Learn the ingredients for a high-quality afterschool arts program from Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay.
The Magic Recipe for High-Quality Arts Programs
My Hair, My CROWN! Free Self-Esteem Workshop Resource
Learn more about an exciting resource that supports youth self-esteem and confidence from our partners at Dove.
Get Programming On-Demand With BGCA’s National Virtual Club!
BGCA's NEW National Virtual Club puts the best high-yield activities from Club staff across the country on your tv or device.
Three Ways to Reduce Stigma Around Mental Health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Reduce stigma and increase empathy around mental health with these three ideas.
Incorporating Workforce Readiness Into Summer Programming
Get youth of all ages making career connections this summer with these three great ideas.
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
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
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
Exploring Career Opportunities Through Self-Discovery
Four ideas for helping youth follow their passions and explore career opportunities for National Careers Week
Developing a Staff Training Plan That Deepens Impact and Reduces Burnout
Tips for building a staff training infrastructure that is effective, efficient, and builds high-quality practice in your youth development program.
Courage, Friends: Good Words for the New Year
Words of encouragement for youth development professionals from Justin Clark, Executive Director of The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Charleston
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.
Making Financial Literacy FUN With Money Matters
Hear Boys & Girls Clubs of Milwaukee staff Nancy K.'s top four tips for running Money Matters with teens in this new ClubX Blog post.
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.
Keeping Teens Safe on the Road
More than 2,000 teens aged 16–19 lost their lives in car crashes in 2019. Learn more about keeping teens safe on the road from the BGCA UPS Road Code National Ambassadors!
6 Things That Should Be In Your Club’s Onboarding Experience
Learn the six components necessary to make a YDPs first 90 days a success plus learn about the all new Youth Development Professional Onboarding Guide from BGCA.
6 Tips for Creating a Culture of Workforce Readiness
Six ways to incorporate Workforce Readiness programming and principles throughout your afterschool program.
NYOI 2021: The Club Experience During a Pandemic
Every year, we survey youth to learn about their Club Experience. Find out what we heard in 2021 and what questions it might raise for your Club in this new ClubX Blog post.
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.
How a Little Free Library Can Promote Literacy
Read how one Club is putting books in their community's hands and how you can start a Little Free Library through your afterschool program.
Five Ways to Enhance Your Passport to Manhood Program
Find ideas on making your programming more dynamic and relevant than ever, including two new Passport to Manhood resources.
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.
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.
Get Squishy With Air Dry Clay!
Air dry clay is paintable, super lightweight, and dries on its own, making it a great choice for summer crafts. Get 10 project ideas in this ClubX Blog post!
Tips for Retaining Tweens
One strategy for increasing teen membership afterschool is to invest in tween members now. Learn about four areas to keep in mind as you develop a tween strategy in this new ClubX Blog post.
Club Story: Engaging Families in East Tennessee
Hear how one Club stays connected to member's families and get the new Family and Caregiver Engagement Guide in this ClubX Blog post.
Juneteenth: Ideas for Celebrating Black Liberation, Culture, Connection, and Joy!
As Juneteenth is becoming more widely known, get ideas for learning more and sparking creativity with youth.
More Ideas for Celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander Month
May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Month! Use this list of activities and resources for building empathy to celebrate with youth.
A Summer of Superheroes
Just in time for National Superhero Day, a peek at the newest Summer Brain Gain Modules with ideas for programming throughout the Club.
Program Quality, Virtual Spaces, CQI and YOU
CQI is the perfect tool to get your team refocused, reenergized, and working together to improve the Club Experience for EVERYONE, both in your virtual and in-person programming.
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.
What Afterschool Can Do to Keep Youth Safe Online
Learn more about online sexual exploitation, warning signs a young person might be being abused, and five ways to protect youth online in your afterschool program.
From the Front Desk to the National Office: Four Leadership Lessons I Learned Along the Way
Four lessons on leadership Greg has learned through his wide-ranging career with Boys & Girls Clubs, plus four challenges you can use to reflect on your own leadership right where you are.
Beyond Empathy: Combating Racism Against Asian Americans
The rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans over the past year has rocked communities. In this ClubX Blog post, Michael from the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco shares his story.
Being Great Without Being Perfect
Anna is warm, witty, and welcoming, and things sometimes aren't perfect as she leads programming at the Waltham Boys & Girls Club. But that just adds to the fun!
Reacting vs. Responding When Hateful Words Are Said
Advice from one Boys & Girls Club on responding to discriminatory speech in a way that teaches youth how to change their behavior and value diversity in out-of-school time spaces.
Prioritizing Equity Through Behavior Support in Portland
Learn how the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Portland Metro Area integrated the Behavior Support Toolkit into their Equity and Trauma Informed Approach to youth development.
How to Get Your Teens Engaged in Programming
Learn more about how to get teens excited and engaged afterschool, with tips from six Teen Centers!
Among Us STEAM Adventure
Free download of STEAM activities based on the hit online game Among Us, created by local Boys & Girls Club staff
5 Ways to Engage Families and Caregivers Afterschool
BGCA's Lesa Sexton is back with tips on getting families and caregivers engaged in your program, and be sure to grab the details for an upcoming webinar at the end of this post! There are a lot of pithy sayings that just ring true. Don't judge a book by its cover. An ounce of prevention... Continue Reading →
Building Resilience When Dealing With Racism
BGCA's Stacy Ruff, Director of College & Career Programs, is back on the ClubX Blog, with a free excerpt from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg's recent book, Building Resilience in Children and Teens. Childhood innocence is a beautiful and precious thing. Pillow forts, Fortnight, play wrestling, knock-knock jokes, and snuggle time... Continue Reading →
5 Ways to Bring Workforce Readiness Online
Today we are joined by Kate Buechner, member of the Workforce Development team here at BGCA, to learn more about how career programming doesn't have to stop even if we can't be physically together. In youth development, we talk a lot about meeting youth where they are. So, what do we do when where they are isn’t at... 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 →
Learning How to Handle BIG! EMOTIONS!
BGCA launched the brand new SMART Moves: Emotional Wellness resource earlier this month and we are SO EXCITED for you to check it out! Here to tell us about her Club's experience as part of the pilot test group for SMART Moves is Sarah Wilkerson, Executive Director of the Loudon County unit of the Boys... Continue Reading →
Back to School 2020
Back to WHAT?!?! BGCA's Director of Youth Development Programs Susan Ciavolino is here to HELP! What's that sound? Yep, that’s the school bell ringing. Soon! Lots of communities still don’t know if that’s a virtual bell or a real one. But it will be ringing. Very Soon. Or maybe it already happened in your community.... Continue Reading →
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 →
Chilling Out in the Smoky Mountains
Boys & Girls Club of the Smoky Mountains Club Director Monika Keenan sent me photos of a new space in her Club, and without missing a beat I said "you should write another blog post." So she did! Read on for tips on how to create a safe, calm space even without a huge budget.... Continue Reading →
Three Steps to Becoming a Youth Advocate
We are SO EXCITED for the 2020 National Virtual Keystone Conference! To get us motivated BGCA's Senior Director of Programs Val Killebrew is here to give us guidance on how to help youth take action about what they are passionate about. Youth of America are purpose driven and motivated to act on causes they believe... Continue Reading →
Why Teen Voice Matters
Tiffany Thornton, BGCA's Senior Director of Youth Development Services, brings a powerful story of lifting teen voice today. Our nation has been surrounded by images of protests, calls for change and an increased awareness of the prevalence of bias, injustice and systematic racism. The teens at the Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis in Oregon... Continue Reading →
Teens Take the Lead on Safe Driving
At Boys & Girls Clubs of America, we offer many Targeted Programs to support our three Priority Outcome Areas of Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles. Programs like Summer Brain Gain, Keystone, and Triple Play. One of my personal favorites? UPS Road Code! If you aren't familiar, UPS Rode Code is BGCA's... Continue Reading →
