A Youth Development Resource From Boys & Girls Clubs of America
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.
Learn what makes Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Tennessee's tutoring program so successful and how all Clubs can access free tutoring training.
Learn from the best with these tips for new afterschool staff from Boys & Girls Club professionals
Learn the warning signs of online radicalization, who is at risk, and how to prevent it in this new ClubX Blog post.
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 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.
Learn more about an exciting resource that supports youth self-esteem and confidence from our partners at Dove.
Resources for those who work with youth on coping with crisis for teens, younger youth, and en Español
Learn the statistics on youth who have lost a parent or caregiver to COVID, and get resources to help support their grieving process.
Hear stories from BGCA's 2022 National Days of Advocacy plus get leadership and service resources you can use with youth
Learn more about events on MyFuture, including the recent town hall sponsored by the NFL
The new sitcom Abbott Elementary has some lessons for everyone who works with youth, plus laughs!
What the data says about youth mental health right now and what we can do to support the young people in our care
Tips for building a staff training infrastructure that is effective, efficient, and builds high-quality practice in your youth development program.
Four of BGCA's best resources to help your Club or Youth Center programming staff to be successful in 2022.
Words of encouragement for youth development professionals from Justin Clark, Executive Director of The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Charleston
Resources to help guide youth through tough conversations about school shootings, featuring Be There and others from BGCA
Learn more about initiating meaningful conversation with youth who may be struggling, including what to say to validate their feelings instead of dismissing them.
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.
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.
The three categories of youth behavior and ways afterschool professionals should respond, featuring BGCA's Behavioral Support Toolkit.
Find ideas on making your programming more dynamic and relevant than ever, including two new Passport to Manhood resources.
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 topics that today's teens told us they care about and why, plus how afterschool can cultivate youth voice.
Warning signs that a young person may need some extra support with their mental health, featuring resources for afterschool staff
Hear how one Club stays connected to member's families and get the new Family and Caregiver Engagement Guide in this ClubX Blog post.
Fourteen questions to help youth open up about their life and start a conversation about mental health.
May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Month! Use this list of activities and resources for building empathy to celebrate with youth.
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.
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 keep in mind about military-connected youth, and ideas to meet some of their unique needs
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!
Four ways you can get involved in BGCA's national efforts and be a strong advocate for youth.
Learn more about how to get teens excited and engaged afterschool, with tips from six Teen Centers!
Learn more about what youth behavior is actually saying and how we can respond, featuring BGCA's newest digital resource, the Behavior Support Toolkit,
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 →
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 →
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 →
The below article is revised from a resource on TheTrevorProject.org by Dr. Tia Dole, the organization's Chief Clinical Operations Officer.For 160 years, the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of America has been to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. As we celebrate... Continue Reading →
Tips for having conversations with youth about difficult topics in the news
Beethoven Felix is a Senior Director of Teen Services for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. BGCA's own Laurie Rodriguez chatted with Beethoven about how he has stayed connected with his teens during this pandemic. Beethoven’s Keystone Club (Barker Interact Keystone Club) received the highest honor a Keystone Club can receive at the... Continue Reading →
I LOVE PODCASTS. My obsessive adoration is genuinely a thing I'm known for. I have a queue I'll never get through. I routinely make personalized recommendation lists for my friends. Two years ago at a National staff conference I even did an Ignite talk about them wearing a shirt I own that says 100% PODCASTS.... Continue Reading →
This post is part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak. One of the most common questions being asked about virtual programming right now is “What do I do with teens?” And there isn’t a simple answer. Teen programming has always been opt-in for many of our members, but that is true now more than ever. As you make your program plans,... Continue Reading →
When a celebrity passes away, it can create complicated feelings for young people. While this has always been the case, the loss of a celebrity may hit particularly close for today’s youth, who often feel more connected to their favorite actors, musicians, or sports stars because of the intimacy of social media. Additionally, the community that springs up online in the... Continue Reading →
Welcome back to “Emotions Matter”, with BGCA's own Kate Endries! In case you missed it, check out 5 Easy Emotional Check-Ins. TL;DR, here is what you need to know: Everyone feels a wide range of emotions every day. Emotions influence the way we interact with our environment and other people. Emotional check-ins are a way... Continue Reading →
On the ClubX Blog, we love inclusion, diversity, reading, and celebrations. All of these come together in Multicultural Children's Book Day! To help you bring it to your youth, I'm serving bulleted list realness. First observed in 2012, the mission of Multicultural Children's Book Day is to raise awareness for Children's Literature that celebrate diversity,... Continue Reading →
It's Military Family Appreciation Month! We are thrilled to welcome BGCA's Kat Adams, current Director of Sports & Recreation and (former) Navy brat back to the blog! For Military Family Appreciation Month, let's look at one of the most difficult parts about being a military brat - deployment. Deployment is when a member of the... Continue Reading →
I recently came across an article that asked teachers whether it is ok to use sarcasm in the classroom. Some argued that it is an essential part of their communication style, while others said it had no place. The article didn't come down on an answer one way or another, but there is an answer,... Continue Reading →
One of the greatest strengths of Boys & Girls Clubs are how embedded we are in local communities. This is why we were so excited to hear about the Summer Migrant Program at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Holland! It is a wonderful example of a Club organization 1) identifying a local community need, 2) figuring out... Continue Reading →
It's National Arts in Education Week! Today's Club Story comes from Craig Knitt, Visual Arts Director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Green Bay. I heard a statement early in my teaching career that has stuck with me. I heard it from more than one instructor so I knew it was true. They said:... Continue Reading →
