Boys and Girls Club

Having done volunteer working with the Boys and Girls Club in the past through MOVE, I very much appreciate their overall mission.

Their mission, "To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens."- Boys and Girls Club of America

This is something I am greatly interested in, as I want to be able to provide mentorship to the youth of the world, but in a way that is due to building strong relationships.This can be seen through all of the staff at the Boys and Girls club, as through both their general philosophy, and my experience with the club, they tend to hire dedicated individuals that want to shape the world in a positive way. In fact the first Boys Club was started in 1860 by three women that believed the boys in their community deserved a safe alternative to roaming the streets and causing trouble. They focused on character building, and used a socially scientific system to promote development towards a successful, productive, future. This is reflected in the Boys and Girls Club code:

"I believe in God and the right to worship according to my own faith and religion.

I believe in America and the American way of life…in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

I believe in fair play, honesty and sportsmanship.

I believe in my Boys & Girls Club, which stands for these things."

The ideals enumerated in this code are reflected in all of the programs that the club provides. They run the gamut, from programs to develop character and leadership through service, to providing extra help in education and preparing students for college or other future endeavors, developing into responsible young men and women, learning safe internet usage and how to build healthy relationships, teaching various forms of artistic expression, such as drama or fine arts, and providing opportunities for sports and other forms of recreation. There are a great deal of experiences provided to the youth of any community.

The breadth of the Boys and Girls club spreads across the nation, serving more than 1,140 independent organizations that in turn serve over 4,100 different locations, all under the blanket organization of the Boys and Girls Club. There is a large diversity in both the age and ethnicity of the youth that are served by the Boys and Girls Club.

All in all, the Boys and Girls Club is definitely a place I could see myself working. I greatly enjoy all of the possible ways in which I could connect with a multitude of people, and it also would give me a chance to be greatly involved in my community, something I am always looking to do. I would still be able to live my own life, while providing necessary experiences for those who wish to gain them, and that is a good thing to do.