The Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbus and Phenix City is among many organizations throughout the country that are opening Clubs dedicated to serving teens in their community. They began the process five years ago with an organization-wide strategic plan. Through the planning process they found that teens ranked highest on their list of priorities, so they decided to add a Teen Center to their organization.
   
The planning began with several visits to other teen centers in the southeast. The Club Safety and Design department at Boys & Girls Clubs of America provided initial planning resources and guidance along the way. The architecture firm of Hecht, Burdeshaw, Johnson, Kidd, and Clark, Inc. was hired to provide professional design services. They also obtained teens’ and community members’ input in the plan of the building.

Working with local community organizations like the gang taskforce, they targeted the area with the most need. Located close to public housing, on the side of town with the worst reputation, the South Columbus Boys & Girls Club was chosen as the site of a new teen-focused addition. There are pockets of drug and gang activity all around the Clubhouse site.
   
   
The staff felt that it was very important to give the teens their own separate building rather than just a wing in the existing Clubhouse. Turns out they were right on target: The teens love having their own turf where they can do "teenage stuff."
   
View Archive
< back | 1 | 2 | 3 | next >