Program areas at Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Virginia
With a belief that all children deserve opportunities for an education and to succeed, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia offers 40 to 60 programs to children ages 5 to 18 that promote academic success, healthy lifestyles, and good character and citizenship. Club programs include high-yield activities in five core areas: character and leadership development; health and life skills; education, technology, and career development; the arts; and sports, fitness, and recreation. High quality programs, combined with affordability and accessibility, are the club'Clubs's most effective strategies in reaching populations experiencing disadvantages. The club is open during critical out-of-school-times, including every day after school, all day during the summer, most school breaks, and selected evenings and weekends. To promote access to kids who need us most, club membership fees to families are only $15 to $150 annually and represent less than 2% of the organization's revenue. In fiscal year 2022, at least 77% of the club'Clubs's registered members qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, 52% lived in single-parent households, and 70% represented minority races or ethnicities. After a year of modified program operations due to covid-19, fiscal year 2022 marked the return to traditional, in-person after-school and summer club programs that address the increased academic and social-emotional needs of children. Program highlights include: summer reading, a rising 1st through 4th grade curriculum designed to maintain or improve literacy comprehension skills; wellness ambassadors, which provides staff at each club with skills to support and lead social-emotional wellness programs; career launch, a teen program that includes career chats with local professionals and visits to local colleges and universities; and weekly stem and arts programs. Through both these and many other enrichment programs, club members across the organization completed a collective 55,893 hours of academic success programs, 48,350 hours of healthy lifestyles programs, and 3,181 hours of good character and citizenship programs. In addition to producing measurable results, club programs promote the development of young people by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging, and influence. The club provides all young people, regardless of circumstances, with opportunities for a bright future. Along with a return to traditional programs, fiscal year 2022 included the celebration of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia's 30th anniversary. Since 1992, the organization has grown from one club serving 50 youth to six Clubs serving approximately 2,000 children and families. To commemorate the milestone, members participated in a series of fun challenges, including reading 30 books, moving 30 miles, and performing 30 acts of community service, that align with the club'Clubs's three priority outcomes. One of the organization's top priorities continues to be increasing and strengthening its diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. In fiscal year 2022, the club successfully launched a living wage initiative, providing all staff with at least $15 per hour. According to local data, increasing wages is among the most effective and efficient ways to promote equity across the community. Additionally, the living wage initiative impacts program quality. Attracting and retaining high quality staff, the club'Clubs's living wage initiative communicates to staff how highly they are valued and models an equitable system for youth. Bgccva's goal is to expand and fully sustain the living wage initiative long-term. In that effort, the club broadly communicates its importance with community partners, individuals, foundations, businesses, and government sources to leverage additional support. By aligning the organization's mission with its practices, the club can be more representative of the populations it serves and improve program quality. Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia is committed to continuous quality improvement. As a reflection of this commitment, the organization engaged an outside audit firm to conduct a cybersecurity audit scheduled to be completed in october of fiscal year 2023.