By Owen Charters, President & CEO of BGC Canada
October 29, 2025
Kids need a place beyond home and school. At BGC Clubs, 160,000 kids find that special place each year.
When we talk about where kids grow up, we often think about two places: home and school. But there’s another place that plays a powerful role in shaping who they become—the ‘third place’.
Why Third Places Matter
The idea of a third place is important. It may have started as an idea, an academic concept of a place to pause between the rigours of school and the reality of home. But it has increasingly become vitally important in an era of screens, mental health challenges, and an ever-changing, always-on society.
A third place is a space that’s neither home nor school, but somewhere kids can belong. It’s where they can be themselves, connect with mentors, and build skills that will serve them for life. And across Canada, no one does that better than BGC Clubs.
BGC Clubs are built around one powerful idea: opportunity changes everything. In a world where kids and youth face growing challenges from stress and isolation to hunger and uncertainty, Clubs provide what every kid deserves: safety, support, and opportunity. Guided by 125 years of experience and across more than 600 communities in Canada, 160,000 young people find a place to belong each year.
RELATED: BGC Clubs want the best for Canadian kids.
BGC Clubs address critical issues that shape the future of young Canadians.
At BGC Clubs, kids find people who care. Through recreation, mentorship, and belonging, Clubs create safe, inclusive spaces where kids can talk, laugh, and just be kids. For many young people, that’s life-changing. It’s a reminder that they are seen, supported, and never alone.
BGC Clubs are where curiosity turns into confidence. From homework help to STEM and arts programs, leadership training to job readiness, BGC Clubs nurture every child’s potential. Kids build real-world skills, and even more importantly, they learn how to believe in themselves.
BGC Clubs step up to make sure kids have access to nutritious meals and snacks. For too many families, putting food on the table is a daily struggle. Kids who are fed can focus, learn, and thrive. Without food security, nothing else is possible.
BGC Clubs give kids a place to go after-school and a path forward for life. They give youth positive outlets and supportive mentors who help them make good choices, stay connected, and build stronger futures—for generations.
BGC Canada’s latest PSA: #1 Third Place for Kids
When home is the first place and school is the second, BGC Clubs are the third place where everything comes together—where kids find belonging, learn life skills, and build the confidence to lead.
The voice of The #1 Third Place for Kids campaign belongs to someone who knows firsthand what it means to belong at BGC. Kayla Grey, a proud BGC Alumni Hall of Fame member, lends her voice and her experience to bring the story to life. Through her work across traditional platforms and social media, she continues to amplify diverse voices and inspire the next generation, just like BGC Clubs do every day.
The third place is a place you choose to belong, not one where you are required. This choice matters, and it’s a safe, desirable place. Clubs provide that space and more—it becomes the space to find opportunities, to grow and flourish. We all need a third place in our lives.
Help us give kids a third place.
