Who We Are

OUR MISSION

Is to enable all young people of Greater Lawrence, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

Child Safety

At Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence, Child Safety is Job No. 1.

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 Lawrence 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.

24-hour, Toll-free Child Safety Hotline: We encourage all staff, youth 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 Lawrence members and staff have access to a confidential 24-hour, toll-free Child Safety Hotline at 866-607-SAFE (7233) or SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com.

Mandatory Background Checks: Mandatory criminal background checks are required for every staff member at Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence.

Required Immediate Reporting: Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence 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 to ensure we continually make improvements to safety at our club.

Safety Trainings: Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training, such as seminars, conferences, webinars and workshops led by leading third-party safety experts.

Safety Committee: Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence has a dedicated Board-led Safety Committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies.

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

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 Lawrence. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Child Safety page, here.

A Tradition of Excellence

The Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence is the premier youth development agency in northeastern Massachusetts. More than 4,000 boys and girls find refuge at the club every year and participate in positive and constructive activities. On average, 500 youth participate in our programs daily.

With an unprecedented seven national awards for program excellence and two National Youth of the Year, the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence has a proven track record of helping young people develop to their full potential and become productive and successful members of society.

The Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence operates two facilities. Our main facility is located at 136 Water Street in Lawrence. This site is within walking distance of three public housing projects, making it easily accessible to youth.

The Beacon Club is located in the Beacon Projects in South Lawrence, making our award-winning programs available to youth who live in this public housing complex. It provides programs and services to approximately 300 children per year.

The dedicated staff and volunteers of the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence have one common goal: to help as many children as possible break the cycle of poverty by giving them access to essential educational opportunities and directing them to recreational and character development programs.