Our Mission
The purpose of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland is to develop our community’s youth into positive contributors to society.
To accomplish its purpose, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland (BGCO) provides programs and services tailored to the special needs of today’s youth and supplementary to the endeavors of families, our schools, and other community-based organizations.
BGCO is an autonomous member of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the national youth development Movement which seeks to enable all young people, those who need us most in particular, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. To fulfill its local mission, BGCO delivers outcome-driven Club experiences and incorporates the Five Key Elements for Positive Youth Development — a safe, positive environment; fun; supportive relationships; opportunities and expectations; and recognition — into its service delivery system; ensures the delivery of high-yield activities and targeted programs; and increases the regular attendance, participation and retention of its registered student-members with emphasis on attracting and holding the interest of teens.
Continuing at the forefront of its field and endeavoring to deepen the impact of its youth development services, BGCO’s stretch goal continues as to engage and service the significant and changing needs of up to 4,000 youth toward our objective of engaging 10% of our Oakland Unified School District’s enrollment; then ensuring that each can read at grade level by third grade and graduates from high school on time. The organization’s near-term plans include helping our young people to safely navigate the COVID-19 pandemic while remaining on track academically.
Priority outcome objectives of our programs
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Increasing our high school graduation rate and total number of graduates.
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Engaging our youth as community citizens who model strong character.
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Helping youth to adopt healthy diets, practice healthy lifestyle choices, and make a lifelong commitment to fitness.
BGCO’s youth development strategy — since its 1938 chartering —is designed to instill senses of competence, usefulness, belonging, and power or influence in each participant. To those ends, and to instill a sense of responsibility in each child, we base our services on our national Movement’s philosophy, principles, and strategies which promote and enhance the development of children and youth ages 6 to 18.