Category: Learning

It’s Braille Literacy Month! Tips for Making Your Club an Inclusive Space and Three Activities for Introducing Braille to Sighted Youth

Welcome to 2019! Here on the ClubX Blog we LOVE holidays and awareness weeks and months. They are an easy way to ignite ideas for activities and special events, and help to keep things fresh. Special holidays are also good opportunities to highlight wonderful differences and bring diversity into programming. January is Braille Literacy Month,... Continue Reading →

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5 Tips for Encouraging Boys to Read

I recently came across this article about the fact that in just about every developed country, girls are reading more than boys. Some key points: Boys dedicate less than than girls to processing words, are more prone to skipping passages or entire sections, and frequently choose books beneath their reading levels. Girls are more likely to... Continue Reading →

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Understanding Teen Dating Violence

BGCA is sunsetting the Year of the Teen Director's App to consolidate practices, tips, and all other content in the YD Toolbox app and here on the Club Experience Blog. We will be featuring some of the articles that appeared in the app here (with updates!), as well as content just for staff who work... Continue Reading →

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What Clubs Can Do to Prevent Youth Suicide

This week the ClubX Blog and the Youth Trends team are marking National Suicide Prevention Week. Be sure to check out the accompanying Club Story for more guidance. If you or someone you know is in need of support, seek help immediately. You can call the free, confidential National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)... Continue Reading →

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Club Story: Challenge Sparks GROWTH

Today's Club Story comes from Ericha Clary, Unit Director at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River's newest unit, Fort Mohave. Keen readers of the ClubX Blog will recognize that organization, as they've been featured on the blog TWICE already! (Here and here!)  Before the start of summer 2018 here at our local Club... Continue Reading →

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Creating Safer Spaces for LGBTQ Youth

Today's post comes from BGCA's Youth Program Design & Trends Team. June is for warm weather, summer Club activities and LGBTQ Pride Month! In celebrating Pride Month, we are thrilled to partner with GLSEN in supporting the 16% of Club teens who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, or Questioning (LGBTQ). GLSEN is the leading... Continue Reading →

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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.  Each year National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health and show that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy... Continue Reading →

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Supporting Youth Activism

This post is adapted from The School Walkout: An Adult Ally Guide by Youth Era.  In the wake of recent tragedies such as the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School, youth have quickly become leaders in the discussion around gun control legislation. On March 24, youth and families will take the streets of Washington DC... Continue Reading →

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Encouraging Empathy

Today's post is from Morgan Mabry, Director of Youth Development, Health & Wellness at BGCA. This is her second appearance on the ClubX Blog! Be sure to read all the way through for a PHOTO OF A PUPPY AHHHHHHHHHHHH Pain can be really hard to navigate. Our natural inclination is to avoid pain at all... Continue Reading →

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Join the YDT Community!

Did you know that the YD Toolbox app has a BUILT IN COMMUNITY???? You can get to the YDT Community online or through the Social button on the home page of the YD Toolbox app, which looks like this: There are two separate forums right now, one for Supervisors and one for Youth Development Professionals, although... Continue Reading →

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Club Story: M&M’s Reminders

I recently came across a SWEET management reminder tool from Tiffany Boley, Unit Director at the William Dawson Soaring Eagles Unit of Boys & Girls Clubs of Gadsden/Etowah County in Alabama. She graciously agreed to share it with us on the Club Experience Blog! Can you tell me a little about your Club? How long... Continue Reading →

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Family Matters

Just admit it. You TOTALLY heard this in your head when you read that headline. (Did I just age myself? That's ok. I am proud to be a part of the TGIF generation!) Here at BGCA, we do a ton of research into what makes for a great Club Experience. What we've discovered is that... Continue Reading →

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Club Story: A Vision of Family

I am thrilled to bring you a conversation I recently had with Floretta Robinson, Club Director at THE PLAYERS Championship Unit of Boys & Girls Clubs of North Florida, located in wonderful, glorious St. Augustine. (Which, full disclosure, holds a VERY SPECIAL place in my heart as I graduated from Flagler College and then worked... Continue Reading →

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Webinar: Supporting LGBTQ Youth

This month's Culture of Wellness Webinar is on supporting LGBTQ youth in your Club. Here's the description: Boys & Girls Clubs have a responsibility to provide a safe, positive and inclusive environment for ALL youth, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Join us for tips and best practices on creating an inclusive... Continue Reading →

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The Mood Meter

This guest post is from Rachel Greene-Wilbur, Director of Gender & Well Being at BGCA. Everyone experiences a wide range of emotions every single day. However, sometimes youth have a hard time explaining or understanding their current mood. The Mood Meter is a very useful tool to help youth label how they are feeling, build... Continue Reading →

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What Do We Measure? The Five Key Elements

So this blog is called The Club Experience Blog, but what does that mean?  Where does that come from? https://giphy.com/gifs/robert-downey-jr-question-excellent-dXICCcws9oxxK We have lots of different ways that we gather feedback from Club members, both informally and formally. One of the formal ways is the National Youth Outcomes Initiative, or NYOI. The NYOI is an annual... Continue Reading →

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Open-Ended Questions: What’s In Your Back Pocket?

This guest post is from Crystal Brown, Senior Director of Gender & Well-Being at BGCA. Have you ever asked a Club member a question and they provided you with an answer that gave you little to no information? https://giphy.com/gifs/30-rock-sme-how-do-you-1Qdp4trljSkY8 Questions like, “How are you?” or “Do you like coming to the Club?” will typically result... Continue Reading →

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“In Their Own Words”: NEW BGCA Video!

At Boys & Girls Clubs, our members are our HIGHEST priority. It is reflected in our mission: To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Our members are literally the reason that we exist. That is why it is *so important* that we... Continue Reading →

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Webinar: Play Breaks!

All year, BGCA has offered a Culture of Wellness webinar series, and it has been GREAT. Each one is about half an hour long, and topics include social and emotional development models, nutrition and health standards, and physical safety. On Tuesday, September 19 the topic is Play Breaks! Here is the description: How do you... Continue Reading →

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Ted Talk: Do Schools Kill Creativity?

TED Talks are short, powerful speeches, delivered without the use of notes, with the goal of spreading ideas. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, but now the talks cover a wide variety of topics. They are generally 20 minutes or less, and are GREAT tools to use whether with youth or with staff or... Continue Reading →

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