Learn how Club staff can recognize the warning signs of suicide and take action to keep youth safe
Youth Suicide Prevention: Equipping Staff to Recognize and Respond
Five Issues Teens Care About in 2025
Teens have a lot on their minds, including these five topics chosen by the 2025 Keystone Conference Steering Committee.
The Un-Chill Zone: Five Tips for Regulating Sensory-Seekers
Ideas for helping sensory-seeking youth engage their bodies and calm down effectively.
Keeping the Best: Tips for Youth Development Staff Retention
Making sure youth development staff feel safe, supported, and valued so that they will stay.
You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup (Even if It Was Full of Coffee): Self-Care Tips for Youth Development Professionals
You are vital and deserve joy, breaks, and care too.
“Adolescence” on Netflix: A Youth Development Perspective
What the viral Netflix hit says about online youth culture, and what we can do.
What Now? Helping Youth Respond to a Difficult Election Season
Get tips on supporting youth as they process the past few months, and what to do next to affect change.
Five Issues Teens Care About in 2024
Teens have a lot on their minds, including these five topics chosen by the 2023 Keystone Conference Steering Committee.
Three Ways Afterschool Can Support Foster Parents
Learn how to partner with foster parents to provide safe and welcoming spaces for youth in their care.
Three Ways to Support Youth in Foster Care
Learn how Clubs can protect, honor, and be a part of the stories of youth living in foster care.
Social Media Companies on Capitol Hill: What Youth Development Needs to Know
Learn more about recent Senate hearings and what we should do to keep youth safe online.
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 2023
Teens have a lot on their minds, including these five topics chosen by the 2023 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?
Youth For Unity: Laying the Foundations
The latest from BGCA's Youth for Unity program, plus thoughts on Afrofuturism and how it brings hope through entertainment.
Three Activities That Will Build Community Afterschool
Three creative activities that will get youth sharing about themselves and getting to know others.
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.
Fascinating Flags! Creative Icebreaker Activity
This creative activity empowers youth to reflect on what makes them unique and to get to know their peers
Advice for New Youth Development Professionals
Learn from the best with these tips for new afterschool staff from Boys & Girls Club professionals
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.
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.
Supporting Youth With Back-to-School Anxiety
Transitioning back to school can be difficult for some youth. Learn five ways to support them including tools and training ideas in this new ClubX Blog post.
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.
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.
Responding to School Shootings
Resources for those who work with youth on coping with crisis for teens, younger youth, and en Español
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.
Supporting Youth Who Lost a Parent to COVID
Learn the statistics on youth who have lost a parent or caregiver to COVID, and get resources to help support their grieving process.
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
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.
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
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.
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?
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 Should You Respond to Youth Behavior?
The three categories of youth behavior and ways afterschool professionals should respond, featuring BGCA's Behavioral Support Toolkit.
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.
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.
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
Talking With Youth About Mental Health
Fourteen questions to help youth open up about their life and start a conversation about mental health.
More Ideas for Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander Month
May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Month! Use this list of activities and resources for building empathy to celebrate with 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.
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.
Five Things to Know About Military-Connected Youth in Your Club
Five things to keep in mind about military-connected youth, and ideas to meet some of their unique needs
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.
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.
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.
