May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Reduce stigma and increase empathy around mental health with these three ideas.
The State of Youth Mental Health
What the data says about youth mental health right now and what we can do to support the young people in our care
Addressing Mental Health Concerns With Compassion
Learn more about initiating meaningful conversation with youth who may be struggling, including what to say to validate their feelings instead of dismissing them.
New Data on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health And What We Must Do
New data from The Trevor Project on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health shines a light on why Pride is still important, plus resources from BGCA and others to support your work.
Talking With Youth About Mental Health
Fourteen questions to help youth open up about their life and start a conversation about mental health.
Mental Health: Spotting the Warning Signs in Youth
Warning signs that a young person may need some extra support with their mental health, featuring resources for afterschool staff
How to Explore 2023’s Hottest Careers with Youth and Teens
Get ideas for three of the fastest growing career fields right now.
What Afterschool Can Do to Prevent Youth Suicide
Learn warning signs that a young person may be planning to attempt suicide and ways to get help.
Five Issues Teens Care About in 2022
Teens have a lot on their minds, including these five topics chosen by the 2022 Keystone Conference Steering Committee.
TikTok in the News: What Youth Development Needs to Know
The social media app TikTok has been making headlines. What is it and why does it matter?
Self-Harm: When Emotions Leave a Mark
Some reports suggest there may be a rise in self-harming behaviors in youth. Learn what self-harm is, why some engage in it, and what we can do to help.
Five Issues Teens Care About in 2023
Teens have a lot on their minds, including these five topics chosen by the 2023 Keystone Conference Steering Committee.
Inspire Change Town Hall: Justice For All
Learn more about events on MyFuture, including the recent town hall sponsored by the NFL
Social Media’s Impact on Young Women: Understanding the Headlines
News about the impact of social media, particularly Instagram, on the mental health of young people has recently made headlines. But what does it really mean, and how does it impact our work in afterschool?
Winter is Coming: Seasonal Affective Disorder and How to Cope
Dr. Thomas Vance is back with some tips on staying bright during the winter months, because as youth development staff we need to take care of ourselves so that we can show up fully for youth.
Supporting Trans and Nonbinary Youth Amidst Anti-Trans Legislation
A wave of state-level legislation around the rights of transgender youth is making headlines. Here’s what is happening, why it is so important, and what we can do.
Teens, Emotional Health, and What We Can Do
The latest research on teens and how they are coping with COVID-19 plus the new BGCA resource SMART Moves: Emotional Wellness Teen Expansion Pack that can help.
Compassion Fatigue: What Is It and What Can We Do?
After two years of extraordinary circumstances, many of us are feeling tired. Learn more about compassion fatigue and tips to manage it, both in yourself and for your staff.
Five Ways to Combat the Online Radicalization of Youth
Learn the warning signs of online radicalization, who is at risk, and how to prevent it in this new ClubX Blog post.
The Four Things Rhode Island Boys & Girls Clubs Are Focused On In 2021
When Rhode Island Clubs surveyed youth statewide to find out how they were doing, the results were surprising. Learn more and what they will be focusing on in 2021.
Five Issues Teens Care About in 2021
Five topics that today’s teens told us they care about and why, plus how afterschool can cultivate youth voice.
Supporting Youth When School Shootings Are In the News
Resources to help guide youth through tough conversations about school shootings, featuring Be There and others from BGCA
10 Nighttime Routines for Better Sleep
This blog post, part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak, was adapted from a post by our partners at Whil. Thank you to CEO Joe Burton (a Club alum!) and Whil for this content. The COVID-19 pandemic is another reminder that good sleep is the foundation of good health. According to the American Sleep Association,… Continue Reading →
Responding to School Shootings
Resources for those who work with youth on coping with crisis for teens, younger youth, and en Español
Supporting Youth When Police Violence Is In the News
The high-profile violence against Black Americans during interactions with police continue to occur. Get resources to support the youth in your care, featuring the Passport to Manhood and NEW Smart Girls Growing Up Black Discussion Guides.
Supporting Black LGBTQ+ Youth
The below article is revised from a resource on TheTrevorProject.org by Dr. Tia Dole, the organization’s Chief Clinical Operations Officer. For 160 years, the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of America has been to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. As we… Continue Reading →
Managing Stress During Coronavirus
This post, part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak, was written by Kate Endries, MSW, licensed social worker and BGCA Health & Wellness Director. The Coronavirus outbreak is sending shockwaves across the world, disrupting everything from health, to education, to finances and food security. Many of us are navigating completely unfamiliar territory, which… Continue Reading →
Adulting Day: Life Hacks for “Almost” Grownups
Learn more about Adulting Day, the Boys & Girls Club of Vernon’s powerhouse annual event for 12th graders
How to Host a SMART Girls Expo
Get inspiration from this year’s SMART Girls Expo to host your own event, with top tips from the organizers.
Letting the Light In
This post is part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak. So I’ve been kind of putting off writing this post, because I know it is an important topic, and my blog buddy Kate said it was a great idea and I absolutely should write it, but I also feel a bit vulnerable and overwhelmed… Continue Reading →
Creating Club Experiences Where Trans Youth are Expected, Respected, and Connected
Learn more about creating safe afterschool environments where trans youth can thrive PLUS learn how Tier 2 National Trainers can be entered to win $500 for completing the new LGTBQ+ specialization.
Managing Stress Using Deep Breathing
This post, part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak, was written by Kate Endries, MSW, licensed social worker and BGCA Health & Wellness Director. The new normal that the coronavirus has created in our lives can feel very scary. Unfortunately, we do not know what the future holds yet, and that can cause a… Continue Reading →
4 Resources to Set Your Club Up For Success in 2022
Four of BGCA’s best resources to help your Club or Youth Center programming staff to be successful in 2022.
Managing Stress Using the Crisis Text Line
This post, part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak, was written by Kate Endries, MSW, licensed social worker and BGCA Health & Wellness Director. In this awful, weird, and uncertain time of Coronavirus, there is a lot of loneliness, stress, and anxiety being felt across the world. The pandemic has impacted us in ways… Continue Reading →
Take Four Calm Breaths
This post is part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak and contains a free activity download from our partners at the Michael Phelps Foundation. At Boys & Girls Clubs, we have a LOT of famous friends. I mean, we have DENZEL in our speed dial. Another one of our friends is the most successful… Continue Reading →
Bringing Club Voice to Congress
Hear stories from BGCA’s 2022 National Days of Advocacy plus get leadership and service resources you can use with youth
Creatively Using Tech to Solve Real-World Problems With Youth
See youth-designed apps that could solve big problems, and learn more about how technology can be used for good.
Finding Your New Normal
This post, part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak, was written by Laura Gover, M.P.H. and BGCA Federal Grants Director. It’s the start of a new week, and while we all wish this meant the return to our normal way of life, for most it still means getting comfortable with a new way of… Continue Reading →
Grieving the Death of a Celebrity
Please note: this post contains discussion of difficult topics. For immediate assistance during a crisis, call 911. You can also text CLUB to 741-741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor with Crisis Text Line for free support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When a celebrity passes away, it can create complicated feelings for young people. While this has always… Continue Reading →
We Are Grieving
This post, part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak, was co-written by BGCA’s own Brian Hill and Kate Endries, both members of the National Alliance for Grieving Children. The coronavirus pandemic has stopped the world in its tracks and required all of us to question the safety and security of things we once… Continue Reading →
Club Story: Project Crane
At the 2019 Keystone Conference, we met the teens from the Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam Youth Center in Hawai’i, and learned about their Project Crane. To say we were moved is an understatement, and today I’m absolutely honored to bring you their story, written by the teens themselves. An origami paper crane flapped its… Continue Reading →
7 Summer Survival Tips for Youth Development Professionals
When school is out, Boys & Girls Clubs are IN, and in most of the country, summer programming is well underway. Summertime at the Club is such an awesome time for programming, because the longer days mean more flexibility and more *time* to do the kinds of fun, intensive activities we can’t get to during… Continue Reading →
Managing Stress Using Mindfulness
This post, part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak, was written by Kate Endries, MSW, licensed social worker and BGCA Health & Wellness Director. If you are anything like me, these last few weeks have been a roller coaster of emotions. That emotional tornado that you are experiencing is perfectly normal, and valid. Every day seems to bring something… Continue Reading →
Workouts That Don’t Need Equipment
This post, part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak, was written by Kat Adams, M.P.H. and BGCA Director of Sports & Recreation. We’ve been posting ways to manage anxiety here on the ClubX Blog. But another way to deal with stress during this strange time is to literally lean into it! Exercising while you’re… Continue Reading →
11! Ideas for Fun Teen Health Week Events
This is no April Fool’s Day Joke! This year, the College of Physicians is kicking off Teen Health Week, taking place April 1-7, 2019. This week is all about encouraging teens to take charge of their physical and mental health, and to facilitate healthy habits that will carry throughout their lives. It is the perfect opportunity to host… Continue Reading →
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day- Tipsheets, Guides, and Resources Galore!
In observance of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, BGCA has partnered with several organizations to provide Clubs with resources to support our members.
It Came, We Saw, Together We Will Conquer
Exciting news! BGCA’s Child & Club Safety team is officially in partnership with the ClubX Blog! I’m legit THRILLED because I love them and the work they do. We will be featuring regular content from the team on how to promote physical and emotional safety in afterschool, as well as highlighting awareness initiatives. You can… Continue Reading →
Here’s Your Sign: National Preparedness Month 2020
BGCA’s Child Safety & Quality Assurance team is BACK with this special post for National Preparedness Month! Today Alan C. Mogridge, CQSA Director for the Northeast Region, tells us more about how to get ready and stay ready. Well, if 2020 isn’t a sign for why emergency preparedness, planning, and review should be a top… Continue Reading →
Club Story: Whatever It Takes To Be Inclusive
Continuing the celebration of Pride in our Movement, we are proud to share this post from Erin Wigley, Education Director at the Fort Craig Club of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley. She is sharing her personal experience as a queer woman, keeping our youth safe, and ways in which we can make… Continue Reading →
Be A Coronavirus Myth Buster!
This post, part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak, was written by Danielle Morris, M.P.H. and BGCA National Director of Youth Development Programs. I don’t know about you, but my head is spinning! The media, a next-door neighbor, your best friend from high school, and a favorite coworker all claim to have the definitive… Continue Reading →