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Spotlight on Youth Leadership

When working with over 8,000 youth daily in 71 club sites throughout Kern County, safety is paramount, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County is proud of its culture of safety. As part of BGCKC’s commitment to safety, it wanted to go beyond procedures and protocols to engage its youth members as it does team members in identifying and finding solutions to safety challenges.

Over the past few years, each of the Club sites have established a Youth Safety Task Force. These are dynamic groups of young leaders who actively participate in shaping a safer environment for all members. They have become a powerful part of the Club’s culture, demonstrating that when youth are empowered and heard, meaningful change follows. Each task force meets regularly with the Staff Site Coordinator and has the freedom to create their own team names and wear custom name badges to promote visibility and pride. Members are elected by their peers, emphasizing leadership and responsibility.

BGCKC’s Safety Team organizes engaging, youth-led activities such as poster contests, safety skits, safety challenges, and other fun and inclusive activities to raise awareness. A key example includes open-ended safety incidents where kids explore scenarios and decide the best course of action. They also conduct supervised site walkthroughs using checklists to identify and help resolve safety issues, encouraging ownership of their environment.

Creative expression is encouraged through tech projects like safety videos, and celebrations like Safety Success Parties that recognize everyone’s contributions.

At the Casa Loma Elementary Club, the student leadership really shines. The efforts of its outstanding Youth Safety Task Force are redefining what it means to look out for one another. This year, the team has gone above and beyond to ensure that school safety is not just a rule, but a shared responsibility embraced by the student body.

One of their most impactful initiatives has been the creation of the Red Zone, an area near the dismissal location.

This initiative is designed to remind students not to cross a designated area that could lead them off campus. By marking the Red Zone clearly, the task force has worked to prevent students from unintentionally stepping outside the school grounds, ensuring that everyone stays within the safe boundaries of the campus.

Another initiative, Cafeteria Hazard Checks, was created to quickly identify and respond to spills or potential hazards. These checks are marked and monitored to prevent slips and accidents during high-traffic snack and supper periods. Thanks to their sharp eyes and swift responses, the cafeteria has become a significantly safer space for students and team members alike.

The group has also stepped up as Hall Monitors, offering guidance, promoting positive behavior, and ensuring smooth transitions during class changes. Their involvement extends to restroom safety support, where they assist in maintaining respectful and clean environments, discourage misuse of facilities, and provide a sense of calm and supervision without intrusion. The team makes safety their top priority and has taken the initiative to assist in emergency drills to help prepare the students and team for emergency situations.

The Youth Safety Task Force is not just about creating and enforcing rules, it’s about culture. These students are fostering a sense of accountability and community among their peers, showing that leadership isn’t about authority—it’s about service. With professionalism, compassion, and initiative, they have helped build a more positive and secure environment for everyone at Casa Loma.

We are incredibly proud of all the Youth Safety Task Forces—not only for what they’ve accomplished, but for the standard they continue to set for student leadership and engagement. Their efforts are a reminder that when students lead, schools thrive.

Youth Safety Task Force members
Isabela, Kimberly, Yanilette, and Joseph
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