The social media app TikTok has been making headlines. What is it and why does it matter?
TikTok in the News: What Youth Development Needs to Know
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.
Maintaining Resilience When Democracy is Tested
Resources to help guide youth through tough conversations about the events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021
What is Behavior, Really?
Learn more about what youth behavior is actually saying and how we can respond, featuring BGCA's newest digital resource, the Behavior Support Toolkit,
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.
4 Resources to Set Your Club Up for Success in 2021
Four of BGCA's best resources to help your Club or Youth Center programming staff to be successful in 2021.
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 →
Activities to Inspire Gratitude
Heading into the holiday season, especially with everything that has happened in 2020, I think it is a good time to reflect on what we are grateful for. And what better way to do that than alongside the youth we serve? The Ancient Roman statesman Cicero is quoted as saying Gratitude is not only the... Continue Reading →
How to Stay Non-Partisan When Talking About Elections With Youth
Tips on how to talk about elections and politics with young people without crossing ethical or legal lines.
Helpful Tips for Learning Support Centers
BGCA’s Director of Academic Success Lesa Sexton has TONS of great tips from your colleagues on Learning Support Centers! So your Club or Youth Center is now a Learning Support Center and you feel like your job description just went from “Site Director” to "Principal"? Not exactly sure how to navigate this new environment and set of responsibilities? https://giphy.com/gifs/shocked-what-stunned-doJrCO8kCAgNy It sure... 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 →
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 →
Racial Trauma, Healing, and Youth Advocacy
The high-profile violence against Black Americans during interactions with police continue to occur. When it occurs in our local communities, youth may be directly impacted. Increasingly, the trauma has expanded across the country with social media and news coverage. Either way, part of our role as supportive youth development professionals is to help youth to... Continue Reading →
6 Emotional Wellness Practices You Can Use With Youth
Today's post is adapted from the Program Basics for COVID-19 resource. Emotional Safety and Wellness are always important, but provide unique challenges during this time. Emotional wellness relates to youth's ability to identify, communicate, and self-regulate their emotions. If youth do not feel emotionally safe, then they simply do not feel safe at all. Prioritizing... 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 →
