A Boys & Girls Club positively impacts youth from the moment they enter the door. What happens for youth inside a Club – building relationships with staff, participating in fun and engaging programs, learning important skills, making new friends, developing their talents – is referred to as the Club Experience. The Club Experience consists of five key elements. The first element, a safe, positive environment, sets the foundation for life-changing youth development work. The next key element, fun and a sense of belonging keep youth engaged. The last three elements – supportive relationships, opportunities and expectations, and recognition – help transform time spent at the Club into experiences that change young lives.

 

These key elements are the driving force behind Boys & Girls Clubs’ research-informed theory of change, called the Formula for Impact. Our formula explains how our Clubs help youth achieve critical outcomes.