| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER SAN DIEGO |
For more than 60 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego have been committed to serving at-risk youth between the ages of six and eighteen and reaching out to young people in need. Our sole purpose is to better serve the culturally diverse youth that are currently members of our Clubs located throughout San Diego County. In 2008 the Clubs served more than 23,000 boys and girls with a wide variety of enrichment programs, activities and services—the majority of members are low-income and come from single parent families.
The agency maintains twelve Boys & Girls Club facilities, four school-site programs, and a Teen Center that opened in January 2006. The agency continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of working parents and single parent families who are struggling to make ends meet. Program fees are kept low and are based on economic conditions in each of the communities we serve. So that no child is turned away, scholarships are offered to many youth.
Every weekday the Clubs offer sports, recreation, education and leadership activities to disadvantaged youth. As part of our ongoing mission and goals, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego continually implements programs and services in five Core Program Areas: 1) Career & Educational Development; 2) Health & Life Skills; 3) Character & Leadership Development; 4) Sports, Fitness & Recreation; and 5) Fine Arts.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego is a growing agency that now maintains 17 sites throughout the County of San Diego. We serve 45% of San Diego County communities with locations (Clubs) in the cities of San Diego, Escondido, Poway, Borrego Springs, National City Ramona, and Valley Center. Each Club has developed programs and services responsive to the diverse needs of their respective communities. For example, in Borrego Springs we have developed a skatepark, in Escondido there is licensed daycare and five middle school sites, and in the City of San Diego we have a 7,000 square foot Teen Center in Linda Vista.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dan Diego offer services in the following Core Areas:
HEALTH AND LIFE SKILLS
Programs in this area develop young people’s capacity to engage in positive behaviors that nurture their own well-being, set personal goals and live successfully as self-sufficient adults.
1) Smart Moves—a drug, alcohol and tobacco prevention program designed to provide youth with the skills necessary to resist peer and media pressure
2) Planet Health—a nutrition and fitness education program designed to address childhood obesity.
CAREER AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Programs in this Core Program Area enable youth to become proficient in basic educational disciplines, apply learning to everyday situations and embrace technology to achieve success in a career.
1) Power Hour—The program provides Club professionals with strategies, activities, resources and information to create an engaging homework help and tutoring program that encourages members to become self-directed learners.
2) Junior Staff Career Development—Junior Staff Career Development is a small-group program designed to guide youth toward careers in youth development by nurturing their leadership skills and providing guided, practical experiences.
CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Programs in this Core Program Area empower youth to support and influence their Club and community, sustain meaningful relationships with others, develop a positive self-image, and participate in the democratic process.
1) Keystone Club-- Keystone Clubs are chartered leadership and service clubs for boys and girls ages 14-18.
2) Youth of the Year The Youth of the Year Program is designed to promote and recognize service to Club and community, academic performance and contributions to family and spiritual life.
SPORTS, FITNESS AND RECREATION
Programs in this area develop fitness, positive use of leisure time, skills for stress management, appreciation for the environment and social skills.
1) You Go Girl! Track Meet—You Go, Girl was initiated seven years ago in response to a need for more attention to girls' sports within the organization.
2) Summer Games—The Summer Games is an annual program that culminates in a special event involving all branches of the Boys and Girls Clubs.
FINE ARTS
There are ongoing opportunities for young people to enhance self-expression and creativity, develop multicultural appreciation, provide exposure to and develop skills in crafts and visual, performing and literary arts.
1) National Fine Arts Exhibit--Members work year round on art projects that culminate in the Fine Arts Display in a highly visible public place such as City Hall.
2) Performing Arts—Opportunities for the performing arts including talent shows, plays, rap & dance contests, and field trips.
| Contact: | Jerry Meier |
| Title: | Grant Developer |
| Phone: | 619-889-3425 |
| Email: | Contact Us |
| Website: | www.sdyouth.org |