Child Safety is Job #1

Ensuring the safety of children is fundamental to the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs.

Safety is Our Number One Priority

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Holyoke, there is nothing more important than the safety of our youth members. We work every day to create a safe, fun environment, so kids can have every opportunity to be successful in life.

We do not tolerate inappropriate behavior of any kind, including child sexual abuse or misconduct. From strict adherence to policies and guidelines within Club facilities and staffing structure, to equipping young people with the critical thinking and social-emotional skills to make healthy, safe choices, ensuring Club members are safe is the first step to their success. We comply with federal, state and local safety laws, including those impacting facilities and vehicles.

For the over 3,000 young people who enter the doors of a Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke each year, Clubs offer safe, inclusive spaces and experiences that empower members’ learning and growth. Our data shows our approach works:

Club teens are more likely to abstain from health-risk behaviors like alcohol and smoking than their peers nationally.*		Clubs provide safety, mentorship and a sense of community during the critical out-of-school hours. 54% of Club alumni said the Club “saved my life."**
Clubs help build a sense of civic responsibility and leadership. In fact, 83% of Club members believe they can make a difference in their communities and 89% stand up for what they think is right.*

Culture of Safety: The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke continually updates robust safety policies, programs and training for our staff and volunteers that are designed to promote child safety and protect young people from threats that are present in our society. We implement layers of safety policies and guidelines to keep our kids safe including:

• Monthly Fire Drills
• Lockdown & Shelf-In-Place Procedures
• State and National: Criminal Offender Record information (CORI) & Sexual Offender Record information (SORI) & First Advantage
• Facility cameras in select locations covering program rooms, doors and hallways