COVID and the club: conversations with Boys & Girls Club leaders on providing services during the COVID-19 pandemic
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-10-2021-0039 |
| Published date | 31 May 2022 |
| Date | 31 May 2022 |
| Pages | 127-136 |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Vulnerable groups,Children's services,Sociology,Sociology of the family,Children/youth,Parents,Education,Early childhood education,Home culture,Social/physical development |
| Author | Tyler Prochnow,Megan S. Patterson,M. Renee Umstattd Meyer |
COVID and the club: conversations with
Boys & Girls Club leaders on providing
services during the COVID-19 pandemic
Tyler Prochnow, Megan S. Patterson and M. Renee Umstattd Meyer
Abstract
Purpose –Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCs) provide numerous avenues for youth to connect, be
physically active and have healthy meals/snacks. These services are often provided to low-income
families at reduced cost to bridge the gap in after school and summer childcare. However, many of
these clubs were forced to dramatically change their services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This
study aims to examine how 13 BGCs in Texas, USA, experienced COVID-19 and persevered to
provide services.
Design/methodology/approach –Interviews were conducted with 16 BGC leaders from 13 different
BGCs. Open-endedquestions were used to elicit leaders’ experienceswith the pandemic, services their
clubs wereable to offer, barriers overcome and supportscrucial to their ability to serve their communities.
Thematicanalysis was used to generate findingsfrom these interviews.
Findings –BGC services changed significantlyduring the pandemic. Normal activities were no longer
possible; however,leaders (alongside their communities) continuallyprovided services for their families.
Further,leaders reiterated the power of the community comingtogether in support of their families.
Social implications –While BGC leaders had to adaptservices, they found ways to reach families and
serve their community. These adaptations can have dramatic impacts on the social and physical well-
being of childrenin their communities. Learning from this adversitycan improve services as clubs start to
build back.
Originality/value –This study provides vital context to the changing care and setting children were
exposed to during the pandemic response. Additionally, these results provide understanding of the
adaptationsthat took place in these services.
Keywords Afterschool, Qualitative, Social, COVID-19, Child care, Summer care
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Summer care programs such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCs) are beneficial
for children’s physical, mental and social health. According to a 2010 report from the
Afterschool Alliance, an estimated 14.3 million youth attend summer programs during a
summer. Children from minority and low-income families were more likely than others to
attend summer programs (America After 3PM, 2010). These programs offer full-day
services oftentimes consisting of semistructured activities and programming as well as
fieldtrips throughout the summer, whichis known to be a time of accelerated weight gain in
youth (Baranowski et al.,2014;Franckle et al., 2014a;Tanskey et al.,2019;Franckle et al.,
2014b). Out-of-school time during summer months exerts a negative influence on
obesogenic behaviors (i.e. physical activity, screen time, diet, sleep) and subsequently the
weight status of children, especially children from low-income and minority households
(Baranowski et al.,2014;Franckle et al., 2014a;Tanskey et al., 2019;Franckle et al., 2014b).
Observational studies demonstrate that children who attend summer programs may be
Tyler Prochnow and Megan
S. Patterson are both based
at the Department of Health
and Kinesiology, Texas
A&M University, College
Station, Texas, USA.
M. Renee Umstattd Meyer
is based at the Department
of Public Health, Baylor
University, Waco, Texas,
USA.
Received 4 October 2021
Revised 19 January 2022
2 March 2022
Accepted 17 May 2022
This work was made possible
by a Baylor University
Research Committee Small
Grant Award.
DOI 10.1108/JCS-10-2021-0039 VOL. 17 NO. 2 2022,pp. 127-136, ©EmeraldPublishing Limited, ISSN 1746-6660 jJOURNAL OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES jPAGE 127
To continue reading
Request your trial