By Owen Charters, President & CEO, BGC Canada

September 12, 2024

Social engagement for young people has an enormously outsized impact on their mental well-being, and that’s what BGC Clubs are about.

BGC Clubs are a safe place that supports kids through back-to-school transitions and other mental health concerns. Our Clubs are often referred to as a ‘third place’—somewhere outside of school and home—where kids can just be kids while also getting the support they need to succeed in their academics, passions, and interests. Clubs help through mental health-focused programming and meaningful relationships with friends and staff—still, it’s not enough.

Related: BGC Clubs provide kids with basic needs to they can have brighter futures.

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to present at the Mental Health Roundtable hosted by the Federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Ya’ara Saks. The roundtable was attended by a variety of youth-serving organizations, and it was particularly encouraging to hear several other organizations – including the Minister herself – speak of the collaborative work with local BGC Clubs and the support we provide to young people.

The purpose of the Roundtable was a consultation on how the government should be spending and allocating the $500 million Youth Mental Health Fund that was announced in the budget earlier this year. One of my key messages was that we don’t need to spend time on innovating new approaches – we need to scale what works, today.

As we look at this Canadian investment in mental health, we see that the benefits of youth clubs around the world are vital to the same issues. As a new government takes office in the UK, The Guardian reported that there was significant de-investment in youth clubs during the former Tory government, and it has had huge impacts. An older article from The Guardian also noted that the closures were increasing youth violence. There is hope that the new Labour government under prime minister Keir Starmer will reinvest in these vital organizations.

Social wealth is mental health – meaning that social engagement for young people has an enormously outsized impact on their mental well-being, and that’s what BGC Clubs are about.

Because of a Club, 95% of members have more people they like to spend time with. By providing a safe third place, Clubs are making a difference—a big one.

Read more: 

• BGC Clubs provide job opportunities for young people
• Young people deserve a safe space to explore and express their identity
• Poverty in Canada: The Kid Made It

Budget 2019 focuses on youth employment, volunteering, mental health, STEM education, and Indigenous communities 

[March 19, 2019] Owen Charters, President & CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, was in Ottawa today as Minister of Finance Bill Morneau unveiled the last federal budget before the 2019 election, Investing in the Middle Class.

The budget has a heavy focus on helping children and youth access education, skills training, and employment, which aligns with the important work Boys and Girls Clubs do for youth across the country.

“Investment in Canada’s Innovation and Skills Plan, through programs like CanCode that support the engagement of underrepresented young people in STEM fields, will give children and youth a giant leap forward in terms of building a successful future,” said Owen Charters.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada was excited about the following youth-focused investments announced in Budget 2019:

• CanCode—An investment of $46M over four years to ensure our young people are workforce ready in an increasingly tech-driven world.
• Mental health—Budget 2019 has a strong focus on mental health support for young people, which is exactly what our Club youth have been asking for. Bilingual, 24/7 crisis responders, up-to-date tech, and an emphasis on preventative strategies to stop cyberbullying.
• The next generation of Indigenous leaders—Important investment of $1.2B to help Canada move forward in our Reconciliation efforts, including improved access to health, social, and educational supports for Indigenous communities.
• Canada Service Corps—Exciting investment of $314.8M in Canada Service Corps, which funds our national leadership and volunteer program Lead UP, means an additional 15,000 new service placements for young Canadians.

“We also welcome the special budget document, Investing in Young Canadians, that focuses on the next generation,” said Charters. “We look forward to continuing our work with this government on programs that improve the lives of children and youth across the country.”

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Media contact: 

Jared Morrow
Media Relations Manager
jmorrow@bgccan.com
905-477-7272 x202