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The Safety and Well-being of Young People is Our Number One Priority

For decades, the Youngstown Boys & Girls Club has been dedicated to serving the youth and families of Youngstown, with the safety and protection of the children we serve as our highest priority. Our organization is unwavering in its commitment to the highest standards of safety and integrity, maintaining a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior that could harm children. Our compassionate staff are devoted to creating physically and emotionally safe environments where our children and teens can grow and succeed. We thoughtfully design our Clubhouse to foster both physical and emotional safety, ensuring that every young person has a secure place to thrive.


Please see this sheet for more information about our safety practices.

Safety Culture

Youngstown Boys & Girls Club continually updates robust safety policies, programs, and trainings for our staff and volunteers that are designed to promote child safety and protect young people from threats that are present in our society. Mandatory criminal background checks are required for every staff and board member of the Club. In addition, Live Scan criminal background checks administered by the Youngstown Police Department are required for any volunteer that will have direct contact with a child. 

Safety Assessment

Youngstown Boys & Girls Club, Youngstown Police, and Youngstown Fire Departments complete an annual safety assessment to ensure we continually make improvements for safety at our Club. Earthquake, fire and lockdown drills are performed with staff and Club members on a regular basis.

Safety Policies

Youngstown Boys & Girls Club has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect our Club members including but not limited to supervision, transportation, communication and the prohibition of one-on-one contact.​

Safety Training

Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety trainings conducted through seminars, conferences and webinars.

Safety Reporting

Youngstown Boys & Girls Club staff and volunteers are all mandated reporters. We are required by the State of Ohio as mandated reporters to report suspected or known abuse(s), neglect or any exploitation of children under the age of 18. We are also required to report any critical incident(s) to Boys & Girls Clubs of America within 24 hours.

Safety Committee

Youngstown Boys & Girls Club has a dedicated Safety Committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Our Safety Committee consists of Board Members and members of the Youngstown Police and Fire Departments.

Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has advocated the passage of the US PROTECT Act which improves background screening systems and access. The national organization has also partnered with the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Centers for Disease Control to contribute to the development of safety practices that benefit all youth-serving organizations. 


America’s young people deserve nothing less than our constant focus on their safety and our firm commitment to protect every child who is entrusted to our care at Alameda Boys & Girls Club. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page.

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