Phase One: Community Review (timeline: 3 - 6 months)

This stage is about deepening your understanding of the needs of your community and how they fit with the Boys and Girls Club model. It asks you to become aware of the services for children and youth in your community and to be sure that a Boys and Girls Club would fit. You will develop some ideas about what a club in your community would look like and what kinds of services it would deliver in response to community needs.

The phase includes researching different options for your community, talking with community leaders, families and youth, and talking with the Boys and Girls Clubs about your community needs and whether a Boys and Girls Club is the model for your community. A representative of Boys and Girls Clubs is available to visit your community to speak with interested citizens and community leaders about the Boys and Girls Club.

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Phase Two: Organization Development (timeline: 6 months to a year, together with Phase Three)

Once your community has decided that you want a Boys and Girls Club, you focus your efforts on creating a plan and getting ready to deliver services. In the business world, this phase would be called business planning.

Some specific tasks your community will need to complete during this phase are:

• Establish a Board of Directors.
• Begin the process of applying for Incorporation as a Not-for-Profit/Society Registration (different terms are used province by province), including writing bylaws.
• Determine the programs and services your Club will offer.
• Create a two-year business plan, with budget and funding plan.
• Begin to seek funding.

The workbooks will provide sample documents and links to relevant websites. Boys and Girls Clubs (Regional or National) can provide telephone consultation and may be able to arrange a mentor from an existing club.

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Phase Three: Program Development (timeline: 1 to 2 years)

The goal of this phase is to begin to develop your club’s programs, establish policies essential prior to start-up and to complete any outstanding Requirements. The attached Application for Provisional Membership details the Requirements that must be met. In order to begin providing services to children and youth, you will need to have the following in place:

• Be incorporated/registered as a Society.
• Have by-laws and policies and procedures consistent with BGCC mission and values (including staff and volunteer screening and training process).
• Be prepared to operate one or more services for children and youth.
• Use Boys and Girls Club name and logo on all club signage and promotional materials.
• Have funding in place for two years of operation.
• Have adequate insurance coverage.
• Have applied to become a registered charity.

The Application and Approval Process

When you have completed the three phases and have met the requirements for Provisional Membership, you complete the Application form and submit it to the Regional Office (or National if there is no Regional Office). The Regional Board will make a recommendation to Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, who will make the final decision.

A Provisional Club operates for two years and then can apply for full member status.

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