By Owen Charters, President & CEO, BGC Canada
December 8, 2023
Positive effects start even after a few visits, but after 150 visits Clubs have significant impact on the lives of children and youth.
In January 2020, I visited BGC Winnipeg as they released a much-anticipated study delving into Club impact.
About the Winnipeg study
Conducted by the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy at the University of Manitoba, researchers looked at 12 years of data. They studied 8,990 children and youth who participated in the programs of the BGC Winnipeg, as compared to 69,980 children and youth who lived in the same postal codes and encountered similar life events and demographics—but did not participate at the Club.
The Winnipeg study examined education, social (justice), and health outcomes. The first thing to note is who goes to the Club. The data shows these kids experience more adverse life events and experiences than most of the population, at a very significant rate.
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About 44% had a mom who was a teenager when she had her first baby, compared to the Manitoba provincial average of 6%.
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Almost 49% had a mom who had seen a doctor for a mood or anxiety disorder vs the provincial average of 20%.
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Nearly 49% were from families who had received services from Child and Family Services vs the provincial average of 9%, and 20% were from families who had previously had a child taken into care of Child and Family Services vs the provincial average of 4%.
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55% were in the lowest quintile for family income in the province.
You can find a summary of the full report here.
Let’s look at what happens when these children and youth attend the Club. First, the optimal Club experience happens around 150 visits, or less than one school year of attending the Club almost daily. Positive impacts start even after a few visits, but at 150 visits and more, the positive effects impact attendees significantly.
- Education: Club kids demonstrated that they were performing academically at the expected average for their grade.
- Health: The more a young person participated in the Clubs, the lower their risk of having a teen pregnancy or getting a sexually transmitted infection.
- Justice System: The more a young person participated in the Clubs, the lower their risk of becoming involved with the justice system.
BGC Club impact today
BGC Canada launched the Learning and Impact Project in 2022 to prove and improve the impact of Clubs. The project includes an annual deployment of a national outcomes survey and deep-dive interviews with members to explore the impact of Clubs in four key areas: positive relationships, lifelong learning, healthy living, and leadership skills. The participation from Clubs has been astounding and the study is already one of the largest of its kind in Canada.
In the first two years of the Learning & Impact Project, Clubs have already surveyed 12,570 children and youth. The quantitative data show that youth are more confident and resilient, and make better choices because of a Club.
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96% of kids say they have more people they like to spend time with because of a Club
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92% of kids say they are more excited to try new things because of a Club
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91% of kids say they are more accepting of others because of a Club
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90% of kids say they are a more positive influence on others because of a Club
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91% of kids say they are more physically active because of a Club
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90% of kids say they make better choices because of a Club
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91% of kids say they are more confident in their abilities because of a Club
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94% of kids say they take more initiative because of a Club
(Source: 2023 BGC Member Survey Results)
Learn more about our national outcomes survey results here.
So far, 858 members from 32 BGC Clubs have been interviewed. Here’s what Club kids told us:
“If I went home after school, I would just sit on the couch and watch TV but at the Club I get to run and play.”
“I have really started prioritizing myself and not putting myself in dangerous situations. I’ve definitely been an overall actually happier person and I feel like someone people would want to be around.”
“Club gives me a clearer view on what lifestyle choices to make, what kind of life I want to have.”
“I can be myself at the Club. I’m weird. I used to hide it, but not anymore.”
“Every day when I get to the Club I know that I’ll have someone to talk to. It feels good and makes me feel excited and accepted.”
“I can do anything and be myself and people won’t judge me for it.”
“I like a lot of diversity at Club, people who are different, I respect that. You get to try new things.”
These are kids who need the Club, there’s no doubt.
The qualitative portion of the project is also giving us insight into how the approach of Clubs is creating impact. Members told us that it’s through opportunities to explore new things, the safe and welcoming environment of Clubs, and the relationships with staff and other kids that are making the difference.
You can find a summary of the key data here.
This data is important. It underlines what we already know from anecdotal outcomes – the work of Clubs changes lives. In my remarks in Winnipeg, I noted that we rely a lot on the stories of how Clubs have impacted the children and youth served. And we always will. With this work, we also have the proof—both quantitative and qualitative—of the impact of Clubs on the lives of children and youth.
It’s time to share our stories and the invaluable proof that BGC Clubs make a difference—that opportunity changes everything.
