By Libby Saylor Wright, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta
In recent weeks, Atlanta has found itself at the center of a growing conversation around “teen takeovers,” large gatherings of young people that have raised concerns for public safety, community spaces, and youth engagement.
It’s easy to focus on behavior. However, what is harder, but far more important, is answering the question, what are young people really looking for? And in our experience, they are looking for connection, belonging, opportunities, and a place to be seen, supported, and guided.
For more than 85 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta has understood this. We know that many of our young people walk through our proverbial blue doors because we provide safe, affordable, and inclusive environments during the critical hours after school and throughout the fall, winter, spring, and summer breaks. But what keeps them engaged and coming back is something deeper; it’s what they gain on the inside. The access to opportunities, experiences, and mentorship they wouldn’t have had otherwise.
From Safe Spaces to Launching Pads
At Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, we believe safety is just the starting point, not the outcome. Our ambition over the next five years is bold and actionable – to be a driver of economic mobility across Metro Atlanta by preparing youth who are ready for the real world, truly future-ready.
What does that mean in practice? It means removing the economic barrier to quality youth development and recreation, and ensuring that all young people, regardless of background, can participate in enriching, structured experiences that help them grow.
It means ensuring every kid and teen who enters our Clubs leaves with:
- Academic support to stay on track and succeed
- Leadership and soft skills that strengthen character – resilience, effective communication, empathy, confidence, grit, and ambition
- Real-world exposure to careers, networks, and opportunities
- Life and workforce readiness skills and experiences to navigate adulthood with clarity and purpose
We know that being future-ready isn’t just about what happens in a classroom. It’s also about what happens in the moments between, and we have the privilege of spending 3-4 hours per day at least 3 days per week on average with kids and teens during after-school hours, plus the long days of school breaks. These everyday interactions help to shape how young people see themselves and ignite their potential.
The Role of Community in Shaping What’s Next
The challenge of cultivating future ready young people to help drive economic mobility across Metro Atlanta is not a challenge that any one organization can solve alone. It requires community effort and partnerships across families, schools, businesses, community leaders, and community development organizations like ours.
At Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, we see what’s possible every day when that ecosystem comes together, and we believe wholeheartedly that investing in our young people is the surest investment we can ever make. The moments we witness when teens discover passions for careers they hadn’t considered, build the confidence to lead and advocate for themselves, and improve academically because someone took the time to invest in them, are priceless.
These are not isolated moments. They are the building blocks that set the foundation for our young people to succeed and thrive and ultimately drive long-term economic mobility. Not just for themselves, but for their families, communities, and our region.
Looking Ahead
As we look ahead, especially with summer approaching, we are reminded that this is a critical moment to invest in reengaging our young people and help them reimagine what’s possible for them today and into the future.
Because the question isn’t whether teens will gather; we know they will. But where will they go and what will they gain when they get there?
At Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, we are committed to creating spaces that are physically and emotionally safe, places that challenge them to think differently about their future and prepare them for their next step. Our clubs are not where they go to pass time, but spaces that will change the trajectory of their lives. That is what creating a lasting impact looks like. And that is the future we are building. Join us on this journey by becoming a donor and volunteer. Visit www.bgcma.org to find out more.
This is sponsored content.
