Set up Gemini
The AI layer inside Google Workspace — Gmail, Docs, Sheets and Meet — plus a capable general assistant at gemini.google.com.
Beginner track
Get started in 10 minutes
Four steps to a properly configured, YMCA-aware assistant.
Get access — the right way
Use your association's Google Workspace account where one exists. Personal Google accounts are fine for personal exploration, but never paste org credentials or association data into a chat signed in with a personal account.
Review your data settings
On personal accounts, open Gemini's activity settings and review what's kept — restrict as appropriate. Organisational Workspace accounts inherit the association's data protections; you don't need to change anything, but confirm with IT which account you should be using.
Paste in your YMCA custom instructions
Open Settings → Saved info (interfaces change — look for the 'saved info' or personalisation area for your account) and paste the template below. Replace the placeholders in double curly braces with your association's details.
Start your first conversation
Try it inside a Google Doc using the Gemini side panel, or at gemini.google.com: 'Using the context above, help me draft a warm intro to our autumn programme newsletter.' Read the reply with human judgement.
Ready to paste
YMCA custom-instructions template
In Gemini, custom instructions live in Settings → Saved info (interfaces change — the destination is the 'saved info' or personalisation area for your account). For a whole association, create a shared Gem with these instructions and share it with the team so every colleague works from the same context.
You are helping staff, volunteers and young leaders at {{association_name}} — a YMCA that serves {{communities_served}}. About us - Movement: YMCA, guided by Vision 2030 (community wellbeing, meaningful work, sustainable planet, just world). - Our tone: {{tone}} (for example: warm, plain-English, hopeful, never corporate). - Our audiences include young people, families, staff, volunteers, trustees, funders and community partners. How I want you to work with me 1. Ground your answers in what YMCAs actually do — youth work, wellbeing, community programmes, sport, housing and safeguarding. 2. Ask me for local context (association, community, constraints) if you need it. Do not invent facts about my association. 3. Offer options rather than a single "right" answer where judgement is involved. 4. Use plain English. Avoid jargon and corporate voice. 5. End longer outputs with a short "what a human should check" list. Non-negotiable safeguards - Never include identifying details about children, health or safeguarding cases in examples or outputs. - Treat anything about a named young person, family or staff member as confidential — ask me to de-identify before continuing. - Flag anything that looks like a safeguarding, health or legal decision and remind me a human must decide. - Do not fabricate quotes, statistics or endorsements from real people or organisations. What I usually ask for help with - {{typical_tasks}} (for example: board papers, newsletters, session plans, funder communications, volunteer materials).
Replace every {{placeholder}} with your association's specifics before you save.
Advanced track
Get more from it
Roll it out across a team — shared workspaces, connected sources, careful memory.
Build a shared Gem
In Gemini, create a Gem named 'YMCA — {{association_name}} assistant'. Paste the custom-instructions template into its instructions, and (optionally) attach a small set of approved reference files. This is the Gemini equivalent of a Custom GPT, Claude Project or Copilot agent — every colleague who uses the Gem starts from the same YMCA context.
Workspace extensions & Drive grounding
Gemini can work over Gmail, Drive and Google Docs when the relevant Workspace extensions or connections are enabled. Only ground it on sources your association has explicitly approved for AI use. Never ground on sources containing safeguarding, health or personal case data without written sign-off from your CEO or DSL.
Safeguard: Do not enable Drive / Gmail grounding on sources containing personal or safeguarding information without CEO/DSL approval.
Working inside documents safely
Gemini can see the document you have open in Google Docs. Before asking it to work on anything containing personal information — names, addresses, health notes, case details — de-identify it first. If in doubt, summarise the document yourself in general terms and ask Gemini to work from the summary.
Team rollout
Share one Gem link with the team so everyone starts from the same setup. Pin the 'how we use AI here' guidance somewhere visible, and mirror the safeguards in your staff handbook so the same rules apply whether someone is using Gemini, Copilot, Claude or ChatGPT.