Impact
Our programs aren’t just fun – everything we do has a purpose. We want to ensure kids’ academic, social and emotional success. Our Outcome-Driven Club Experience is focused on Four Priority Outcomes for the youth we serve.
1. Academic Success
Learning doesn’t end when school is out. Our programs are designed to foster a culture of high expectations and academic achievement. We focus on increasing high school graduation rates and decreasing school absenteeism, and we encourage kids to create ambi- tious, achievable post-secondary goals.
Every Club offers a unique array of programs designed to educate and delight our members. All Boys & Girls Clubs offer academic enrichment programs, including STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) initiatives, homework help, financial literacy, and summer programs to prevent summer learning loss.
In 2018-2019, we distributed $117,268 in scholarships to 46 club alumni entering college.
2. Good Character and Leadership
At Boys & Girls Clubs, we engage with our members to model the importance of giving back to the community. We equip our youth and teens with the tools they need to become responsible, caring adults and active, participating members of the community by offering character development and leadership skills programs.
Our members treat each other with respect, demonstrate civility, serve others at the Club or in the community, and understand their rights and responsibilities as community members. While serving others in a variety of different and age-appropriate ways, they learn empathy, cooperation, leadership and communication. These skills benefit our members in their immediate, daily lives while preparing them for adult life and a career.
3. Healthy Lifestyles
At Boys & Girls Clubs, we engage with our members to model the importance of giving back to the community. We equip our youth and teens with the tools they need to become responsible, caring adults and active, participating members of the community by offering character development and leadership skills programs.
Our members treat each other with respect, demon- strate civility, serve others at the Club or in the commu- nity, and understand their rights and responsibilities as community members. While serving others in a variety of different and age-appropriate ways, they learn empa- thy, cooperation, leadership and communication. These skills benefit our members in their immediate, daily lives while preparing them for adult life and a career.
This year, thanks to a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, we partnered with Bayless Integrated Health to add a Wellness Coach into one Club to support the emotional and mental health needs of our youth. The Coach spends time with youth in group settings, and can offer family or individual behavior health counseling at the Club, removing barriers of access and transportation, and eliminating some of the stigma around mental healthcare. It’s also improving the overall climate in the Club. Our coach is training staff to identify risks and negative behaviors and how to offer positive interventions. All of our members can enjoy a healthy, hot dinner at the Clubs each night and a snack after school. Boys & Girls Clubs is one of the largest nonprofit meal providers in the State.
4. Career Pathways & Workforce Readiness
Boys & Girls Clubs are uniquely situated to prepare youth to achieve success in work and life. Clubs help develop the soft skills like – perseverance, communica- tion and problem solving – and hard skills – like digital literacy, business etiquette, STEM skills, and financial literacy – that are transferable across industries.
Beginning at a young age, Boys & Girls Clubs encourage youth to identify interests and skills and connect those to potential career paths. Career exploration grows into internship and employment readiness and work-based learning for teens.
Last year, BGCMP launched AZYouthforce, a workforce development program of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix, helps teens ages 16-19 identify interests and learn how they can apply these skills to the workplace for their future. Selected teens take part in the AZYouth- force Academy to learn financial literacy, communication and interview skills, critical thinking and so much more. Teens interview for unique paid internship opportunities through AZYouthforce to explore a variety of careers and pathways and develop their own personalized plan for success.
MISSION
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley empowers young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible members of the community.
VISION
To be the premier out-of-school-time provider and leading voice for youth development in Arizona, ensuring youth and teens have the skills and resilience to successfully navigate childhood and prepare for adulthood.
