Our Mission and Manifesto

Opening Doors to Great Futures

The National Association of Boys & Girls Clubs aims to reflect traditional values and contemporary delivery.

Mission Statement

To assist and support county organisations and local clubs to provide safe and exciting places for young people, where they can participate in a range of activities and develop their potential through a range of experiences.

Our Core Beliefs

By supporting member clubs and county organisations, together we will be able to provide young people with:

  • An attractive, affordable and planned programme of activities and events
  • A safe place to learn and grow
  • On-going voluntary relationships with local clubs and county organisations

Our Uniqueness

  • We encourage both single and mixed gender work believing there is value in both.
  • We promote and encourage club / building based youth work.
  • We promote and encourage activities as a tool for positive youth work.
  • There is commonality or uniformity in our work. We promote a common ethos, common set of values and common club based programmes across the country and into local Boys and Girls Clubs.
  • We respond to and support local need.
  • We value and seek to learn from our common history and heritage in the Boys & Girls Clubs movement.
  • We are a membership organisation.

Our Core Work

  • Working with and supporting the work of local county organisations or where there is no county organisation a local club who share our ethos, values and are committed to partnering with us in furthering club based work.
  • Providing a broad programme of activities in sport, the arts, outdoor activities, residential and challenge work that young people can take part in.
  • Helping volunteers through training, advice and general support services and being a voice for the voluntary Boys & Girls Clubs movement.
  • Encouraging links and building relationships at local, county, national and international levels.
  • Provide appropriate resources for developing and improving local, voluntary club based youth work.
  • Developing resources and programmes that will help to train future leaders.

YOUTH WORK MANIFESTO

Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.

We believe that every young person has the right to have a space to meet friends, find role models and mentors. To experience new things, grow confidence and resilience. Encouraging young people to grow mature and lead happy and successful lives making a positive contribution to society

We believe these spaces or groups are best provided by volunteers from their own communities through volunteer led clubs and volunteer organised local activities.

We believe that 65% of young people throughout the UK already benefit from the array of activities led by brilliant community volunteers

We believe that through all the various groups we work with, and the programmes we run over three-hundred thousand young people are benefitting by participating in activities led by around fifteen-thousand volunteers.

We believe that these community volunteers are extraordinary and inspirational in their investment of time, enthusiasms, dedication and passion.

We believe there is a need for equal investment in time, commitment, and enthusiasm from the statutory partners in supporting these outstanding volunteers and that statutory will commit to doing so.

We support low cost or free safe and accessible spaces for these activities to take place.

We believe in resourcing and equipping volunteers to carry out their work and to be able to recruit and retain other local volunteers to grow these groups.

We believe in enabling and empowering our volunteers rather than hampering them.

We believe in recognising, celebrating, encouraging and valuing by rewarding these voluntary efforts Nationally and locally.