Our New Future Ready Initiative
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County
- May 16
- 3 min read
At our Elegant Night Gala this year, we excitedly announced our new Future Ready initiative, a nationwide effort across all Boys & Girls Clubs to further enhance our programming to ensure our members are equipped to navigate adulthood and pursue a fulfilling and economically viable career path. Below is a little further context on this initiative.
As an organization, Boys & Girls Clubs is over 160 years old and Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County (BGCWC) is over 60 years old. And a lot has changed in that time. Today, the pace of that change is accelerating. Keeping up and catching up are not enough. To stay relevant, we have to stay ahead, which will take vision, connection, and collaboration.
In 2023, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) convened a National Planning Commission of more than 40 local Boys & Girls Club leaders. Together, they spent more than a year digging into data; learning from kids, teens, caregivers and staff; discussing
industry trends; reviewing Club insights; and engaging with a broad and diverse cross-section of stakeholders to gather feedback and devise a shared strategic direction for staying ahead. The result was a new, nationwide strategic direction and set of strategic priorities that includes, among other initiatives, the addition of a 4th priority-outcome goal within our Formula for Impact: To ensure our members are life and workforce ready.
In parallel path to the work the National Planning Commission was doing, in 2024 BGCWC also conducted its own strategic planning and coincidentally (or perhaps not so coincidentally), our resulting strategic priorities and those of the Future Ready Initiative are closely aligned. They include:
Organizational Strength and Sustainability--We are focused on strong financial health, sound governance and sustainable business practices that promote growth and innovation.
Impactful Youth & Teen Programming--Our continued core focus is to ensure we deliver high-quality practices and intentional learning experiences to every club member, every day, building skills and providing experiences that lead to positive outcomes (our four priority outcomes).
Talent--We are focused on our culture and our employee (and volunteer) value proposition to attract, retain and develop diverse, transformational leaders at all levels—and be a preferred employer within the region.
Why Future Ready?
It’s a tough world out there. It’s no secret that kids and teens today – as in every generation– face a myriad of challenges. One in six lives in a household below the poverty line. Many are falling behind in basic academic disciplines such as reading and math. Emotional and mental health issues are pervasive, affecting young people across all demographic boundaries. College enrollments are down, and many teens are seeking a sense of purpose and direction as they transition into early adulthood.
Demand for services is increasing. Meanwhile, we know parents and caregivers want solutions, as their own lives become ever more complex. Many are looking for suitable out-of-school-time opportunities and finding few options. In many communities, afterschool programs are fully enrolled, with long waiting lists. In other places, they’re simply too expensive. Teens are looking for solutions, too. They want exposure to jobs and careers, and guidance to prepare them for a rapidly evolving workplace. They want opportunities to lead and to serve. They want to raise their voices on issues they care about – and to have fun with their friends, in a place where they know they will be accepted and supported.
Boys & Girls Clubs is positioned to lead. There’s a reason young people want to come to our Clubs – and parents want to send them. Boys & Girls Clubs has a proven blueprint for helping kids and teens build a path to success after high school. We provide safe, inclusive learning environments staffed by caring adult mentors. We offer high-quality, evidence-informed programming that supports young people’s aspirations and helps them find their unique voice. We cultivate purpose and ambition, enable outcomes and speak up for young people. We change lives.
Why Now?
The need for Boys & Girls Clubs has never been greater. In every part of every state, Boys & Girls Clubs are seeing a surge of unmet demand for out-of-school-time resources.
Over the last 60 years, BGCWC has steadfastly charted a constructive path forward. We’ve innovated and adapted, reimagining ourselves and anticipating the needs of young people. In the communities we serve throughout Weld and Morgan counties, we have stood as a strong voice and a reassuring presence, trusted and relied upon to inspire greatness in the next generation and beyond.
In that spirit, we invite you to join us (if you haven’t already) in supporting this initiative, as a critical component to our sustainability and ability to grow will always be financial resources.
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