Citizenship & Leadership Programs.
Cathedral City, CA
Studies show that young people who engage in service do better in school, maintain positive relationships with adults and avoid risky behaviors.
Our programs help members develop leadership skills and contribute to their Club, community and their futures. Learn more about our current Citizenship and Leadership Programs below:
LIT – Leaders In Training & MIT – Managers in Training
LIT is a small-group leadership and service club for youth ages 12-18. LIT is a powerful vehicle that helps Club staff meet the special character development needs of younger adolescents at a critical stage in their life. MIT is an internship program that gives members a chance to gain valuable job experience and the skills they can take with them in their future academic and professional careers. Through participation in LIT/MIT, teens will develop interpersonal experience, a strong work ethic, and learn the meaning of responsibility and accountability.
Youth of The Year
Since 1947, Youth of the Year has been Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier recognition program, celebrating the extraordinary achievements of Club members. Each year, one exceptional young person from a Boys & Girls Club rises to the role of National Youth of the Year. The National Youth of the Year serves as both an exemplary ambassador for Boys & Girls Club youth and as a strong voice for all of our nation’s young people.
Torch Club
Torch Club is a “club within the Club,” helping to meet the special character-development needs of younger adolescents at a critical stage in their life. The Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City’s Torch Club is a powerful vehicle through which young people develop and strengthen their 21st-century leadership skills, giving them a firm foundation of good character and integrity. Torch Club members elect officers and work together to implement projects in the four focus areas: service to Club and community; education; health and fitness; and social recreation.
Million Members, Million Hours of Service
Million Members, Million Hours of Service gets youth engaged in their communities through fun projects. Studies show that young people who engage in service do better in school, maintain positive relationships with adults and avoid risky behaviors. These students are also less likely to drop out of high school and more likely to graduate than their peers who do not serve. Million Members, Million Hours of Service gets Club youth participating in volunteer and service projects that help them become successful and productive citizens.
Child Safety FAQ’s
Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City 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.
We encourage all staff, 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, the Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City members and staff have access to a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 866-607-SAFE (7233) or email SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com.
We complete a safety assessment each year to ensure we continually make improvements to safe practices at our Clubs.
Any employee interested in moving to another Boys & Girls Club is required to have a reference from the previous Club, even if the Clubs are within the same community.
Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Members of the committee are made up of the Palm Springs Unified School Board, Chief of the Cathedral City Fire Department and a Commander in the Cathedral City Police Department.
Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City staff and volunteers have 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.
We comply with federal, state, and local safety laws, including those impacting facilities and vehicles.
Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect youth – including, but not limited to, supervision, transportation, communication and prohibiting private one-on-one contact.
Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training such as social, emotional, & physical well-being and emergency preparedness. We also engage leading third-party safety experts to provide guidance for our policies and approaches, including Praesidium, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the National Children’s Advocacy Center.
Mandatory criminal background checks are required every year for every staff and board member at the Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City In addition, criminal background checks are required for any volunteer who has direct contact with children.