November 10, 2005 | Read Time: 1 minute
Beyond Safe Havens: A Synthesis of 20 Years of Research on the Boys & Girls Clubs, by Amy J.A. Arbreton, Jessica Sheldon, and Carla Herrera, assesses the impact of the clubs on young people over the last two decades. The report examines not only how well they have achieved their stated goals, such as reducing drug use and increasing academic achievement, but also looks at the additional benefits and positive experiences the clubs have offered participants. According to the report, which was produced by Public/Private Ventures, a nonprofit organization, many club members and alumni have said they learned to get along more easily with others, developed a commitment to leadership and community service, and felt a sense of belonging and empowerment as a result of their participation. Reasons for the clubs’ success include their investment in cultivating caring relationships between young people and employees, shaping programs that would appeal to young people, and collaborating with other organizations, such as schools and police departments. Turnover among staff members, meanwhile, has sometimes hindered the clubs’ ability to offer high-quality programs, the report says.
Publisher: Public/Private Ventures, 2000 Market Street, Suite 600, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103; (215) 557-4411; fax (215) 557-4469; http://www.ppv.org; 36 pages; $2 or free for download on the publisher’s Web site.
