Virtual YMCA: Keeping communities connected with Vue.js, WebRTC, and Drupal

Digitizing a heavily brick & mortar fitness and social responsibility brand in the midst of a global pandemic isn’t easy. But did we mention the organization is comprised of 800 different, loosely federated associations spread across the United States? This was the problem facing the YMCA in early 2020.

In this presentation, we will examine how Open Y, LLC built Virtual Y, a comprehensive content platform that allowed YMCAs to provide gated video, live streams, virtual events, and personal training content to their members, as well as securely share content with each other.

Using an agile approach along with decoupled technologies, Virtual Y quickly scaled from one association in Pennsylvania to more than 75 across North America within six weeks of launch.

Now with nearly 200 live sites, Virtual Y is poised to become an important next chapter in the YMCA’s 150-year history.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
Recognize how one product can spark a shift from physical spaces to tight-knit online communities

Leverage Drupal’s JSON:API to build a flexible single-page application
Build a WebRTC platform to deliver customized peer-to-peer video experiences.
Utilize open-source methodologies to unite a loosely federated model of 200+ entities onto a singular platform