Among the many points related to this issue are two I feel are key:

1. Staff
2. What program should be in place - what comes first

REGARDING STAFF
Carol makes the point about "seasoned" staff breaking in new hires and Chris points out being trained by experienced staff and working as a junior leader.

Many of the most productive, high quality youth development staff have grown up in the club. Observation says that still happens but significantly less than in the past. Can we expect that today? Faster changing world, differing views on "service" and work, money and more have had an impact. I believe if each club could focus on "key" staff placement and grow new hires from their membership as well as orient new staff out of college it might help. Some clubs (still) do that.

REGARDING PROGRAM
Most especially because of some many part-time, high turnover positions in youth development, I sould love to see the results of a national survey regarding some of the following. "What do staff know and when do they know it?"

What is a Program Philosophy? A set of belief’s you hold to be true about:
How you get kids into the Club
- Emphasize sports because our society does and kids will come
- Friends will accompany
- Offer a variety of other activities to involve all
- The need to know the kids
What to do after they are in the club:
- Caring and how one cares
- Listening - how to and why
- Fun Fun Fun
- Belief in “The B&GC Way” - even though there may be differences in belief about what "the way" is
- Reasonable, enforceable rules
- Program the “freedom of choice”
- Variety =
> Each age group has at least a choice of 2 activities every hour
> Game room is always open with a open with a well rounded program
> Each program area has variety of activities for each age group
> Successful and appealing programs should be repeated throughout the week
> Special Events interspersed throughout the program
> Need for Core Program with Nationally developed program supplementing
- Low Affordable Fee structure

- posted by Jack @ 7:42 AM

 
By way of encouraging participants, perhaps responding to one of these points may be a start:
- How does one determine the number of choices each kid should have at the club?
- What should be in place, never threatened by potential lose of special funding?
- What fundamental program activities should all staff be prepared to conduct?
- ???
- posted by Jack @ 7:34 AM

 
Core Program expertise seems to be slacking in clubs. It's a perception based on observation. Comment here may build a bit of a consensus of thought and good practice.
- posted by Jack @ 4:56 PM