Youth for Unity

Through a comprehensive set of interventions, the Youth for Unity program aims to promote and celebrate diversity while combating prejudice, bigotry and discrimination.  Youth for Unity features age-appropriate programming for youth ages 6 to 12, teens and parents; training and resources for Club professionals; and a leadership awards program.  The program builds the capacity of local Clubs to help their members appreciate themselves as unique and special individuals, understand diversity in society, recognize bias and unfairness and take personal leadership in confronting bias.

Family PLUS (Parents Leading, Uniting, Serving)

The Family PLUS initiative enables Clubs to partner with families and collaborate with other community agencies to ensure the positive development of youth through programming, resources and support.  The model has five key components.  Kinship care programming provides knowledge and resources to extended family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) who have assumed the primary caregiver role.  Father involvement programming supports fathers in taking a more active, positive role in their children’s lives.  Outreach, recruitment and retention activities help Clubs engage and integrate parents, other family members and children into Club life.  The Family Advocacy Network (FAN Club, empowers parents through leadership, educational and social activities and individual support.  Economic opportunity programs help family members advance their education and build their skills so they can secure stable jobs with increased earnings.

This community-based initiative targets young people ages 6 to 18 that are at high risk for involvement or are already involved with delinquency and gangs.  These youth and teens are directed to positive alternatives and learn about violence prevention. Clubs collaborate with local partners to mobilize resources, recruit hard-to-reach youth, mainstream them into appropriate Club programming and monitor their progress through individualized case management.  Clubs and State Alliances can also receive assistance in pursuing local and state funding for programs addressing delinquency, gangs and violence.

Triple Play:  A Game Plan for Mind, Body and Soul

Triple Play, BGCA’s first comprehensive health and wellness program, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, strives to improve the overall health of Club members ages 6 to 18 by increasing their daily physical activity, teaching them good nutrition and helping them develop healthy relationships. The Mind component encourages young people to eat smart through the Healthy Habits program, which covers the power of choice, calories, vitamins and minerals, the food pyramid and appropriate portion size.  The Body component boosts Clubs’ traditional physical activities to a higher level by providing sports and fitness activities for all youth.  Body programs include six Daily Fitness Challenges; teen Sports Clubs focused on leadership development, service and careers in athletics; and Triple Play Games Tournaments, inter-Club sectional tournaments that involve multiple team sports.  The Soul component helps build positive relationships and cooperation among young people.  The Smart Guide to social Recreation:  Effective Gamesroom Management and Leadership provides strategies, tools and activities for running a top-notch Gamesroom and social recreation program.

ImageMakers National Photography Program

This year-round program encourages Club members ages 6 to 18 to learn and practice black-and-white, color digital and alternative process photography.  The ImageMakers National Photography Program Resource Guide is full of fun, creative activity ideas for three skill levels, contains a brief, user-friendly guide for advisors and details information about the annual photography contest that provides local, regional and national recognition. Club members’ photographs selected at the contest’s national level are exhibited at BGCA’s National Conference and other events.  Each winning artist’s work is featured in a virtual gallery on the ImageMakers Web site, www.imagemakersbgca.org.  The site also features resources, tools and fun, interactive activities designed to enhance Club members’ experience with photography.

Healthy Habits (A Triple Play Program)

Designed to incorporate healthy living and active learning in every part of the Club experience, Health Habits emphasizes good nutrition, regular physical activity and improving overall well-being.  The program, for ages 6 to 15, is the Mind component of Triple Play:  A Game Plan for the Mind, Body and Soul.  (See the Sports, Fitness and Recreation section for more information about Triple Play.)

SMART Moves (Skills Mastery and Resistance Training)

This nationally acclaimed, comprehensive prevention program helps young people resist alcohol, tobacco, drugs and premature sexual activity.  SMART Moves features engaging, interactive, small-group activities that increase participants’ peer support, enhance their life skills, build their resilency and strengthen their leadership skills. This year-round program encourages collaboration among Club staff, youth, parents and representatives from other community organizations. The program’s components are SMART Kids, for ages 6 to 9; Start SMART, for ages 10 to 12; and Stay SMART, for ages 13 to 15.

SMART Girls

SMART Girls is a small-group health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program designed to meet the developmental needs of girls.  Through dynamic, age-appropriate (ages 8 to 12 and 13 to 17) sessions, highly engaging activities, field trips and mentoring opportunities with adult women, Club girls explore their own and societal attitudes and values.  The program emphasizes building skills for eating right, staying physically fit, getting good health care and developing positive relationships with peers and adults.

Wise Guys

Passport to Manhood promotes and teaches responsibility in Club boys ages 11 to 14.  Passport to Manhood consists of 14 sessions, each concentrating on a specific aspect of character and manhood through highly interactive activities.  Each Club participant receives his own “passport” to underscore the notion that he is on a personal journey of maturation and growth.  The program includes a service project where boys learn the importance of giving back to the community.  Passport to Manhood represents a targeted effort to engage young boys in discussions and activities that reinforce character, leadership and positive behavior.

Be GREAT:  Graduate

BE GREAT:  Graduate is the dropout prevention program of the Every Member, Every Year strategy.  It is designed to enhance each youth’s engagement with learning by providing consistent support from caring and trusted adults in developing the academic, emotional and social skills necessary to achieve academic success.  The program uses early warning signals – attendance, behavior and course failure – to identify youth at risk of dropping out.

Power Hour:  Making Minutes Count

Power Hour:  Making Minutes Count provides Club professionals with the strategies, activities, resources and information to create an engaging homework help and tutoring program that encourages Club members at every age to become self-directed learners.  The Power Hour materials provide practical tips and best practices for recognition and incentives, behavior management, volunteer recruitment and training, collaboration with other organizations and use of technology and the Internet.

Club Tech

Club Tech is an ambitious, multi-year initiative that provides all Boys & Girls Clubs with state-of-the-art software; a comprehensive array of programs to help Club professionals build members’ computer skills and integrate technology in all Core Program Areas; and extensive, ongoing training for Club professionals.  Club Tech helps Clubs incorporate technology in every aspect of their operation.  Most importantly, young people develop the technology skills necessary to succeed in school and the job market.  Club Tech resources and programs are available through www.myclubmylife.com, BGCA’s Web site for teens.

CareerLaunch

CareerLaunch encourages Club members ages 13 to 18 to assess their skills and interests, explore careers, make sound educational decisions and prepare to join our nation’s work force.  Club staff or volunteers use the Career Exploration Quick Reference Guide to work with teens individually or in small groups to build their job-search skills and job readiness.  The easy-to-read CareerLaunch Teen Tips is pocket sized ad full of practical job-hunting advice for young people.  The CareerLaunch Web site, www.careerlaunch.net, provides Club teens, staff and volunteers with online career exploration, college and job search information and interactive activities.  Mentoring, job shadowing and training opportunities round out the program.

Money Matters:  Make It Count

Money Matters promotes financial responsibility and independence among Club members ages 13 to 18.  Participants learn how to manage a checking account, create a budget, save and invest, start small businesses and pay for college.  The Money Matters Facilitator’s Guide provides Club staff and volunteers with basic financial information and instructions for the small-group activities that are easy to implement.  The fun, attractive Teen  Personal Finance Guide contains practical tips and activities to help teens learn to balance a checkbook, create a budget and save and invest for college and retirement. 

The Money Matters Web site, http://moneymattersmakeitcount.com, helps teens build their money management skills through interactive activities, games and tools such as a savings and financial calculator to help them plan for college.

Youth of the Year

Established in 1947, Youth of the Year is BGCA’s premier recognition program for Club members, promoting service to Club, community and family; academic success; strong moral character, life goals; and poise and public speaking ability.  The program is most effective when used as a year-round tool for fostering young people’s character, personal growth and leadership qualities.  Local Clubs recognize members ages 14 to 18 as Youth of the Month winners and select a Youth of the Year, who then participates in state competition.  State winners each receive a $1,000 scholarship and participate in regional competitions.  Five regional winners each receive a $10,000 scholarship and compete on the national level.  The National Youth of the Year receives up to an additional $50,000 scholarship and is installed by the President of the United States.

Keystoning

Keystoning is the Boys & Girls Club Movement’s ultimate teen program.  This unique leadership development experience provides opportunities for young people ages 14 to 18.  Youth participate, both in and out of the Club, in activities in three focus areas:  academic success, career preparation and community service.  With the guidance of an adult advisor, Keystone Clubs aim to have a positive impact on members, the Club and community.

 
Torch Clubs

Torch Clubs are chartered, small-group leadership and service clubs for boys and girls ages 11 to 13.  Torch Club is a powerful vehicle through which Club staff can help meet the special character development needs of younger adolescents at a critical stage in their life.  Torch Club members learn to elect officers and work together to implement activities in four areas:  service to Club and community; education; health and fitness; and social recreation.  The Staples National Torch Club Awards are presented annually to Torch Clubs with outstanding programs and activities in each area.  Each year, Torch Club members from across the country take part in a service-learning experience through the National Torch Club Project.  Cash awards ranging from $500 to $2,500 are presented to the top entries.