In 2025, showing up mattered.
To the Staff Who Showed Up
Youth Suicide Prevention: Equipping Staff to Recognize and Respond
Learn how Club staff can recognize the warning signs of suicide and take action to keep youth safe
Reimagining Peer Connection Through Creative Expression
Arts programming can be one of the best ways for youth and teens to build relationships with others
“Stop Talking Down to Us”: Club Teens on Respect, Listening, and Support
What teens told us through the Youth Voice Survey and how we can respond
“Adolescence” on Netflix: A Youth Development Perspective
What the viral Netflix hit says about online youth culture, and what we can do.
Bold Beginnings: Good Words for the New Year
BGC Springfield CEO Brandy Harris shares the power of the Movement and words of encouragement for 2025.
Reel-y Great Team-Building Ideas From Instagram and Tiktok for Youth
Activities for team-building, collaboration, and fun from social media.
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.
Four Powerful Ways to Celebrate Graduates Afterschool
Recognize the hard work youth and teens have accomplished with these impactful ways to celebrate.
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 Key Ingredients to an Impactful Music Program
Make a positive impact on youth through music programming with these five key components.
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.
How We Built a Relationship-Based Tutoring Program
Learn what makes Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Tennessee's tutoring program so successful and how all Clubs can access free tutoring training.
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.
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
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.
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
Inspire Change Town Hall: Justice For All
Learn more about events on MyFuture, including the recent town hall sponsored by the NFL
Why You Should Be Watching Abbott Elementary
The new sitcom Abbott Elementary has some lessons for everyone who works with youth, plus laughs!
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
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.
4 Resources to Set Your Club Up For Success in 2022
Four of BGCA's best resources to help your Club or Youth Center programming staff to be successful in 2022.
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
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.
Everything You Need to Start a Book Club With Youth
Book clubs afterschool are a great way for youth to build relationships with others and practice skills like critical thinking and reading fluency. Learn how to get started plus get picks for Hispanic & Latino Heritage Month.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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!
How Can I Be An Advocate For Youth?
Four ways you can get involved in BGCA's national efforts and be a strong advocate for youth.
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!
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,
4 Ways to Support Youth Who Learn Differently
BGCA's Chrissy Chen and Kat Adams partnered up to write this post, filled with interesting info, fascinating examples, and practical ideas! Let's dive in! Treating different things the same can generate as much inequality as treating the same things differently.Kimbleré Crenshaw I was recently stopped in my tracks by this quote from civil rights activist Kimberlé Crenshaw.... 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 →
