was definitely non-existent in the Middle East."

He had a clear goal after two weeks on the job.

"One of my focuses is on whether people really know what we do here, yes we have the holiday programmes, but we do a lot more than that," he said.

"We have education programmes for anyone up to 20 years old, we'll hire out the hall for retirees' aerobics and things like that."

The biggest learning experience for Palmer so far was realising how big their education programme is.

YMCA Central provides a second learning opportunity for teenagers who may need an alternative to traditional secondary school methods.

"We have a great facility here, we can expand on programmes and get the kids involved," Palmer said.

"That's one of our biggest challenges, to find the kids and connect with them."

Palmer used to attend YMCA holiday camps when he was a boy and it was located on Wilson St.

YMCA Central's holiday camp has just finished up for the term one school break and more than 150 children attended.

"Parents still have to work during the school holidays and we can make it affordable for them to send their kids to camp," he said.

"It also gives them that security that their kids are safe and active."