During the 19 Days of Activism, the Child Advocacy Center has two goals. The first goal is that the 19 partner agencies will sponsor press releases to educate our community about child abuse, with a focus on the impact of opioids and substance abuse on children.
Here's how the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutherford County helps:
The abuse and overdose of opioids have reached epidemic levels. Currently, six out of every 10 overdose deaths involve opioids, either illicit or prescription.
As the opioid epidemic within our communities becomes pervasive, youth increasingly become the unintended victims. The traumatic experience of growing up within a family and community where substance use and misuse is prevalent disrupts a young person’s ability to thrive.
The associated adverse experiences, such as childhood abuse and neglect, put young people at increased risk for substance use and other behaviors that lead to poor health outcomes. In order to combat the opioid epidemic, greater investments in prevention must be made.
Today, more than 4,300 Boys & Girls Clubs serve nearly 4 million youth each year, with 438,000 children and teens entering the doors of a Boys & Girls Club every day. Our Clubs provide social and emotional resilience for all youth by enhancing high-quality youth development practices, risk prevention practices and messages in programs.
We create meaningful opportunities to build social and emotional development skills, specifically, self-regulation, communication, emotional awareness, healthy decision-making, self-efficacy, and healthy peer and adult relationships.
We use a trauma-informed approach that realizes the widespread impact of trauma, and responds with fully integrated trauma-informed practices, policies and procedures.
We create small group opportunities that allow youth to develop a sense of emotional safety, peer support, trust and transparency collaboration, and leverage youth choice and voice.
We have implemented a prevention program and activities that are developmentally responsive and address all forms of substance use. We engage the whole family with the Club, and create strong community partnerships to support youth and families with needs beyond the scope of the Club.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutherford County, founded in 1986, is a nonprofit, privately-funded 501(c)(3) organization and depends on private donations and volunteers to accomplish its mission. The Clubs’ mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential is productive, caring and responsible citizens.
To make a donation or to volunteer, contact the Boys & Girls Club's Murfreesboro office at 893-KIDS or visit the website at www.bgcrc.net.
