Connections
PROPOSED MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Strategic Priorities B G C A . N E T/G R E AT F U T U R E S 2 0 2 5
WINTER 2020
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
INTRODUCTION Welcome to the first issue of “Great Futures Connections” in 2020. This year ushers in a hopeful new decade and marks the third full year of our shared Great Futures 2025 strategic plan. Top of mind for me are the incredible efforts and unwavering commitment of the 550,000+ staff and volunteers who make up our Movement – your dedication helps ensure Boys & Girls Clubs are safe, strong and creating the best experiences for youth. Now more than ever, coming together as a Movement will position our mission for the future. Here are some of the initiatives that need your support, feedback and collaboration this year:
On page 22 you can read about the modernization of our Constitution and its membership requirements. A Task Force of Club leaders and the National Area Council Committee are leading this work, with support from a committee of the National Board of Governors. This is a historic and important effort, and your feedback and input will be critical to ensure these updates reflect the needs of members, Clubs and society. On page 2 you can learn more about safety efforts that will take the spotlight in 2020, including safety assessments, emergency operations, and education and training. We have made significant safety strides over the last decade, but when it comes to modern threats to young people’s physical and emotional safety, we always look to continuously improve. Education and training for frontline staff are critical to the safety and success of youth. Training is one of the most requested services, and we are working to ensure locally embedded trainers make our training strategy more agile, more accessible and more customized to your Club’s needs. Read more on page 12.
WINTER 2020
IN THIS ISSUE 2019 Year in Review............. PRIORITY 1
Strengthen Organizations..............................
2
What You’re Saying* Getting Ready to Implement MyClubHub* Q&A with National Youth of the Year Sabrina* Calling All CEOs: Get in the Driver’s Seat of Your Development* PRIORITY 2
12
Improve Program Quality........................................ Playing to their Strengths: Club Members and Esports* PRIORITY 3
Advocate for Youth Development......
19 21
These efforts will build capabilities so that every young person who enters the doors of a Club has a great experience. Young people like our National Youth of the Year, Sabrina, who shares on page 9 her perspective on youth voice, as well as the safety, mentorship and opportunity she found at her Club.
PRIORITY 4
Kids succeeding in life, especially those who need us most, is what will forever change the trajectory of our country. Thank you for always doing whatever it takes to support the great futures of young people. You go above and beyond the call of duty, and it makes an indelible difference in the lives of so many.
Strengthen the Movement................................ Proposed Membership Requirements: Learn More*
Jim Clark President and CEO
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Reach More Youth.......... PRIORITY 5
22
Corporate Partner News.............................................. Questions & Answers......................................
25 26
Feature Story*
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
2019 IN REVIEW MISSION METRICS Mission metric forecasts are based on preliminary data provided by local organizations. Final data will be available in Q2.
REGISTERED MEMBERS 2018 1,980,000
2019 FORECAST 2,010,000
FORECASTED GROWTH
ADA 2018 460,000
2019 FORECAST 470,000
FORECASTED GROWTH
TEENS 2018 588,000
2019 FORECAST 604,000
FORECASTED GROWTH
+ 2% + 2% + 3%
2019 GOAL 2,010,000
FORECAST VS. GOAL 0 (meet goal)
2019 GOAL 470,000
FORECAST VS. GOAL 0 (meet goal)
2019 GOAL 599,000
FORECAST VS. GOAL +16,000 (exceed goal)
2019 HIGHLIGHTS
2020 GOALS
$56 million was passed through to Clubs.
The first-ever organization went “live” on MyClubHub.
969 organizations received
614 organizations advanced their
The number of organizations that participated in the second-annual
Philanthropy consultations.
pass-through funding.
Safety Readiness Day nearly tripled over 2018 participation.
MyFuture reached 54,282 members with enriching activities, recognition and fun.
The CEO Talent Search & Selection service supported 9 local organizations in hiring a qualified CEO.
resource development efforts through Advancing 547 Club tours encouraged community advocates by conducting
Club tours with elected officials. Your national office supported
10,500+ field consultations with face-to-
face, video and phone consultation. 851 people learned youth development best practices at the
Club Directors Academy.
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Increase the percentage of Club members with an optimal
Club Experience to 46%. Increase youth served by 3% (484,000 youth).
daily
Increase teen membership by 3% (617,000 teens). Increase Movement revenue to $2.6 billion.
2020 goals for daily attendance and teen membership will be updated in Q2, when 2019 actuals are complete, to reflect a 3% gain over 2019 actuals.
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
WINTER 2020
STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATIONS PRIORITY 1
Child & Club Safety As a Movement, we are committed to identifying and implementing best practices that support the safety and protection of Club members. Our focus remains on the continued advancement of technology solutions, staff training and engaging local safety committees. In 2019, we made significant strides in Club safety – particularly in the areas of abuse prevention and stronger communication. This began with the launch of an all-new sexual abuse prevention training, offered to Clubs at no cost; 60,535 courses were completed by 9,498 Club professionals from 597 member organizations. All local organizations also shared the contact information of their safety committee chairs to support better communication around emerging trends at the national and local level, as well as to connect Clubs to the right safety resources. Supporting emergency operations, the Movement’s emergency notification system, LiveSafe, was also rolled out, with 52 Clubs using the system by year-end. This strong forward momentum will be accelerated in 2020, as safety work focuses on: Independent Review: An independent, top-to-bottom thirdparty review of our policies, practices and procedures is underway, led by Alston & Bird and RAINN. They will provide progress reports throughout the year, with a final report later this year, and RAINN will consult with us in real-time on our safety approach throughout the year. We will share findings from the review with the Movement and with the public.
Emergency Operations: LiveSafe, our emergency notification mobile app, launched in Q4 of 2019 and is available for purchase at the annual rate of $400 per organization. LiveSafe helps Clubs get ahead of emerging threats and prevents serious safety or security incidents through both day-to-day and emergency communications to keep staff, volunteers, members and parents informed. We encourage every Club to take advantage of this opportunity. Visit livesafemobile.com/boysgirlsclubs to register your organization.
External Site-level Assessments: In Q4 of 2019, BGCA launched a pilot test of a multi-tiered assessment process in 216 Clubhouses across the nation. In the coming months, we’ll begin socializing an assessment framework for your feedback. The enhanced assessments and new technology platform are anticipated for rollout starting in 2021.
Education & Training: A significant element in year-overyear quality improvement will be rooted in training and professional development. In 2019, 1,166 sites from 430 organizations received on-site safety consultations, and 359 organizations participated in safety-related learning events. To meet the complex needs of our Movement, we are modifying our training strategy to make it more agile. More to come later this year.
Learn more about BGCA.net/ChildSafety.
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Feature S tory Leading with Safety:
How the Membership Requirements Revision Will Shape Safety at Boys & Girls Clubs As a Movement, our number one priority is the safety of the 4.7 million young people served by more than 4,700 Boys & Girls Clubs each year. As shared on page 22, the Affiliate Membership Task Force (a group of nearly 30 Club executives and board members) and the National Area Council Committee (a group of local Club board members), with the support of a Committee of the National Board of Governors, has put in many hours developing, debating and refining recommendations for our Movement’s Constitution and membership requirements. This work recommends significant enhancements to some membership requirements, particularly those regarding safety. Some areas that may be strengthened when it comes to safety include: Abuse prevention, response and reporting. While prohibition of one-on-one interaction between youth and staff and volunteers, including board members, is already a safety requirement, proposed changes include additional specific policies around child abuse prevention and response.
Display of safety collateral and sharing of policies with parents and guardians. To increase levels of access and transparency around safety resources and policies, proposed new requirements include the display of safety collateral around the Club, as well as sharing policies with parents and guardians.
Background checks and references. Recommended updates to existing policies include clearly established actions or crimes that would eliminate applicants for consideration from employment or volunteer opportunities at a Boys & Girls Club.
Safety committee responsibilities. While every Boys & Girls Club organization must maintain a board-led safety committee, proposed revisions include more specificity around how often they should meet.
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As shared in the membership requirements update, only a portion of requirements – those related to safety and proposals with minimal impact on local operations – will be voted on in Phase One. However, proposed changes that could have a greater impact on your time or resources are also included as initial proposals for you to review now. These include proposals around safety assessments and training. All proposed membership requirements will be modified frequently based on feedback from Clubs. To explore the proposed changes to the Constitution and its membership requirements and read the most recent feedback and proposed revisions, visit BGCA.net/ ProposedRequirements.
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
WINTER 2020
STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATIONS PRIORITY 1
Executive Development
Talent Pipeline & Immersion The inaugural Leadership Next emerging leaders program launched in August 2019 with 25 participants and the goal to identify and develop high-potential Club staff for CEO roles or promotions to more complex organizations. This program aims to support attendees to advance to CEO roles 18 to 36 months after program completion. Leadership Next will welcome a new group of leaders in August 2020. For more information, please contact Terri Dorsey at tdorsey@BGCA.org. For new leaders from other organizations or the corporate sector, an immersion program is being developed to support their understanding of what it takes to lead a Boys & Girls Club. This new program will be customized for Club leadership and draw from our partnerships with CornerStone on Demand and Non Profit Ready and begin in the latter half of 2020.
Effective CEOs are the catalyst that can build and empower talent at all levels of a Club organization. From hiring to onboarding to professional development to succession, the CEO Talent Management strategy supports Club executives in being successful in their role at every stage of their career. In 2020, we will build on success and learnings from two 2019 pilots: the talent development process; and CEO search and selection. CEO Talent Development Process Launched in 2019 with the goal of providing local leaders with the tools to take control of their own development, as well as create a structured way to match CEOs with the best and most relevant development opportunities, the CEO Leadership Assessment allows you to identify development needs, drive a meaningful conversation on 2020 development with your board chair or DOD, and provides you with tools to help take the next step in creating a development plan with practical ideas to grow your leadership skills. Whether you’re new to the process or reassessing annually to support increased performance and impact, you’re encouraged to participate in the leadership assessment opening in March. Aligned tools, including the CEO Development Guide and an Individual Development Plan, are now available for all CEOs in Spillett Leadership University by clicking “My Assessment Tasks.” CEO Search and Selection Every CEO opening is an exciting opportunity to set a local Club on a new trajectory. However, it can be challenging for local boards and organizations to find qualified, transformational leaders who meet the unique needs of the organization. In all Club CEO searches, a DOD assists the local board as a strategic advisor during their search. To further support local boards in finding top-caliber candidates, in 2019 your national office tested an internal full-service recruiting function. With 10 completed searches in 2019, we see a very high level of satisfaction from boards that found the skills and experience they envisioned in their next CEO. Based on feedback and demand, this service will expand to more Clubs in 2020, with a goal of supporting 25 searches. For more information, please reach out to your DOD.
VIRTUAL PERSPECTIVES: Take a learning lunch: the new-in-2019 Virtual Perspectives series is an Executive Mastery & Legacy Series designed to provide executive development opportunities to CEOs right in their offices. In hourlong broadcasts with national Board of Governors, speakers will provide their leadership perspective around a critical competency from the CEO Success Profile. CEOs can view the series by searching for “Virtual Perspectives” on the Spillett Leadership University website.
Learn more about talent development and training.
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Feature S tory
What You’re Saying:
• Safety support and training is among the most valued services of both CEOs and Board Chairs. To further support safety, in 2020, BGCA will develop a comprehensive role-specific safety training plan for staff, youth members and volunteers.
Your national office conducts an annual Club Partnership Survey, which asks CEOs and Board Chairs to give feedback on BGCA’s services and share their top priorities. In late 2019, 413 CEOs and 105 Board Chairs participated (a similar response level to previous years). BGCA SERVICES
Most Valued Services – CEOs:
• BGCA’s overall quality of service to Clubs remains high. The percent rating the quality of BGCA’s service as good or very good increased by 6 percentage points for CEOs and increased by 7 percentage points for Board Chairs.
74%
80%
77%
Results of the Club Partnership Survey
1. Support from Director of Organizational Development (DOD) 2. Youth Development Training 3. Safety Support and Training
84%
Most Valued Services – Board Chairs: 1. Safety Support and Training 2. Measurement Support and Training 3. Support from Director of Organizational Development (DOD)
2018
2019
CEO’s
2018
2019
Board Chairs CLUB PRIORITIES AND GOAL SETTING
• Most CEOs and Board Chairs report they receive timely responses from BGCA (78% of CEOs and 86% of Board Chairs) and find the information BGCA provides to be valuable. 84% of CEOs and 86% of Board Chairs report that the information they receive from BGCA is valuable – the highest since we started measuring. This year, BGCA will provide ongoing, bi-weekly communications to Club leaders on the recommended revisions to our membership requirements in order to make sure you have the information you need to exercise your vote and shape our Movement (see page 23).
• Increasing revenue remains the top priority for Club CEOs and Board Chairs. Clubs need additional resources to support safety enhancements, quality improvement and growth. This year, BGCA will provide resource development consulting services and learning opportunities designed to guide Clubs in building a culture of philanthropy to increase revenue.
• BGCA’s volume of communication is reasonable to most Club leaders, but 20% of CEOs and 36% of Board Chairs think they receive too many communications. In 2019, safety was a big focus of our communications, and it will continue to be a big focus this year (see page 2).
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• Improving the Club Experience is another top priority for CEOs and Board Chairs. BGCA developed the National Trainers Initiative to support Clubs in providing high-quality, local training for frontline staff (see page 12).
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
WINTER 2020
STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATIONS PRIORITY 1
Innovative Operating Models Strategic partnerships such as mergers, management agreements, shared services and other innovative operating models can support the strengthening of organizations within a community. Since the start of the Great Futures 2025 plan, 183 innovative operating models have been created, with 50% of them full mergers. Those undergoing a merger have shown growth of 3% in average daily attendance, and 7% in membership in the second year following the merger. Current conversations indicate approximately 40 will be formed in 2020. Learn more about innovative operating models.
MyClubHub: Common Club Management System MyClubHub is a common Club management system being customized by and for Boys & Girls Clubs – with functions such as member management and check-in/out; a parent portal; donor management and online giving; program management and more. One beta organization is now live and two more are actively participating in the implementation process; their feedback will inform how soon the next cohort of Clubs can go live. By the end of 2020, the plan is for MyClubHub to reach 200 organizations (approximately 26% of nonmilitary organizations); there are currently 200 in the pipeline for implementation. Features available in the first release of MyClubHub include Club attendance, online portal, fee management and dashboards. Basic functionality is also available for organization website hosting, volunteer management and donor management (all ahead of schedule), but program attendance is not yet ready (behind schedule). If your organization is interested in being an early adopter of MyClubHub, fill out your preferred timing and feature needs in MyClubHub interest form; only one form is needed per organization. Learn more about MyClubHub at BGCA.net/MyClubHub.
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Feature S tory
By Dana Benjamin-Allen and Robin Church
Getting Ready to Implement MyClubHub
Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh reviewing enhanced data definitions and standard fields.
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Green Bay completing the “Current Data Practices Assessment”
Managing a Club’s database is a big job that is often a small percentage of a staff member’s overall responsibility. From maintaining active and accurate records to ensuring data quality, to creating standard operating procedures and training protocols, this can be a time-consuming and often lonely process. The new “Getting Ready Workbook,” designed by the national MyClubHub team and local Club experts, makes the tasks and best practices associated with database management, data quality and moving to a new system more approachable and achievable. How do you get your entire Club team on board with a new database system? How do you get your data ready for the transition? The guide walks Club professionals through these questions and more by using three categories that support every step of adopting a new Club management system like MyClubHub: • SECTION 1: Creating Buy-in • SECTION 2: Data Clean Up and Migration Planning • SECTION 3: Assessing Current Practices and Planning for Change
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With template PowerPoint presentations, meeting agendas, facilitator’s guides and conversation starters, the “Getting Ready Workbook” will support your staff and organization to optimize the use of current systems and set them up for success should you choose to migrate to MyClubHub. MyClubHub, our Movement’s common Club management system, is being customized by and for Boys & Girls Clubs – with functions such as member management and check-in/out; a parent portal; donor management and online giving; program management and more. Learn more on page 6 or at BGCA. net/MyClubHub. Access the workbook on BGCA.net by clicking here. Questions? Visit BGCA.net/MyClubHub to access the MyClubHub team member in your region.
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
WINTER 2020
STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATIONS PRIORITY 1
Collaborative fundraising is a threepronged approach to further current partnerships between local Clubs and BGCA by seeking incremental funds for participating organizations. This includes the revenue share from Integrated Direct Marketing, support of Clubs’ fundraising capacity through Advancing Philanthropy 2025, and expanded efforts for Clubs and your national office to collaboratively raise funds.
Integrated Direct Marketing The integrated direct marketing (IDM) program aims to reach people who do not have a history of giving to the Movement, building a base of new donors for the Movement through a combination of traditional mail, digital marketing and television. With the growth of monthly sustainer programs, net revenue share with Clubs is expected to reach $1.2 million in 2020. The program currently reaches 130,000 donors. Moving into 2020, the IDM program will continue to focus on mail and digital. With 2020 being an election year, we anticipate a crowded broadcast and digital space and will not be on the air with a DRTV campaign, with a plan to revisit its potential in 2021. The primary focus of the IDM program this year will be around the creation of evergreen brand and fundraising content that supports the “Whatever It Takes” brand campaign that targets specific audiences based on donor research completed in 2019. By focusing on issue and cause-related content, the IDM program will spotlight brand and advocacy efforts that position the Movement as a leader in youth causes. Learn more about IDM on BGCA.net.
Advancing Philanthropy 2025: Creating a Movement-wide Culture of Philanthropy The Advancing Philanthropy (AP) 2025 program empowers every Club with the tools and strategies necessary to drive resource development (RD) success. AP 2025 is a core strategy to help Clubs double Movement-wide revenue from $2 billion to $4 billion over eight years to support our shared vision for 2025. In 2019, the AP program helped Clubs raise $54.8 million in planned gifts and $214.2 million in major gifts. The program supports Clubs by continuing to sustain and grow funding of all AP participants (past and present); scaling to reach all Clubs (including Native and rural) with customized RD support, training and consultation; and supporting Clubs in hiring, onboarding and training RD staff to support their professional development. As of December 2019, AP 2025 has engaged 681 Clubs through consultation and RD Basics, and 446 individuals have attended an RD training. In 2019, the AP program expanded to support collaborative fundraising – where several organizations work together and/ or collaborate with the national office to attract more gifts, larger gifts and gifts with statewide and regional impact. Leveraging our regional and national size and scope, there are currently collaborative fundraising initiatives underway in 21 states.
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Collaborations include: • Clubs in the same area/region/ state developing collaborative fundraising processes and agreements • Multiple (or all) Clubs in a state jointly seeking/receiving funding • Your national office and Club(s) in a state jointly seeking/receiving funding In 2020, we anticipate seeing many of these collaborations come to fruition, with new and larger gifts leading to significant impact. In 2019, 97% of Clubs completed the RD Health Assessment, which provides customized recommendations for growth in resource development, along the “9 You Need Continuum.” In 2020, we aim to reach 100% of Clubs. To access a fully interactive 9 You Need Continuum linked to resources, trainings, action steps and more, click here. Learn more about RD Club Services and resources available to Clubs. Learn more about RD Club Services and resources available to Clubs.
Feature S tory
Q&A with
National Youth of the Year
Sabrina Sabrina chats safety, youth voice and the mentor who made a difference.
Sabrina M. 2019-20 National Youth of the Year 2019-20 Pacific Youth of the Year Where She’s From: Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco Where She’s Studying: Barnard College
well informed from both sides of a controversial issue. Then, the Club can provide a platform like was provided for me to go out into my community and advocate not only for myself, but for my community.
Q: In your own words, what is the importance of youth voice? How can Clubs elevate youth voice at their organization? A: Youth voice is extremely important because most of the policies and decisions that are being made are made by adults, so it is important that youth speak out to sway the opinions of adults as most of today’s issues also affect the youth. A huge thing such as education is decided by adults, but the largest age group to be affected by educational decisions are youth. Clubs can help elevate youth voice by giving kids the tools they need to craft their own opinions and stances on certain issues, such as providing a weekly news update that is
Q: As a Club member of 12 years, what moments stand out when it comes to staff making a difference in your life? A: One staff member who had a huge impact on my life was Tanzy, who was the Middle School Director at my Club before getting promoted to Citywide Manager of Middle School Services for Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco. Each step of my journey through the Club and my Youth of the Year process, Tanzy was there.
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Tanzy and I grew up in the same neighborhood and were members of the same Clubhouse. I saw Tanzy get her first job as a teen staff and then become an adult staff. When I was younger, she was my dance teacher, and she taught me how to tell my story through movement when I couldn’t find the words I needed to share my story. Years later, Tanzy would be there to coach me through putting my story into words for the Youth of the Year program. Ultimately, she came all the way to Washington, D.C., to witness me be named the National Youth of the Year. Beyond Tanzy, there were so many staff who supported me: Nikki, Erin, James, Rebecca, Amanda, Rob, Harold, Rashad and so many more.
switch each day to fit into my environment. Because of this, I began to lose parts of my identity. But the Club was one of the places where I could just be me and not have to change anything about myself. Lastly, in high school I was able to find safety in always having the Club to turn to for any problem. Whether that be academic or friendship problems, the staff were always there to make sure I was always physically and emotionally safe. I would not be so sure of that today without them providing that base for me when I was younger. Q: What’s one thing you want Club leaders, professionals and volunteers to know?
Q: What did safety mean to you at your Club? A: At my Clubhouse, safety meant different things to me at different times of my life. When I was younger, the Club was a physically safe place to be shielded from the gun violence in my community. It is important to understand the dynamics of the communities in which San Francisco’s Clubhouses are located. My Clubhouse was right on the main street where lots of violence took place. At times, the Club would have lockdowns to protect kids from what was happening outside. At other times, safety meant having access to a behavioral health specialist at the Club who was available to talk with kids in order to support them in coping with some of the violence they might have witnessed. The Club became a place that was not only physically safe, but also valued my mental safety as I coped with PTSD.
A: When I was a young kid at the Club, I was not the nicest or most cooperative kid. Too often those children are dismissed as nuisances or troublemakers. People may not question where this behavior comes from. When I was acting out when I was younger, I didn’t realize until later that it was a desperate call for help and attention. Outside of the safe space the Club was providing, I was battling problems that people could not even imagine that most kids would even deal with; it’s important for Club leaders, professionals and volunteers to consistently check in with kids.
In middle school, the Club became an emotionally safe place for me where I could openly express myself without judgment from others. When I was moving between my school life to my home life, I kept both parts of my life separate and would drastically code-
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I also strongly believe that negatively labeling children “troublemakers” is limiting. Kids live up to expectations you have for them, so ascribing labels such as “leader” can positively affect a kid’s attitude. At the Club, I was always told that I was a leader before I even knew I could be one and that expectation allowed me to grow into it.
Feature S tory
By Tiffany Reddy & Hally Spiller
Calling All CEOs:
Get in the Driver’s Seat of Your Development This March, the Talent Development Process re-opens for CEOs to get in the driver’s seat of their professional development. Your continuous development starts here: 1. CEO Leadership Assessment This comprehensive Leadership Assessment measures your strengths and opportunities, aligned with the CEO Success Profile. Do you excel in Thought Leadership or Results Leadership? Is building an effective team a strong-suit, while you might need support when it comes to managing ambiguity? The self-assessment explores these questions and many more. In 2019, over 200 CEOs completed the self-assessment. Get even more out of your Leadership Assessment by asking your Board Chair to participate. Having your Board Chair engaged in the process will add an external perspective to your assessment and help guide meaningful development conversations. 2. Tools to Support Your Success Once your results are in, there are two tools to support your development and planning: the CEO Development Guide and the CEO Development Plan Template. These tools ensure your results go from paper to action – allowing you to build on your opportunities and create a well-rounded development plan. In 2019, Leadership Assessment data shares that – no matter the size of their organization – participating CEOs’ strengths were: “Instilling Trust” and “Driving Vision and Purpose.” 3. CEOs Connect to Development Opportunities Based on Custom Results Your assessment will enable your DOD to connect you with local and national development opportunities based on your individual needs and experience. For example, your assessment results might “match” you with a Stanford University learning experience that focuses on the same competencies you’re building on.
4. Your national office identifies leadership trends and adapts to ensure the highest quality development programs and experiences. Your participation, feedback and input will also guide training support from your national office. For the first time in our Movement’s history, we’ll have a finger on the pulse of CEOs’ training goals and needs – whether it’s more accessible in-office learning opportunities like the Virtual Perspectives series or intensive multi-day experiences to network and grow among other leaders. 2019 Leadership Assessment data shows that while the strengths of female and male CEOs are very similar, development needs are different. In 2020, our Movement will continue to participate in Linkage’s Women in Leadership Development Program, which focuses on the development needs of women executives. “Attending the Women In Leadership training was life-changing,” says Rhonda Gorham, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Missouri. “My Leadership Assessment and the learning outcomes we worked on during the conference were a complete match.” 5. Reassess annually to get year-over-year progress and the latest opportunities. Like any development experience, growth is never “one and done.” We recommend taking the CEO Leadership Assessment annually to see how you’ve progressed and match to the latest training opportunities. Ready to take your development to the next level? Whether you’re taking the assessment for the first time or reassessing your progress from 2019, the Talent Development Process will support your continuous improvement as a Movement leader. Contact your DOD to take the CEO Leadership Assessment starting this March.
In 2019, Karen DeSanto, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Wisconsin, had the opportunity to attend Stanford’s Non Profit Management Institute’s Conference because the learning objectives of the conference aligned directly with the development needs Karen uncovered in her Leadership Assessment.
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BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
WINTER 2020
IMPROVE PROGRAM QUALITY PRIORITY 2
Deep and life-changing impact for young people who attend Boys & Girls Clubs is a result of a highquality Club Experience. We know that investments in professional development and coaching for staff, continuous quality improvement processes, and intentional staff practices and programming create the best experiences for kids and teens.
CQI is a cyclical, ongoing process that creates an environment of learning. Your national office’s partnership with the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality allows Clubs to access the key elements of the evidencebased Youth Program Quality Intervention (YPQI) at a reduced cost. This process is now available to all Clubs through the new CQI Toolkit at CQIToolkit.org, which supports Clubs in beginning to implement CQI, no matter their size or resources. Start with the Readiness Diagnostic, which will assess your current practices and provide results and guidance to kickstart your CQI journey. Interested in signing up for a virtual quality network to receive ongoing technical support and coaching from your national office? Email CQIToolkit@BGCA.org to learn more.
Youth Development Training
The Club Experience increased from 38% in 2018 to 40% in 2019, representing more than 50,000 additional members having the kind of experiences that impact their outcomes. An evaluation of key Club Experience efforts found that Clubs with high engagement in two of our leading strategies – the Club Director’s Academy (CDA) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) – saw increases in their members’ Club Experience that were better than the norm. On average, CDA participants increased 4 percentage points and CQI participants increased 4.5 percentage points, compared to 2.4 percentage points for those that didn’t participate. In addition, 80% of sites that participated in CQI demonstrated improvement on an external assessment of staff practice.
CDAs provide training on leadership and management practices that support program quality. In 2019, more than 800 people attended a CDA; in 2020, we aim to reach 500 people.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America Guide to Trainings Your guide to Spillett Leadership University professional development opportunities available to local Club staff at every level through Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Resource Development Professionals, CEOs and Managers • Advancing Philanthropy Workshops Workshops support the advancement of resource development skills across a range of topics, such as: Major Gifts Revenue Diversification Comprehensive Campaigns Culture of Philanthropy • Resource Development Orientation Prepares RD professionals for success as part of the Movement. • Resource Development Academy 1-day training supports knowledge and tools around meeting fundraising goals.
Board Members, CEOs, Management Professionals
Operations, Finance, Human Resources Professionals
• New Executive Orientation: Parts 1 & 2 Prepares CEOs for success as a Club leader.
• HR/Finance Exchange 2-day event for Club HR and finance professionals provides exposure to subject-matter experts, professional networking and discussion surrounding best practices.
• BGCA Regional & National Conferences Network, recharge and collaborate on latest regional and Movement-wide strategies and initiatives. • Advanced Leadership Program (ALP) Leaders increase leadership skills through coaching and feedback techniques. • CEO Mastery & Legacy Experiences Tenured CEOs experience field-leading leadership development through partnerships with Harvard, Stanford, GILD and more. Prereq: 5+ years as CEO; invitation only
• Operations Directors Exchange Operational staff accelerate capabilities in HR, finance, resource development and operations. Operations, Club Directors, Managers • Club Directors Academy 3-day opportunity to learn strategies and coaching to support staff in building a high-quality Club Experience with a four-month follow-up for best practices implementation. • Advanced Leadership Program (ALP): High-Quality Club Experience Leaders create quality improvement plans through data measurement and analysis.
This year, youth development training will transition from Youth Development Institutes (YDIs) to local trainings that will ensure regular, locally delivered training that supports more Clubs. The National Trainers Initiative (NTI) is designed to provide opportunities for every Boys & Girls Club organization to have their own certified trainer(s). In 2019, your national office prepared 154 trainers, most of whom are “trainer of trainers” – Club professionals who will be able to train local trainers. Embedding certified trainers within organizations will allow you to conduct your own professional development trainings and collaborate with other local organizations to host learning events, such as All Staff Conferences. Key benefits for Clubs include more access to facilitators and trainings; more professional development opportunities; and enhanced facilitation techniques that increase organizational capacity, enhance program quality and improve the Club Experience for youth and teens. • Resource Development Exchange – Bridge Conference Learn fundraising best practices from across the nonprofit sector. • Lilly School of Philanthropy Advanced RD professionals experience high-level leadership enrichment and networking.
• Inside Out Coaching Supervisors learn to coach for improvement in 1-day session.
If you are interested in becoming a certified National Trainer, please go to BGCA.net/ NTI or email training@BGCA.org for details. Executive leaders within organizations and DODs are currently assisting with recruitment of NTI candidates in various regions.
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BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
WINTER 2020
IMPROVE PROGRAM QUALITY PRIORITY 2
National Trainers Initiative
Kirk Douglas BGCA
Thank you to these individuals and their Boys & Girls Club Organizations for investing in increasing professional development opportunities for Youth Development Professionals. All of these trainers are certified to facilitate 12 new foundational trainings for youth development professionals. Want to bring a trainer to your organization or become a trainer? Visit BGCA.net/NTI to learn more. CERTIFIED TRAINERS OF TRAINERS Katherine Adams BGCA Matt Arkin BGCA Ziggy Asfaw BGCA Ana Baggiano Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany Angie Barber Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana Lauren Barineau BGCA Wyatt Bevis Boys & Girls Clubs of the Ocoee Region Coco Black BGCA Randy Bouck Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County
Julie Dube Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford Molly Eller Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lewis Clark Valley
James Bulmer Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area, Inc. Y’landa Burch Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore
Joshua Campbell Boys & Girls Club of Maury County Dana Carpenter The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of North & South Carolina
Chris Corrado BGCA
Clarke Hill BGCA
Tonantzin Gamboa Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago Tonantzin Gamboa Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago
Rachel Greene-Wilber BGCA
Andrea Bracco Boys & Girls Club of Clifton Ron Brangman Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County
Amelia Davis Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta
Crystal Brown BGCA
Roshunnia Dennis Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta
Heather Budzien Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix
Johnny DiBartolo BGCA
Paul Dorey Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware
KaTrina Flournoy Boys & Girls Club of North Central Georgia
Tabetha Gray Boys & Girls Clubs of Hutchinson
Dollneshia Cunningham BGCA
Kate Buechner BGCA
Brian Hill BGCA
Michelle Gomez Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles
Susan Ciavolino BGCA
Alise Dixon BGCA
Abigayle Fidler BGCA
Sarah Gettler Santa Fe Boys & Girls Club
Keisha Caruthers Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Brenda Higginbotham Boys & Girls Clubs of Hutchinson Amy Hill Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence
Katina Fuller-Scott Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee
Heather Campbell BGCA
Dianely Heredia BGCA
Rachel Falgout BGCA
Nestor Frausto Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast
Kendra Calhoun Harlan County Boys & Girls Club, Inc.
Deja Harris Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading & Berks County
Sarah Grizzle BGCA Roscelyn Guenther Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County Jennifer Hall Boys & Girls Club of BloomingtonNormal Emily Hardy Boys & Girls Club of West Chester/ Liberty
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Robyn Hill PAC Regional Consultant Henry Hipps Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta Sinclair Hollingsworth Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Michael Hosier Boys & Girls Club of Lodi Katherine Huckaby Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago Lori Huggins McGary PAC Regional Consultant Keana Ingram Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago Nicole Jackson Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue Stacy Kain Boys & Girls Clubs of King County Anna Kawar BGCA Niki Kiruki Boys & Girls Club of Springfield Christine Kotula BGCA Shannon Lake BGCA Katie Lee BGCA Libby Lescalleet Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
WINTER 2020
IMPROVE PROGRAM QUALITY PRIORITY 2
Wanda Lewis Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County
Juan Perez Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania
Jamar Sampson Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain
Virginia Wright Boys & Girls Club of Elizabethton/ Carter County
Jonathan Lupisan Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County
Meg Pitman BGCA
Paul Scire BGCA
Issa Prescott BGCA
Lesa Sexton BGCA
Leatha Young Boys & Girls Clubs of Mitchell County
Rachel Price Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley
Lindsay Simms Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence
Kimberly Madrigal Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix Alfredo Mata Boys & Girls Club of Pharr Billy Mawhiney Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire Nikki McClain Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta Jeremy McCoy Boys & Girls Clubs of the Central Savannah River Area
Beth Price-Feeney Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson
Dorothy Singleton Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama
Jacobie Proctor Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Peoria
Jessica Slaby Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay
Laura Ramirez Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County, Inc.
Kelley Smith Boys & Girls Club of Fauquier Faith Stamps Boys & Girls Clubs of the Danville Area
Sharon Ramos Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson
Michelle Middleton Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama
Jennifer Raymond Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee
Martavius Mims Boys & Girls Club of Bowling Green Kentucky - War Memorial Unit. Inc.
Kimberly Reaves Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley
Rebeka Mirza Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley
Gregory Reinholt Boys & Girls Club of Clifton
Jessica Moore Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Alabama
Tiffany Thornton BGCA
Adriana Rendon Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg Rio Grande Valley
Kyle Thyen Boys & Girls Club of Watertown
Kari Nervig Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee
Cheryl Rice Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware
Tonny Oliver Boys & Girls Club of North Mississippi Elaina Ouimet BGCA Eric Osborne BGCA Greg Parker BGCA Tiffany Parker Boys & Girls Clubs of Brazos Valley
Emily Stanfill Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County Lisa Sunarth BGCA Shawonda Swain Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford
Irma Velasco-Nunez BGCA Laura Wagner Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence
Karen Robertson Boys & Girls Club of North Central Georgia
Alden Ward Southeast Regional Consultant
Laurie Rodriguez BGCA
DeLauren White Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry
Amanda Ruckel BGCA
Randy Wilkens BGCA
Stacy Ruff BGCA Lacey Salas Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbus
Brandon Williams Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley
Kristin Saldivar Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County
LaFonda Williams BGCA
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Shing Yu BGCA CERTIFIED TRAINERS Carli Adams BGCA Crystal Bieter Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities Rushonia Blanche Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City Rebecca Brown BGCA Dawn Brunson BGCA Amanda Buchholz Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles Talisa Burke BGCA Mitru Ciarlante BGCA Pam Clarke BGCA Valentin Cuellar Boys & Girls Club of Venice Gregory Doss BGCA Kate Endries BGCA Terri Fishback BGCA Cherima Folston Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket Jamie Gilmore Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Alabama Jason Godinez Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
WINTER 2020
IMPROVE PROGRAM QUALITY PRIORITY 2
Tanisha Grimes BGCA Omar Guessous BGCA Arizaid Guzman Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier, Inc. Sam Hallam Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Missouri Travis Hanes Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Alabama Liji Hanny Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor
Patricia Lee-Hines Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County, Inc. Tiffany Maynard Boys & Girls Clubs of Gordon, Murray, and Whitfield Counties
Pamela Nealey Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan
Eric Jackson Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Georgia
Wanda Newton Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier, Inc.
Zaynah Johnson BGCA
Salma Solis Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley
Leticia Paige Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne
Rhode Moise Watertown Boys & Girls Club
Kenton Holder Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence
Kharimasud Olufemi BGCA
Larissa O’Rourke Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem, Inc.
LaQuinta McGhee Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee
Daniel Herb BGCA
Rachel Smith BGCA
Angela O’Neil Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama
Sharrod McClusky BGCA
Nikki Moss Boys & Girls Clubs of Gordon, Murray, and Whitfield Counties
Rivers Odendahl BGCA
Stephen Parrish Boys & Girls Clubs of Gordon, Murray, and Whitfield Counties Eve Respess BGCA Maxwell Roy Boys & Girls Club of Washington County, Inc.
Candice Ninfo Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading & Berks County
Laura Ruffin BGCA Jose Sanchez Boys & Girls Club of Venice Gary Scheer BGCA
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Kristine Steinmann Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Georgia Kasha Taylor Boys & Girls Clubs of Gordon, Murray, and Whitfield Counties Zackhary Todd Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama Joye Tolley BGCA Monica Trimble BGCA Catherine Vowell BGCA Sabrina Walker-Hernandez Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg Rio Grande Valley Rachel Williams BGCA
Feature S tory By Sarah Grizzle
Playing to their Strengths: Club Members and Esports Esports is organized, competitive video gaming, and it is on the rise both in the U.S. and globally. Players face off in leagues with playoffs just like traditional sports and are watched by viewers largely online. According to CNN, 380 million people worldwide watched esports in 2018, and revenue will pass $1 billion in 2019. What happens in the culture usually finds its way to the Clubhouse, and esports is no exception. While esports cut across age groups, it is particularly popular with youth and teens. “We go where youth lead us,” said Abi Fidler, Director of Youth Development at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “They are already gaming online, so our job is to be there to provide a positive and productive experience.” Following their lead, your national office hosted our first-ever esports championship in April of 2018, featuring Clubs from San Diego, Buffalo, Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta and Columbus. The ability to connect youth nationwide is a bonus, according to Abi: “What’s exciting is that esports tournaments can bring Clubs together that wouldn’t normally get to interact, and it allows youth to feel connected and get a better picture of the scale of the Movement.” Feedback from Clubs that participated in the esports tournament was overwhelmingly positive. Both staff and youth want to continue playing, and the data showed that esports could become an important recruitment and
retention tool, with 75% of youth responding they would bring friends who don’t currently attend the Club to play esports. Local Clubs are jumping on board. At Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, staff have been putting together a strategic plan to launch their own esports program. “We had to make sure we had all the needed equipment and internet capabilities, and connected with community partners to help facilitate,” said Director DeRon Bethea. The Club is planning to run the program at eight locations initially, launching in January with an NBA 2K esports tournament alongside their traditional basketball league. “We’ll be playing basketball both physically and mentally,” said DeRon. For youth who don’t participate in traditional sports, esports can be a vehicle for gaining many of the same positive benefits. Good sportsmanship, healthy competition, leadership and pro-social skills can be developed through participation in organized esports, as well as learning how to engage safely online. In Dallas, Club staff are linking their esports programming to Netsmartz digital safety, Triple Play Social Recreation and STEM concepts. The worldwide network of gamers also gives youth opportunities to connect with others who share their interests, including communities they may not have access to at home.
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Esports can also provide tangible benefits. Colleges and universities are increasingly offering esports scholarships, and as the industry grows, professional opportunities are, too, from player to manager to designer, and even commentator and analyst careers similar to broadcast sports. “We were interested in video games already, but when we saw a 16-year-old kid win $3 million at a Fortnite tournament? We thought, well, we have some talented kids too, we need to get them into these opportunities,” said DeRon. “Our youth can’t wait,” said DeRon. “They always want to play games, and now we are going to be able to use them in a meaningful program. It will bring all these different elements together so they can learn things they will take through their lives.”
Want to bring esports to your Club? • Use the Club Technology Planning Guide to ensure you have the most up-to-date policies and digital capabilities. • Read the biweekly BGCA.net eblasts for announcements on national and local gaming partnerships. Contact Abi Fidler at afidler@BGCA.org to learn more or share how you are already using video games in your Club.
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IMPROVE PROGRAM QUALITY PRIORITY 2
Measuring Quality When it comes to how our Movement measures program quality, Club feedback and research have yielded two important learnings: to provide a fuller picture of program quality, we need to expand and update our approach to measurement. To drive continuous learning, planning and improvement, Clubs benefit from assessing quality more than once a year, as well as using more than one method of measurement. Thus, your national office has been expanding how program quality is measured to include experiences of youth and family; youth development practices; and Club environment and structure. These tools will be available to Clubs through the new Pulse Checks Guide that will be released in May 2020.
In response to Club feedback, we are also updating National Youth Outcomes Initiative (NYOI) Club Experience measures in 2020. The updating and enhancing of NYOI Club Experience questions is being led by a workgroup of Club professionals from across the country and your national team. Updates include: • Refining language to ensure questions, instructions and response options are accessible for all;
• Bringing together knowledge from Clubs and research to ensure the questions we ask are practical, actionable and scientifically valid. These updates were pilot tested in July 2019 with over 18,000 members across 449 Clubs to test the validity and reliability of the measures. Updated Club Experience measures will be shared in the spring before being incorporated into the NYOI member survey beginning in 2021.
• Addressing missing content while maintaining alignment with the Five Key Elements for Positive Youth Development (for example, we added questions that measure peer interactions, exposure to new experiences, and influence over Club environment); and
REGISTER TODAY!
WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR AMERICA’S YOUTH SAFE PLACES | STRONG CLUBS | BEST EXPERIENCES 114TH National Conference | May 6-8, 2020 | Orlando
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BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
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ADVOCATE FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
PRIORITY 3
Government Relations and Funding
We are proud to announce an example of our Agenda for America’s Youth in action. Through the efforts of targeted advocacy on behalf of our national Government Relations team and local Club advocates, The Youth Workforce Readiness Act of 2019 was formally introduced in Congress. This bill aims to establish grants through the Department of Labor for youthserving out-of-school time organizations that deliver workforce and job readiness programs. Through essential skills development, career exploration, employment training and workbased learning, this support will equip and empower teens to find a job or pursue their professional passion. Tell your member of Congress to invest in our future workforce by supporting this legislation. Go to the Take Action page on BGCA.org to make your voice heard!
BGCA’s Government Relations strategy focuses on advocacy, diversification of funding streams and the targeted engagement of elected officials at the federal, state and local levels. Through ongoing education, awareness and amplification, the Government Relations team works to ensure elected officials see BGCA as a strategic partner to keep communities safe and prosperous through the prioritization of out-of-school time. In 2019, government funding exceeding the goal of $206 million, with more than $138 million to support State Alliances and $69 million in federal subsidies that included $41 million in 21st Century Community Learning Center awards and Direct Federal Grants for local Clubs secured by the newly created Government Relations Club Services Team. Federal: In 2019, we successfully saw increases and support in a number of priority areas that move the needle for youth: 21st Century Community Learning Centers, National Youth Mentoring and youth workforce readiness all received substantial growth and backing from our champions in Congress. At the time of publication, the bills that include the funding have not yet been finalized by Congress. Using the Agenda for America’s Youth as a guide, priorities are identified based on the largest federal funding streams Clubs can currently access, areas of greatest need, and areas Congress is investing additional resources. We aim to keep the momentum going in 2020 and continue the growth of Department of Justice Youth Mentoring Initiatives as well as 21st Century Community Learning Centers, while also advocating for policies that positively impact youth including improving summer and after-school meals through the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization and related bill, the Summer Meals Act. State Alliances: It was another successful year for State Alliances, which secured more than $138 million in funding support. Critical to success has been strengthening Alliance capacity and building comprehensive advocacy and funding strategies in each state – 25% of Alliances will have Agenda for America’s Youth-aligned advocacy plans implemented. This work will not only be pivotal for 2020 but will lay the foundation for reaching our $185 million State Alliance goal in 2025.
The New Hampshire congressional delegation, including U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, along with Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas, held a roundtable discussion on opioids at the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley.
Learn more about BGCA’s Office of Government Relations.
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PRIORITY 3
The Massachusetts Alliance received $2.2 million via a state budget line item that will be used to serve at-risk youth.
Congressman Josh Harder (D-CA) highlighted his recent visit to the Boys & Girls Club of Tracy as he announced the introduction of The Youth Workforce Readiness Act of 2019.
Building Local Capacity for Advocacy
Advocacy happens 365 days a year and Clubs have access to comprehensive resources to support continued momentum around this work – from best practices and trainings to planning:
2019 saw the launch of our Movement’s inaugural advocacy platform, the Agenda for America’s Youth, with an official event in Washington, D.C. Now Clubs and Alliances are utilizing available resources to engage with elected officials, media, parents, alumni and community members around issues impacting kids and available solutions in their communities and states – including state legislative sessions and State Legislative Days. Our Movement’s National Days of Advocacy 2020 (NDOA), occurring March 3-4, give advocates the opportunity to meet with elected officials and their staff to demonstrate the value Clubs bring to communities and the current issues facing America’s youth. Because of efforts by attendees of NDOA 2019, we saw the introduction of The Youth Workforce Readiness Act. NDOA 2020 gives us the opportunity to garner further Congressional support and turn the bill into law. Formal registration for the event can be found on the NDOA page on the GR section of BGCA.net. Please email your questions to Advocacy@BGCA.org.
• Build your own local advocacy plan. • Register for an upcoming advocacy training on topics like NDOA, social media engagement, available funding streams and more. • For the latest resources and news, sign up for the monthly Club Advocate newsletter. Visit the new Advocate for Youth webpage on BGCA. org to learn more about the Agenda for America’s Youth, our advocacy priorities and how to get involved to close the opportunity gap for America’s kids and teens.
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BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
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REACH MORE YOUTH PRIORITY 4
Digital Engagement Infusing digital opportunities into and outside the Club day allows Clubs to extend their reach and meet kids where they are. For example, check out the esports story on page 16. Adopting a continuous quality improvement process to assess, plan and improve your digital experience is a great way to take your Club to the next level and keep it there. Reference the Technology Planning Guide at BGCA.net/technology. MyFuture is our Movement’s digital platform for youth engagement, with more than 1,200 Clubs using MyFuture with over 50,000 members. In late 2019, the platform received a significant update that increased speed by over 20x, brought about full mobile compatibility and enhanced report generation for staff. MyFuture now provides access to 10 programs and over 175 activities. Ready to get started? Visit the MyFuture Staff Guide at MyFuture.net/Staff-Guide.
Boys& Girls& Safe Places& Guidance& Workforce Readiness
INCREASE
Whatever It Takes to Build Great Futures. Our marketing campaign, “Whatever It Takes to Build Great Futures,” brings to life the multitude of experiences and opportunities a young person receives at Clubs and the skills they build along the way. New marketing resources are available to Clubs, including the PSA, signage and new holiday creative assets.
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Marketing.BGCA.net
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
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STRENGTHEN THE MOVEMENT PRIORITY 5
Deepening our engagement with our 24,000+ local board members and improving their impact at the local, state and national levels is vital to achieve our Great Futures 2025 goals and make local boards more impactful in all areas.
Membership Requirements Since the founding of our Federation, there has been no more important document than our Constitution and Requirements for Membership. Over the years, the National Council has amended and updated some of these requirements, but they have not been updated holistically in more than 75 years. The National Council consists of a delegate from each member organization, with each organization being entitled to one vote for any piece of business brought to the Council for election. In 2017, the National Board of Governors began looking at the requirements to determine if there was a way to improve Movement decision making, with a formal committee known as the Affiliate Membership and Standards Committee forming in 2019. Upon their recommendation, an Affiliate Membership Task Force made up of nearly 30 local Club executives and board members was created to review the requirements for membership and drive this work. Upon review, the Task Force recommended a full review of and updates to all requirements; since then, they have put in many hours developing, debating and refining recommendations.
Area Council Redesign to Improve Board Communications and Consistency Area Councils form a critical governance piece in our Movement. Comprised of board member representatives from local Boys & Girls Clubs, Area Councils help govern and set membership requirements for the entire Movement.
INCREASE
This evolving work is currently being circulated for review and input at Area Council Town Halls, “office hours� calls, live webcasts and more with the goal of incorporating feedback from across the Movement before bringing components of the revised Constitution and its requirements to a vote in May, and others to a second vote later in 2020. Learn more at BGCA.net/ProposedRequirements.
In 2019, 38 out of 56 Area Councils (68%) saw improvements in annual self-assessment scores driving higher performance internally to the Area Council, and also saw better communication and governance to their member organizations. In 2020, Area Councils will play a pivotal role in providing feedback and input on the new membership requirements. Usage of BGCABoards.org by board members across the country continues to grow with over 1,400 board members accessing the updated information and event calendar on the improved site, compared to 90+ average users during the same time period last year.
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Feature S tory Proposed Membership Requirements: Learn More To meet the needs of young people and society, our Movement’s Constitution and membership requirements must be clearly defined and easily understood. Club professionals and national and local board members have been hard at work through the Affiliate Membership & Standards Committee, Affiliate Membership Task Force and National Area Council Committee making recommendations and proposed revisions for your input and feedback. Learn more about the resources, information and opportunities to have your voice heard.
WHERE DO I LEARN MORE? Visit BGCA.net/ProposedRequirements to learn more about this work and get involved.
WHEN WILL THESE BE VOTED ON? Proposed Constitution and membership requirement updates are included in the online Resource Center. However, only a portion – those related to safety and proposals with minimal impact on local operations – will be voted on in June and are marked accordingly within the documents as “Phase One Vote.” Other proposed changes that may have a greater impact on your time or resources are also included as initial proposals for your review, with a plan for a “Phase Two Vote” later in the year. These proposed membership requirements will be modified frequently based on what we hear from you. The feedback and input you provide means what you review in March, April or May will likely differ from what was shared in February.
HOW CAN I PROVIDE FEEDBACK? Your input and feedback on these proposed requirements are critical. Visit BGCA.net/ProposedRequirements for dates and times to join and shape the conversation via: • Area Council Town Hall meetings • Live webcasts • Suggestion Form You can also reach out directly to ProposedRequirements@BGCA.org.
WHO IS LEADING THIS EFFORT? Undertaking this work is nothing less than a Herculean effort and we thank the Affiliate Membership and Standards Committee, Affiliate Membership Task Force and National Area Council Committee for their ongoing leadership, support and partnership.
Continued on next page.
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Continued from page 23.
AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP TASK FORCE ROSTER: Gary Cain President/CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida Orlando, FL
Jennifer Helgeson CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Kentuckiana Louisville, KY
Tim McChristian Executive Director, Madison Square Boys & Girls Club New York, NY
Robert Santana CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast Santa Ana, CA
Carter Clark CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Crescent Region Columbia, SC
Oscar Hernandez CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Whittier Whittier, CA
Keva Scott, Ed. S. CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast Gulfport, MS
Jeremy Deming CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast Santa Maria, CA
Carrie Prudente Holden President/CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound Tacoma, WA
Hugh McLean Vice President of Operations, Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County Raleigh, NC
Brian Dennis CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County Billings, MT
Andrea Howard CEO, West End House Boys & Girls Club Allston, MA
Kim Evans CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of the CSRA Augusta, GA
Joe Hungler Executive Director, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell Lowell, MA
Ivan Gilreath CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands Omaha, NE
Jenny Krueger CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Texas Greenville, TX
Jef Goodnight CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Franklin-Simpson Franklin, KY
Mark Kuhnhausen Executive Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley Napa, CA
Samuel Gray CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford Hartford, CT
Mary Ann Mahon Huels President/CEO, Union League Boys & Girls Clubs Chicago, IL
Shari McDonough CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo Buffalo, NY The Honorable Douglas P. Miller Immediate Past Board Chair and NACC Vice-Chair, Boys & Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley Coachella, CA Jim Newland Board Member and NACC member, Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens Athens, GA Eldonta’ Osborne CPO, Boys & Girls Clubs of North Louisiana Ruston, LA Robyn Boshers Peery CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Maury County Columbia, TN
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Mark Sheehan Executive Director, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lynchburg Lynchburg, VA Daphne Barlow Stigliano CEO/President, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County Fort Worth, TX Maria Tarajano-Rodman Executive Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Farmington Farmington, NM John Wilson Executive Director, Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills Monrovia, CA Rebecca Wimmer CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire Sioux Falls, SD
CORPORATE PARTNER NEWS Bridgestone Retail Operations
Planet Fitness
Bridgestone Retail Operations has extended their national partnership with BGCA and the “Driving Great Futures” program for an additional two years, through 2021. In 2019, BSRO raised $4 million for the Movement, almost twice their previous total, which resulted in more than 120 grants awarded to local Clubs to purchase vehicles and cover other transportation costs. In 2019, BSRO funds helped over 60,000 youth get to the Club each day.
Judgement Free Generation® is Planet Fitness’ philanthropic initiative designed to combat judgement and bullying today’s youth face by creating a culture of kindness and encouragement. Together with BGCA, Planet Fitness aims to empower a generation to grow up contributing to a more judgement-free planet where everyone feels accepted. Planet Fitness is offering $5,000 scholarships to 30 deserving teens who model the judgement-free, pro-kindness, anti-bullying values they and BGCA stand for. While many scholarships only consider academics or athletics, this scholarship will be awarded to students passionate about spreading kindness and stopping bullying. Applications are due March 17.
Charles Schwab Foundation In early 2020, the brand-new enhanced Money Matters curriculum will be rolled out, tailored to requests provided by youth and Clubs! Look for announcements about when the new materials will be available on BGCA.net.
Ross
Comic Relief Comic Relief USA’s Red Nose Day campaign will be back in May 2020 with BGCA returning as a leading grantee partner of the national event. With a mission to end child poverty, Red Nose Day has positively impacted nearly 25 million children across the U.S. and around the world in its first five years. Money raised supports a range of programs that ensure children in need are safe, healthy and educated. Learn more by visiting rednoseday. org and look for more news about this year’s campaign.
Murphy USA We are excited to announce a new nationwide cause marketing partnership with Murphy USA that will involve a register roundup activation and a point-of-purchase donation opportunity. Murphy USA employees will also have the opportunity to engage with their local Club communities. Murphy USA CEO Andrew Clyde is also a proud alum of the Boys & Girls Club of El Dorado, AR and will join BGCA’s Southwest Board of Trustees this year. Murphy USA, headquartered in El Dorado, is the fifth largest convenience store chain and operates almost 1,500 locations nationwide.
Old Navy Old Navy’s ONward! community platform joined forces with Pixar/Disney’s movie “Onward” to unlock the magic in the next generation. Pixar hosted a group of budding artists at the studio’s campus and immersed them in “Onward.” At the end of the day, Club kids were tapped to design a collection of T-shirts for Old Navy representing the movie’s inspiring themes. Old Navy will carry the special collection in stores and online starting Feb. 10 in anticipation of the film’s March 6 release and donate $25,000 to the organization in honor of the partnership.
BGCA and Ross are once again partnering in February with their tremendous cause marketing campaign at more than 1,500 Ross Stores nationwide. February 1-23, Ross invites customers to donate at register to support Boys & Girls Clubs and help local kids learn. As national sponsor of Power Hour, Ross supports Club members by providing them with homework help, tutoring and high-yield learning activities.
Truist Foundation Since 2018, SunTrust Foundation, now Truist Foundation, has invested in Boys & Girls Clubs’ Workforce Development Effectiveness Project to position local Clubs as great places to explore careers and hone workforce skills. The project challenges Clubs to assess their workforce programming, participate in training focused on strategic organizational planning, draft goals and create action plans over a 10-month incubation period. This past August, the first cohort of 12 Clubs presented the story of their workforce program implementation and lessons learned to a panel of judges for the opportunity to receive additional funding for their programs. The second cohort embarked upon their developmental journey in November. For more information on Corporate Partnerships, please visit our partnership page on BGCA.org.
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BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q& &A Q: When it comes to changing membership requirements, how do we ensure we respect and retain our federated model?
Q: Why are Youth Development Institutes going away? What will replace them?
A: As you read on page 22, the Affiliate Membership Task Force, a group of nearly 30 Club leaders who represent a diverse group of organizations, and a committee of our National Board of Governors recommended revising and updating our Constitution and its membership requirements. Your input this year, combined with the efforts of these groups, will simplify, clarify, strengthen and ultimately modernize our requirements.
As a Movement, our federated model is a necessity to how we operate and is core to how this work is approached – from the group driving it, to weekly incorporation of Movement feedback, to a vote to move any proposed changes forward. The goal of these enhancements is not to change the governance structure between Clubs and BGCA, but to modernize standards that use ambiguous language and create clear, sustainable requirements. This work will also introduce a cadence of review to ensure these standards stay current and relevant moving forward. A portion of the updated Constitution and its requirements will come to a vote at the May 2020 National Council meeting. In the meantime, there are ample opportunities to provide input and learn more about these changes at BGCA.net/ProposedRequirements.
A: As mentioned in the Improving Program Quality section, Youth Development Institutes, or YDIs, will no longer be conducted by your national office; however, training events like these will be conducted locally, supported by the new National Trainers Initiative. This initiative embeds certified trainers in local organizations, allowing the certified trainer access to conduct numerous trainings. Your national office’s training team will provide support, resources and coaching to local trainers to conduct training events like YDI in your organizations and in collaboration with others. Key benefits for Clubs include more access to facilitators and trainings; more professional development opportunities; and enhanced facilitation techniques that increase organizational capacity, increase program quality and improve the Club Experience for youth and teens. Your national training team is committed to delivering accessible, enjoyable learning experiences for Club teams that are designed to maximize impact for your Club and members. If you are interested in becoming a certified trainer please email training@BGCA.org or visit BGCA.net/NTI. See page 13 for a list of trainers, and visit BGCA.net/NTI to bring a trainer to your organization.
This revision is being undertaken with care and respect for our federated model and asks that all of us be accountable partners when it comes to creating strong, safe Clubs.
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