Programs

For over 70 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego has been serving children and youth from infants to age eighteen, especially reaching out to kids in need of a safe, positive, and fun place to go after school. We strive to serve more than 25,000 youth and their families each year with our after school and day camp programs which focus on these "5 Core Areas”:

Character/Leadership Development
Education/Career Development
Health/Life Skills
The Arts
Sports/Fitness/Recreation

We also offer competitive youth sports leagues and many of our sites.

Through after school programs and day camps (during school holidays and the summer), the Boys & Girls Clubs’ purpose is to promote the social, emotional, mental, and physical development of boys and girls during critical periods of their growth. With a staff of more than 160, we operate 13 facilities and 4 middle school site programs that span a geographic area of over 2,000 square miles from Borrego Springs to National City. Check out our after school programs, day camp, or youth sports leagues.

We are guided by our five Key Elements of youth development. They are:

• Safe, Positive Environment - The Club should be an age-appropriate place of physical and emotional safety and stability for our Club members where they have structure and clearly defined boundaries.

• Fun - The Club should be a place where youth can build strong, positive connections with adult role models and their peers. The Staff members make the Club feel like a home where the members can be free to be themselves and enjoy being kids.

• Supportive Relationships - The Club youth should develop meaningful relationships with peers and adults. Staff members display warmth, caring, appreciation, acceptance, and guidance with members.

• Opportunities and Expectations - Club youth acquire physical, social, technological, artistic, and life skills at the Club. Staff members encourage members to develop a moral character and reinforce high expectations.

• Recognition - Club Staff recognize and support youth's self-worth and accomplishments. The Club showcases members' achievements on a regular basis.

With these five elements and our mission statement in hand, we work ensure that every youth entering our buildings feels like they belong, that they are useful, that they have a voice we will listen to, and that they are competent in their life endeavors. Boys & Girls Clubs are unique places for kids and teens in that they are building centered, they are safe and affordable for all young people all year long, and the Club is lead by paid, well-trained Youth Development Professionals with a passion for serving youth.