Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2017 Native Summit: Integrating Culture into Club Programming Workshop

This past November, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) 2017 Native Summit held in Fort Myers, Florida was host to a variety of informational sessions, workshops, exhibitors, and cultural exchanges aimed towards Club professionals working with Native youth. After 25 years in Native Lands, BGCA is the nation’s largest youth service provider for Native youth, with a network of nearly 200 Boys & Girls Clubs that serve over 86,000 youth from 100 different American Indian, Alaska Native, American Samoan and Hawaiian Tribal communities.

Due to the unique conditions of working in Native communities, topics for workshops were carefully considered for their relevancy and impact. Topics offered ranged from lifestyle trends with Native youth, best practices for Club programming, and ideas for integrating culture into the Club. Of these, integrating culture generated some of the highest levels of interest from Club staff members, who are especially cognizant of the role culture and identity play in the lives of their youth. Facilitated by BGCA Native Services Director of Organizational Development Anna Bear, the session had a panel of three Boys & Girls Club executive directors present to speak on this very important topic. Executive Directors included Ron Corn of the Woodland Boys & Girls Club in Neopit, Wisconsin, Tamara Little Salt of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Nathan Hale of the Boys & Girls Club of the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation in Mayetta, Kansas.

Ron Corn spoke on the importance of hiring and/or partnering with local cultural experts and organizations to enhance Club programming and educational activities; particularly, networking with local organizations that could fund cultural and arts initiatives. At their Club, they have found youth respond positively and eagerly to activities that incorporate their culture and traditions.

Tamara Little Salt emphasized how youth sharing their cultural and personal background with others can help them to find and solidify their identity, as well as inner strength. She explained that infusing culture into Club programming also begins with staff training, and that this must be built into the Club budget. She also discussed the importance of indigenizing everything the Club does, from structuring programs based on the time of year, to events offered, as well as interactions with youth. In other words, incorporating community perspectives, languages, traditions, and practices into all aspects of the Club. Finally, she encouraged Club staff to find partnerships.

This idea was expanded on by Nathan Hale, who discussed the importance of connecting and partnering with local schools. Essentially, when Clubs can’t get teens in, they should go to where they are! By working with schools, Clubs are able to build connections, and instill a sense of pride in their youth.

Needless to say, this workshop spoke volumes to the dedication Club professionals have for improving the lives of Native youth across the country. We cannot wait to see what next year’s event will have in store for Club professionals!