Our curriculum for our clubs are built around two evidenced based programs that are relevant to Rutland County youth.

The first is an early aged prevention program that is called Positive Action. This is a national program which is age specific and teaches youth about self esteem and peer pressure at the early stages and progresses into the consequences of our choices at the later stages of the curriculum.

The second is called Changing Perspective. This is a program based on engaging youth with hands on learning to build greater awareness of differences and inspire empathy.

Our Programs Focus on Five Core Areas:

• • Character & Leadership Development
    Programs in Character and Leadership Development empower youth to support and influence their club and community, sustain meaningful relationships with others, develop a positive self-image, participate in the democratic process and respect their own and others’ cultural identities.
  • Education & Career Development
    Youth are encouraged to aspire in the future by being provided opportunities for career exploration and educational enhancement.
  • Health & Life Skills
    Health and Life Skills programs help youth achieve and maintain healthy, active lifestyles.
  • The Arts 
    Programs in the Arts enable youth to develop creativity and cultural awareness through knowledge and appreciation of the visual arts, crafts, performing arts and creative writing.
  • Sports, Fitness & Recreation
    These programs help develop fitness, a positive use of leisure time, reduction of stress, appreciation for the environment and social skills.

*As a response to the opiate and heroin problem in central Vermont Rutland has formed “Project Vision” a collaborative of over 120 community partners. Their mission is “To make Rutland, one of the safest and healthiest communities in the Country”. We meet twice a month and have had to move our meeting to the Howe Center to accommodate the number of people that are showing up.
We have a tree pronged attack on the drug problem: community policing, prevention and treatment. The Boys & Girls Club is a major partner in the prevention piece. We have a curriculum called POSITIVE ACTION, an age specific curriculum that is evidence based and allows us to offer the curriculum year round.

More than simply using “Say No” this program teaches youth aged 6-12 how to say no by involving them in the discussion and role playing, practicing resistance and refusal skills, strengthening decision-making skills and analyzing media and peer influence.

We measure our success by a pre and posttest that is administered every 4 weeks. Last year, 98% of the participants reported “an increased knowledge of the consequences of drug and alcohol usage”.