We often say that whether in our 12 neighbourhood Clubs or at Camp Potlatch, our most important deliverable is belonging. Today’s alumni story highlights that from a Camp Potlatch alumnus’ perspective. What youth volunteers don’t realize (and, well, let’s keep it our little secret) is that for BGC, our role with them doesn’t change because…
DetailsToday’s alumni story highlights, as have the previous 3, what happens for kids when they have a place in their community where adult leaders (a.k.a. mentors and role models) see and hear them, and accept them for who they are. As BGC kids maneuver through their school age years, their Club is the place to…
Details
As we celebrate 80 years of Boys and Girls Clubs here in South Coast BC, we’re sharing the incredible stories of alumni. If you know me well, you’ve probably heard me say: repetition is the key to adult learning. So, as you read these stories, I’ll repeat BGC’s core belief: “every kid is amazing…no might’’,…
DetailsHi All, There is no better evidence that #BGCMatters than community leaders like Barry Scott, President of Maynards Fine Art and Antiques, who remember how their experiences at BGC have shaped their lives. Read below for his full story. Do you have a BGC story to tell? We’d love to hear it! My involvement with…
Details
Hi there! As an alumnus of Boys and Girls Clubs, you know what the experience of belonging is all about. Organizations like ours routinely list all of our programs, services, and activities in an effort to explain why we’ve relevant and important. But, you know our secret: those programs, services and activities are in fact,…
DetailsHi there! Recently, I was asked this question: In one word, can you describe what Boys and Girls Clubs does? My answer: belonging. Why? Well, our belief that every kid is amazing plays out every single day at BGC. And “every single day” goes waaaayyyy back to 1936… which is A LOT of days! At…
Details
Hi All, Here at BGC, volunteerism is thriving. From ages 12 to 92, alone and in groups, volunteers of all ages make up the more than 1,000 people that choose to spend their discretionary time volunteering to help our amazing kids. We are celebrating them this week especially, because without their support, we’d be reaching…
DetailsHi All, A week after our 9th Pink Shirt Day campaign, I’m happy to reflect back on both this year, and how far we’ve come. In media interviews and on street corners on the morning of Pink Shirt Day, I found myself answering these curious questions: Do you really think this campaign is making a…
Details
A few short years ago, a group of 300 Karen refugees from Burma settled in a housing complex across the street from our Langley Club, arriving with little more than the clothes on their backs. 80 kids flooded into our already bustling Club, first simply discovering a safe place to play. They, along with their…
DetailsAt BGC, we recognize that bullying, regardless of whether it’s physical, verbal, written, or online, has long-term negative impacts for everyone involved – the targets of bullying, the witnesses, and the bullies themselves. We also know that there are constructive ways for kids to develop skills to prevent bullying and to thrive, and that by…
Details