Programs

The programs of Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco (BGCSF) impact the lives of young people by helping them to develop the values, skills, attitudes, character and behavior that enable them to succeed in life. So when youth leave the Club at age 18, they are “future ready,” with the ability to make positive choices and lead a self-sufficient life.

As funding in the schools is cut, many critical developmental programs can be found only at a Boys & Girls Club. For at-risk youth, access to these activities can mean the difference between a life of bad choices and a life of positive achievement.

Our Core Areas

Character and Leadership Development empowers youth to support and influence their Club and community, sustain meaningful relationships with others, develop a positive self-image, participate in the democratic process and respect their own and other's cultural identities. Clubhouse programs include: Youth of the Year, Keystone Club, Torch Club and Community Service.

Educational and Career Development enables youth to become proficient in basic educational disciplines and apply that learning to achieve success in their future educational and career endeavors. Clubhouse programs include: Power Hour Homework Assistance, Tutoring, Career & College Prep, Money Matters, Technology Centers, Math/Sciences and Literacy, Achievement Matters, and more.

Health and Life Skills develops young people’s capacity to engage in positive behaviors that nurture their own well-being, set personal goals and live successfully as self-sufficient adults. Clubhouse programs include: SMART Moves, SMART Girls, Passport to Manhood, behavioral health services, healthy eating programs, dental and health screening, and much more.

The Arts enables youth to develop their creativity and cultural awareness through knowledge and appreciation of the visual arts, crafts, performing arts and creative writing. Clubhouse programs include: National Fine Arts Contest/Art Show, National Photography Contest, Creative Writing, Poetry and Performing Arts.

Sports, Fitness and Recreation develops fitness, positive use of leisure time, skills for stress management, teamwork, appreciation for the environment and social skills. Clubhouse programs include: Citywide Sports leagues, swimming, and non-traditional and non-competitive sports such as Judo.

Facilities

We build our facilities and design our programs so that anyone, regardless of the options available to them, would send their kids to our Clubs. We believe our members deserve the best possible spaces to learn and grow—spaces that make them feel like the most valued and special people in the world. 

If you are a youth-serving organization or local non-profit interested in renting our facilities, please review and fill out our Facility Usage Agreement.  Available spaces include: competition-sized pool; craft shop; baseball field; arts room; and play yard. Please call (415) 445-5481 for additional information.

Membership

How to Join

Membership is open to all youth between the ages of six to 18. To become a member, download our membership application in English, Chinese or Spanish (please note: application is a PDF and requires Adobe’s Acrobat Reader to view).  When finished, please return it to the Clubhouse you wish to join.  Or, visit any of our Clubhouses to complete an application in person and sign up for an orientation. Members will then receive a membership card valid at any of our nine Clubhouses citywide. Cost: $10.00/Year.  Click here to read our Fall 2010 Clubhouse Flyer.

Join Our Clubs Today!

Open every day after school, on Saturdays, and during most school holidays, our Clubs provide high-quality staff, programs and facilities in an environment that promotes respect, responsibility and fun. To find the Club nearest you, click here.

Open Door Policy

Members have access to all locations and activities during hours of operation and are free to come and go as they please. Although all of our Clubhouses are fully-staffed with trained professionals and our Club members are constantly supervised, we assume no responsibility for any members who choose to leave the facility.

Hours of Operation

Clubs are open Monday through Friday during after school and evening hours and most of our Clubs are open on Saturdays. When school is closed, Clubs are open extended hours. Many of our Teen Centers are open late night hours and offer Friday Night Teen time. During the summer, regular program hours are 10 a.m. 6 p.m. daily, with early bird drop offs available at select Clubhouses. There is no Saturday programming offered over the summer months. Check your local Club for specific hours of operation.

Summer Programs

Our summer experience includes access to all nine Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco Clubhouses, free lunch and participation in fun-filled programs in our five core areas plus favorite activities like field trips, swimming and sailing. Also, youth can enjoy a 10-day camp experience at Camp Mendocino, our residential summer Camp. There is an additional fee to attend Camp. Scholarships are also available.  Cick here to read our Summer 2010 Clubhouse Flyer.

What We Offer

*Check with your local club to find out what programs are available in your neighborhood.

For more information, please contact Calen Perkins at 415-445-5481.

Camp Mendocino

We have been in continuous operation for over 75 years serving children primarily from the Bay Area as well as children from all over the West Coast. There are six 10-day sessions (June 24-August 19) during the summer serving 155 campers per session ages 8-14. Our campers learn respect for others and themselves while gaining character and leadership skills. The camp is owned and operated by Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco, which serves more than 1,350 youth everyday in the summer at nine neighborhood based Clubhouses in San Francisco. Visit the Camp Mendocino website for more information.

 

Project Discover

Due to the economic climate, the summer 2009 session of Project Discover has been cancelled. We hope to bring back this cornerstone program in the future. To find out about other educational programs this summer, please contact Spencer Tolliver at stolliver@kidsclub.org. 

Overview

An educational program of Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco, Project Discover offers a summer academic program for motivated elementary school-aged Boys & Girls Club members (3rd-6th grade). Project Discover is a six-week academic summer camp, with tutoring support provided throughout the school year at the Discoverer’s local Clubhouse. Project Discover strives to instill a love of learning in each Discoverer. The program’s goal is to help students reach their academic potential and succeed in school, continue on to college and be prepared for the workforce.

Beginning in June, Project Discover offers a six-week summer program. Mornings are spent building academic skills through fun, hands-on activities. In the afternoons, we offer cultural enrichment activities, as well as sports and recreation. A school bus picks up students at their local Boys & Girls Club in the morning and drops them off in the afternoon.

Curriculum

Each summer we focus on one overall theme such as Journeys, Patterns, Transformations, or Systems - to help students develop skills in:

• Language arts
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies
• Computers

Project Discover's curriculum uses a creative, hands-on, experiential approach. Classroom activities include:

• making maps
• analyzing novels
• constructing timelines
• designing and building model inventions
• drawing self-portraits
• debating community issues
• reading and writing poetry
• learning to use computers

Applications for Children's Enrollment

Members are selected to participate in the program based on participation in Learning Center programs at each Clubhouse, a teacher's recommendation and good grade-level standing. Each Project Discover classroom of approximately 25 students has a team of three teachers, including two co-teachers and an apprentice teacher. Once your child is invited to participate in Project Discover, she/he may return without reapplying until she/he has completed 6th grade.

Citywide Services

BGCSF Citywide Services allow youth the opportunity to access a larger network of programs and facilities through our coordination across our nine Clubhouses. Many of our Citywide Services provide valuable support to the community while maximizing opportunities in areas like sports, youth employment, health, and mentoring services.

Teen Programming

Teen programing offers-age appropriate activities such as scholarship programs, community service opportunities, apprenticeships, skills assessments, leadership opportunities, and college tours. Teen Centers provide a safe and engaging space for Club members (13 and over) and are open extended hours each day as well as Friday nights. It is our intention that youth be engaged in positive activities during these critical hours. Other programs include Council for Unity and Gang Prevention and Intervention services. Learn More.

Club Health

Club Health promotes healthy habits through cooking and gardening programs, non-traditional sports, life skills groups, and referrals to health services. In addition, our members benefit from a full array of behavioral health services that provides individual and family therapy as well as trauma interventions and grief process groups. By providing mental health support in the facilities where youth naturally congregate, we decrease the stigma and increase access to mental health services for our members. Our Clubhouses strive to be the healthiest place in each neighborhood we serve. 

Club Sports

Club Sports increases the quality and quantity of sports programming, emphasizing personal development and positive growth. Through citywide leagues, BGCSF provides thousands of youth with organized sports programs and league play, as well as clinics and camps. 

Camp Mendocino

Camp Mendocino offers a creative, fun and supportive outdoor experience in a safe environment for campers ages 8 to 14 and teen staff ages 15 to 17. Being away from home for 10 days builds the self-esteem and confidence of our young people. They learn respect for others and themselves, as well as gain character and leadership skills. Located in a beautiful redwood forest, our Camp offers young people a unique environment outside of the city. Through our outdoor programs like nature, hiking and L.I.F.E (Living In a Forest Environment), children are taught respect and appreciation for the natural environment. Learn More.

Project Discover

Project Discover offers a tuition-free high-end academic program for motivated Boys & Girls Club members (3rd-6th grade). Project Discover begins with a six-week academic summer program, followed by nine-months of tutoring and academic support during the school-year. Project Discover's exciting year-round program includes weekly tutoring, monthly field trips, workshops and special events. The goal of this incredible program is to encourage a love of learning and lay a foundation that will empower its members to succeed throughout their academic career and eventually be prepared to excel in the workforce. Due to the economic climate, the summer 2009 session of Project Discover has been cancelled. We hope to bring back this cornerstone program in the future. Learn More.