Boys & Girls Club of Billings & Yellowstone County

Description

Because many of Billings' children live in single-parent or two-job families, they often have unsupervised time on their hands and few positive places to go. The Boys & Girls Club is working to decrease this problem by offering youth a safe place to go and structured, productive activities to do; a positive place with caring adults following the youth development strategy: Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling: A Sense of Competence: the feeling there is something boys and girls can do and do well A Sense of Usefulness: the opportunity to do something of value for other people A Sense of Belonging: a setting where an individual knows he or she has a place and where he or she "fits" and is accepted A Sense of Power or Influence: a chance to be heard and to influence decisions When this strategy is fully implemented, the self-esteem of girls and boys is enhanced and an environment is created which helps them achieve their full potential.