Health & Life Skills Programs

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A Game Plan for the Mind, Body and Soul is BGCA’s proven health and wellness program co-sponsored by the Anthem Foundation and founding partner The Coca-Cola Company. Since launching in 2005, Triple Play has made more than 14.4 million connections with kids and teens, promoting the importance of physical activity and proper nutrition through the program’s three components: mind, body and soul.

• Healthy Habits (Mind): Addresses the ways an individual’s health behaviors are influenced by personal beliefs and exposure to positive modeling. In addition to nutrition education, activities focus on helping youth assess, practice, identify, consider, and recognize health behaviors and messages.
• Daily Challenges (Body): Intentional focus on physical literacy: Ability - Increasing capability in basic movement skills and overall fitness; Confidence -the knowledge of the ability to play sports or enjoy other physical activities and Motivation- the intrinsic enthusiasm for physical activity for members to be physically active for life.
• Social Recreation (Soul): Emphasis on social and emotional development, or the social, cognitive, and behavioral skills that youth need to be healthy and productive. There is an explicit focus on emotional regulation, healthy relationships (with self and others), and responsible decision-making.

 SMART (Skills Mastery and Resilience Training) Moves uses a team approach that involves Club staff, peer leaders, parents and community representatives. Young people ages 6 to 15 engage in discussion and role-playing, practicing resilience and refusal skills, developing assertiveness, strengthening decision-making skills and analyzing media and peer influence. The ultimate goal is to promote abstinence from substance abuse and adolescent sexual involvement through the practice of responsible behavior. 

Passport to Manhood encourages boys age 8-14 to develop and mature into young men. The program represents a targeted effort to engage young boys in discussions and activities that reinforce character, leadership and positive behavior. Each of the program’s 14 sessions use interactive activities to focus on a specific aspect of character and manhood. It also includes a service project where boys learn the importance of giving back to the community. 

 SMART Girls is a small-group health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program designed to meet the developmental needs of girls in three age groups, spanning ages 8 to 18. Through dynamic sessions, participatory activities, field trips and mentoring opportunities with adult women, Club girls explore their own and societal attitudes and values as they build skills for eating right, staying physically fit, getting good health care and developing positive relationships with peers and adults.