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 →
BGCA's Child Safety & Quality Assurance team is BACK with this special post for National Preparedness Month! Today Alan C. Mogridge, CQSA Director for the Northeast Region, tells us more about how to get ready and stay ready. Well, if 2020 isn’t a sign for why emergency preparedness, planning, and review should be a top... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
This blog post was written by Stacy Ruff, BGCA's Director of College & Career Programs and includes a free excerpt on the traumatic impact of racism on young people from the American Academy of Pediatrics upcoming publication, Reaching Teens, 2nd Edition. I certainly can’t speak for everyone but for me last week, and particularly this... Continue Reading →
It is a difficult time in America right now. Following the killings of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, Breonna Taylor in Kentucky, and George Floyd in Minnesota, on top of the national stress we are all feeling from the COVID pandemic, protests and demonstrations are occurring across the nation and social media is awash in horror... Continue Reading →
This post, part of our special series on the Coronavirus outbreak, was written by Kate Endries, MSW, licensed social worker and BGCA Health & Wellness Director. The new normal that the coronavirus has created in our lives can feel very scary. Unfortunately, we do not know what the future holds yet, and that can cause a... 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 →
November is CHOCK-FULL of awareness campaigns, but one of them is of particular note for Boys & Girls Club staff. National Runaway Prevention Month is a good time (though it shouldn't be the only time!) to stop and learn about the issue of youth who run away from home, and how Clubs can play an... Continue Reading →
BGCA is sunsetting the Year of the Teen Director's App to consolidate practices, tips, and all other content in the YD Toolbox app and here on the Club Experience Blog. We will be featuring some of the articles that appeared in the app here (with updates!), as well as content just for staff who work... Continue Reading →
This week the ClubX Blog and the Youth Trends team are marking National Suicide Prevention Week. Be sure to check out the accompanying Club Story for more guidance. If you or someone you know is in need of support, seek help immediately. You can call the free, confidential National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)... Continue Reading →
September 9-15, 2018 is National Suicide Prevention Week. On the ClubX Blog, we will be providing resources and encouragement for all those who work with youth. Today's Club Story comes from Stacey Braund Busby, Social and Emotional Wellness Initiative Director at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley. If you or someone you know... Continue Reading →
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 →
This post is adapted from The School Walkout: An Adult Ally Guide by Youth Era. In the wake of recent tragedies such as the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School, youth have quickly become leaders in the discussion around gun control legislation. On March 24, youth and families will take the streets of Washington DC... Continue Reading →
The Annie E. Casey Foundation is an amazing nonprofit that is focused on creating research-backed resources to aid those who work with children at risk of poor educational, economic, social and health outcomes. One of their major projects is the Kids Count Data Center, which is a great tool to use if you need national... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
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 →
