Youth Development
Youth Development Perspective
At the BMCYF our goal is to provide a safe, comfortable, and creative environment in which youth have the opportunity and support to develop self-efficacy, initiative, and a variety of life skills. We believe that each and every child is an asset to our community and should be able to count on all of us to help them grow and thrive. Youth development research describes successful programs in this way, “The atmosphere in these programs resembles that in a caring family, where knowledgeable and supportive adults empower adolescents to develop their competencies. Like successful families, these programs create physically and psychologically safe places with a strong sense of membership, commitment, explicit rules and responsibilities, and expectations for adolescents’ success”(Roth and Brooks-Gunn, 2003). At the BMCYF, we embrace this community-based perspective of youth development.
Our approach is based on a relaxed, family-style environment which includes: home-cooked organic meals, positive physical activities, peer and mentor discussions and games, art, crafts, music, cooking, cleaning, gardening, and storytelling. We regularly host celebrations and community events from birthday parties to art shows. Our youth program offers workshops of all kinds as well as curriculum-based sessions in adolescent development, sex education, substance abuse awareness, healthy relationships and goal-setting.
The BMCYF strives to support the whole child, by supporting the whole family and the whole community. Play your part- and join us at the BMCYF.