Safety and Inclusion

Safety is Our Number One Priority

The top priority for Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego is the safety and protection of children. We tirelessly work to uphold a secure environment for young individuals. Our organization has implemented various policies and procedures to ensure the safety of the children under our care.

We enforce the following safety measures to provide a safe environment:

Safety Policies

We maintain comprehensive safety policies that protect youth, including but not limited to policies on supervision, transportation, communication, and prohibition of one-on-one contact.

Staff Training

Ongoing training and supervision of staff are critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training through online courses, seminars, conferences and webinars. We also collaborate with outside safety experts on training, policies, approaches, and resources. 

Background Checks

We perform mandatory, comprehensive criminal background checks on all potential employees and volunteers, including a search of the National Sex Offender Database. In addition, these background checks are conducted annually on all staff and volunteers.  

Drug Screening

All prospective employees must pass a pre-employment drug screening. 

Incident Reporting

Staff and volunteers are required to immediately report and document all safety incidents that affect staff, volunteers, members and others who visit our Clubhouses. Additionally, all critical incidents are reported immediately to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Child Abuse Prevention

All employees and volunteers are mandated to report any reasonable suspicion of child abuse or potential criminal matter to law enforcement. All employees and volunteers attend annual training on child abuse prevention, reporting requirements and procedures.

Annual Safety Assessments

We complete a mandatory annual safety assessment at all of our Club locations to ensure we continually make improvements to safety at our Clubs.

Safety Committee

As part of our Board-led Club Experience and Safety Committee, we have an ongoing focus on safety, elevating it to the highest level of governance. 

Reference Requirement

Any employee candidate with current or previous employment at another Boys & Girls Club, MUST have a reference from that Club prior to being hired. 
24-hour Toll-free

Child Safety Hotline

866-607-SAFE (7233)

SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com

We encourage all staff, members, and families to report any incident or situation they feel is unsafe. Through our national partnership with Praesidium, one of the nation’s leading safety experts, Boys & Girls Clubs members and staff have access to a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline.

At the national level, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has a dedicated Child and Club Safety Team and an extended field staff supporting local Clubs and members. They continually update and provide robust safety policies, programs, and training for local Club staff that are designed to protect young people from threats that are present in our society. Boys & Girls Clubs of America has also partnered with RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), a leading expert in child safety, to provide immediate support and guidance to Clubs. 

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Club teens are more likely to abstain from health-risk behaviors like alcohol and smoking than their peers nationally.*

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Clubs provide safety, mentorship and a sense of community during the critical out-of-school hours. 91% of Club members say adults encourage them to make positive choices.*

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Clubs help build a sense of civic responsibility and leadership. In fact, 82% of Club members believe they can make a difference in their community and 88% stand up for what they think is right.*

*2022 Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Youth Outcomes Initiative Member Survey

For additional information on our safety policies please email us an inquiry to info@bgcGreaterTogether.org

Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has advocated the passage of the U.S. PROTECT Act, which improved background screening systems and access. The national organization has also partnered with the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the Centers for Disease Control to contribute to the development of safety practices that benefit ALL youth-serving organizations. 

 Supportive Spaces for All 

Our Commitment to Inclusion 

If we are open to learning more about each other, we can do more together. At Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego, we cultivate a safe and inclusive environment in which our members and staff feel valued and free to be their authentic selves. We believe in great futures for youth and welcome all races, sexual orientations, ethnicities, identities, religions, and abilities. 

Transgender and Gender non-conforming Youth

Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego follows the guidelines set out by Boys & Girls Clubs of America and our local school districts with whom we partner. For more guidelines and information regarding transgender and gender non-conforming youth, please visit the links below: 

BGCA LGBTQ Inclusion Initiative
District Non-Discrimination Policies
San Dieguito Union High School District Statement on Rights of Transgender Students