in these hands - Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston

“My grandfather signed me up at the club when i was 7 years
old. i live with him and my 13-year-old brother. Krishna is my
mentor here at the charlestown club. i can tell her anything.
it’s different from talking with my grandfather because she’s
not in my family and, as a woman, i can talk with her about
more things. she’s just always been there for me.”
– Kaitrin, age 16
boys & girls clubs of boston 2008 annual report page 7
Every young person needs guidance at one time or another.
our members tell us through annual surveys that having a
caring staff person whom they trust, and with whom they
can confide, is one of the most important benefits of club
membership. this year, we formalized a mentoring initiative
to provide meaningful one-on-one relationships with caring
adult role models to our members who need it most: pre-teens
and teens.
Life After the Club Mentoring
the transition from “club kid” to college student or full-time
employee can be so difficult for some of our members that
they lose sight of their goals. the life after the club program
aims to provide club members, who are high school juniors
and seniors, with individual attention and guidance to ensure
post-high school success. staff throughout the clubs are paired
as a mentor with a teen club member. staff conduct mock job
interviews, help with college essays, and organize events with
alumni and guest speakers from the corporate community or
higher education. Most important, the program helps keep
teens coming to the club, where they know someone is always
available to help. nearly 100 teens across our five free-standing
clubs participated in the program during 2008.
Invest in a Child Mentoring
outside the club, the pre-teen and teen years can be
filled with uncertainty and risk. these first experiences
with independence can lead to negative behaviors that
can derail a young person’s future. even the transition
within the club from the children’s area to the teen center
can be overwhelming for some members. a new grant
from the Massachusetts service alliance and a partnership
with Mass Mentoring are bringing caring volunteers into the
clubs to work with our teen population, with an emphasis
on members ages 10-14. following thorough background
screenings, volunteer mentors undergo professional training
and meet weekly with members. the focus of these meetings
is academic progress, early college-prep, building consistent
relationships with adults, and creating deeper engagement
in the clubs.
86%
of female Club members say
they learned about healthy
ChoiCes at the Club.
bgcb offers innoVatiVe prograMs to
Help girls anD young WoMen DeVelop
tHe qualities neeDeD to leaD HealtHy
liVes anD becoMe responsible citizens.
prograMs incluDe strong WoMen,
strong girls; girls’ nigHt; baby tHinK
it oVer; girls’ group; young WoMen’s
Wellness initiatiVe; anD More.