Learn the statistics on youth who have lost a parent or caregiver to COVID, and get resources to help support their grieving process.
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
Club Story: Observing Children’s Grief Awareness Day
This guest post is from Kendra Williams-Calhoun, Unit Director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Harlan County in Kentucky. It is second in a two-part series for Children's Grief Awareness Day. When we think about grief as adults, we tend to think about sadness, sorrow, pain, and suffering. Now stop… https://giphy.com/gifs/peteandpete-season-3-the-adventures-of-pete-and-l0Nvr0QqmtpiizdhC Think about all... Continue Reading →
10 Ways to Help a Grieving Club Member
This guest post is from Morgan Mabry, Director of Gender & Well-Being at BGCA, and is first in a two-part series for Children's Grief Awareness Day. Grief is an all too familiar experience for many of the young people we serve. It is estimated that 1 in 20 children in the U.S. will experience the... Continue Reading →
Traumatic Community Events: Tips for Creating Space for Conversation
This special guest post from the Health, Gender and Wellness Team and Safety Team at BGCA is in response to the racially-motivated violence in Charlottesville, Virginia over the August 12, 2017 weekend, but has applicable information for leading conversations with teens following any tragic event. Teens are exposed to a variety of messages, which are... Continue Reading →