The mission of the Boys & Girls Club of Joplin is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as caring, responsible and productive citizens.
Boys & Girls Club of Southwest (Club) is a nonprofit organization that serves youth ages 6-18 through afterschool and summer programs. There are six full-time managers who oversee operations and 60 part-time employees who work directly with the youth at our Joplin facility and three school-based sites in Webb City, MO. The Club serves an average of 410 members (215 in Joplin and 193 in Webb City) each night throughout the school year. The After School Program is held Monday through Friday, 2:30 pm – 7:00 p.m. in Joplin and 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm in Webb City. The Summer Program is held weekdays from 7am – 6pm. While at the Boys & Girls Club, members receive help with their homework, access to a fully equipped computer lab, the opportunity to participate in gym activities and recreation time, life skills training, as well as the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with professional staff and other Club members. In addition to the educational and recreational opportunities that we provide, we serve all members a fully balanced dinner every evening during the after school program and a nutritious breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack during the summer program. Each day at the Boys & Girls Club, our members rotate through a core set of programs that focus on academic success, health & life skills, the arts, character & leadership, as well as sports & recreation. We also operate our program during Christmas Break, Spring Break, and snow day.
The Safety and Wellbeing of Young People is Our Number One Priority
We work every day to create a safe, fun environment so kids can have every opportunity to be successful in life. We have ZERO tolerance for inappropriate behavior of any kind, including child sexual abuse or misconduct, and we put resources behind that stance.
Culture of Safety: Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri continually updates robust safety policies, programs and training for our staff and volunteers that are designed to promote child safety and protect young people from threats that are present in our society. We implement layers of safety policies and guidelines to keep our kids safe including:
Safety Policies: Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect youth – including, but not limited to, supervision, transportation, communication and prohibiting private one-on-one contact.
24-hour Toll-free Child Safety Hotline: 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 Club of Southwest Missouri’s members and staff have access to a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 866-607-SAFE (7233) or email SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com.
Mandatory Background Checks: Mandatory criminal background checks are required every year for every staff and board member at Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri. In addition, criminal background checks are required for any volunteer who has direct contact with children. All potential employees and volunteers are also run through the National Sex Offender Registry.
Required Immediate Reporting: Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri staff and volunteers are all mandated reporters. We are required to report any critical incident/safety concern to local authorities immediately. We are also required to report any critical incident to Boys & Girls Clubs of America within 24 hours.
Mandatory Annual Safety Assessments: We complete a safety assessment each year to ensure we continually make improvements to safety at our Club(s).
Safety Trainings: Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training conducted such as attending BGCA conferences, webinars and a semi-annual safety trainings. We also engage leading third-party safety experts to provide guidance for our policies and approaches, including Praesidium, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the National Children’s Advocacy Center.
Safety Committee: Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Priorities and initiatives include:
Mandatory Employee Reference: Any employee interested in moving to another Boys & Girls Club is required to have a reference from the previous Club, even if the Clubs are within the same community.
State and Local Laws: We comply with federal, state and local safety laws, including those impacting facilities and vehicles.
Safety Partnerships: Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America works with leading experts in the areas of safety, security and technology to develop state-of-the-art solutions for Clubs. Partners include:
National Child Safety Advisory Task Force, made up of leading experts and organizations
Blue Ribbon Taskforce, comprised of local Club leaders charged with providing input on the safety direction and key safety initiatives
Mental Health First Aid, a national program that teaches skills to recognize and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse
Crisis Text Line, a confidential text message service for youth in times of crisis
Locally, Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri partners with:
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.
America’s young people deserve nothing less than our constant focus on their safety and our firm commitment to protect every child who is entrusted to our care at Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page, here.
Our goal for this campaign is $4,000,000. The project includes 15,500 sq. ft. of new construction and renovation of our existing program space.
What are opioids and opioid addiction?
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Donating your time can be a meaningful gift to the boys and girls at the Club. We value volunteers and we know that you will be rewarded with a unique experience with the kids. Please complete the application below.
The Boys & Girls Club keeps kids off the streets and gives them a positive place to spend their time out of school. Club kids stay in school, are less likely to use drugs, alcohol or tobacco, and are less likely to become teen parents.
In order to provide our services to so many local youths, we rely on local businesses and individuals for support. There are several ways to get involved! Please take a moment to view the options and determine the best fit for your involvement with the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the Club!
At the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri, people make a difference. We believe children benefit from the staff that encourages youth, raise their expectations, engage youth in exciting high impact programs, and provides daily guidance, support, and stability. Therefore, it is our responsibility to attract and retain dedicated and skilled youth development and administrative professionals that are committed to helping us achieve our goals and live our mission. To join our team, please view the available vacancies, download and fill out an application then email to rgorham@bgcswmo.org. The Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of any characteristic that is protected by state or federal law.
Do you have a child's birthday coming up, but nowhere to host the party? We’ve got you covered! For just $125 you get access to two bounces houses, basketball courts, and the imagination playground set! Call 417.623.8072 to reserve your party today! Contact us @ 417-623-8072.
Please Click Here to download the Parent/Member Handbook.
Please stop by our Joplin site or contact Sarah McMullen at smcmullen@bgcswmo.org.
As an alumnus of the Club, our mission is one you know well. Our mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
You are a testament to the success of the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri, and in turn, you can help us mold and develop the youth of today to be tomorrow’s community leaders. Each one of you can look back at people, events, and opportunities that the Club provided which influenced who and where we are today. With this in mind, we invite you to please complete the following survey and provide us with your contact information so we can keep in touch with you!
The Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri exists to serve children and their families. This year we have been able to pass through donations to parents, provide additional programs and field trips for smaller groups of children, and receive feedback from parents on starting new programs.
The Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri provides two main programs: after school and summer. Our after school program runs 3-7 p.m. school days. Transportation is provided from Joplin R-8 schools to the club. During the after school program, children receive assistance with homework, are fed a balanced dinner, and participate in educational programming, recreational time, and much more.
The summer program runs 7am-6pm Monday-Friday for 11 weeks during the summer. Transportation is not provided during the summer program. Breakfast, lunch, and a snack are served. Children can sign up for mini clubs, such as dance, tech club, gardening, cooking, sports club, etc. Every week children go swimming and on other field trips to the library, park, or Audubon Center.
