Youth Center Rules & Regulations

(updated 04/20/2018 - REV C.5)

Violation of any rule, regulation, or guideline will result in disciplinary action ranging from verbal warnings to suspension or permanent expulsion from the Braintree Community Youth Center (BCYC). The disciplinary action will be more severe if the violation is deemed more serious. Our volunteers will make an attempt to notify parents of behavior problems. The behavior guidelines are to ensure the BCYC is a place for youth to feel comfortable, respected, and safe. 

The behavior guidelines are as follows:

Hours*

6th- - 12th Graders: Fridays and Saturdays from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. *The Youth Center may be closed if there are not enough volunteers.

Sign In Table

Members should always have their current Youth Center ID with them when visiting the Youth Center. If you forget your card there will be a $1.00 admission fee at the door.

There is one entrance and exit to the Youth Center! Each member must sign in with the adult at the sign in table before heading into the Youth Center. All visitors and guests must also sign in at the table.  There is a separate sign-in sheet for first time visitors and guests. When leaving, members, guests, and visitors must sign out and exit through the same door. All emergency exits are strictly off limits except in an emergency. Anyone violating the one entrance/exit rule will have his or her right to use the Youth Center suspended.
 

Drop Off and Pick Up

Please do not arrive at the Youth Center before the 6:00pm opening as staff needs time to open and prepare the facilities. Do not hang around after the 9:00pm closing. Parents, please be on time to pick up your children. Once a member has arrived at the Youth Center and checked in he or she can check out and leave at any time.  Members, once signed in, must remain in the building until they are picked up; no leaving and re-entering the center is allowed.  Loitering outside the building after sign-out is not allowed.  

Parents, please make sure that your child has entered the building when dropping him or her off. Also, if the Youth Center has reached its member capacity on a given night we will post a large sign at the front door that states “FULL”. Do not drop off children when the sign has been placed at the door.  When picking up your child, please be considerate in where you wait for them.  Please do not create a double line.  Please do not pull onto the grass.  Form a single line of cars so that others have space to drive out and the youths leaving the building will not be in danger because of limited viewing.
 

Staff and Volunteers

Adult staff and volunteers are always present at the Youth Center. A Braintree police officer may stop by the Youth Center for a casual visit. Parents and other adult community members are always welcome and are encouraged to stop in and observe the action at the Youth Center at any time. Also, parents and adult community members are asked to volunteer a few hours of their time each month in order to keep the Youth Center open at all scheduled times. There are times when we may not open our doors. In the event that we are understaffed due to a lack of adult volunteers we may be forced to keep the Youth Center from opening.

Closure Notifications

It is the intent that the Center will be open every Friday and Saturday evening throughout the year.  Occasionally, there will be a conflict with a holiday or special event.  In those cases, the closure will be posted on our web site (braintreeyouthcenter.org) and on our Facebook page.  There could also be a decisions to close the Center due to an event like a winter storm.  Those closures would be broadcast through the Braintree Alert System and we encourage all adult contacts to sign up for that system.  Finally, there could be closures that are decided at the expected opening time or close to that time.  This would include events like lack of sufficient heat or air conditioning or an insufficient number of adults.  The only notification for these events would be a sign placed on the door window.

Prohibited Items

Absolutely no drugs, alcohol, or weapons of any kind are allowed on the premises of 74 Pond Street, inside or outside. Any person in attendance, or attempting to gain admittance, who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or is found to be in possession of a weapon, drugs, drug paraphernalia, or alcohol, will be asked to wait in the Youth Center office until the parents and police are called and arrive.  Any person in attendance who is found to be in possession of tobacco, will be asked to wait in the Youth Center office until the parents are called and arrive.

To ensure adherence to this rule, all backpacks and bags will be subject to search at check-in and at any other time deemed necessary by the staff or volunteers of the BCYC. 

If a member, visitor, or guest is found to be (or strongly suspected to be) under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a staff person or adult volunteer will call 9-1-1 to respond.  Immediately thereafter, the youth’s parent(s) will be called.  It will be the decision of the emergency responding personnel whether or not the youth needs to be taken to a medical facility or if s/he can be dismissed to his/her responding parent.

Backpacks or large handbags are not to be stored in the office area.  These items can be placed in a locked area or in the open in a designated area.  Members and visitors can keep these items with them but they must not obstruct passage or access to games.  If an item is found to be in the way, it will be placed in the locked area.   

*No food or drinks will be allowed to be brought into the Youth Center. Any member attempting to bring food or drink in will be asked to leave it at the door until he or she leaves.

No weapons of any kind are permitted in the Teen Center. This includes guns, knives, tools, bats, razor blades, or any other devices that may be used as a weapon.

No smoking, consumption of alcoholic beverages, and/or the taking of illegal drugs is permitted on the facility grounds.  Such behavior will result in immediate action taken, such as legal and/or expulsion from the Teen Center.
 

Respectful Behavior

All persons in attendance at the Youth Center will be respectful of all others and the property of all others at all times. The use of aggressive physical contact (This includes fighting, play fighting, rough-housing, and wrestling), vulgar gestures, abusive or obscene language, including but not limited to, racial, sexual, or religious references, directed at other members, guests, volunteers, or staff may result in a temporary suspension of the member’s right to use the Youth Center or possibly being permanently barred from the Youth Center.

Appropriate clothing is to be worn while in the Teen Center or while attending a Teen Center activity off site. This includes but is not limited to sagging, excessively loose or revealing clothing, clothing that displays or makes drug, tobacco, or alcohol references.

The Youth Center facility (including materials and equipment) must be respected at all times. Anyone identified as purposely defacing and/or damaging any Youth Center property will be responsible for returning the property to its proper condition and could result in immediate suspension and/or expulsion.

Keep your displays of affection private. There is to be no hugging, kissing, holding hands, sitting on laps, or other displays of affection.  Sexual harassment will not be tolerated.

Theft and acts of vandalism are prohibited and will result in immediate expulsion.  The Teen Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

No bullying, hazing, or verbal abuse will be tolerated.

No disrupting of normal Teen Center activities.

Teen Center members must receive permission from volunteers before using facility phones. The phone is not to be used for leisure calls.

Clean up after yourself. Failure to do so could result in loss of certain privileges associated with the Teen Center.

Video Game Policy

Only games that staff have reviewed and determined to be suitable for members will be allowed. 

Publicity Policy

The Braintree Community Youth Center reserves the right to have program participants photographed or videotaped for any publicity purposes including cable, newspaper, flyers, posters, brochures, or our Facebook and web pages. Your registration will serve as your release.

Non-Compliance

If non-compliance is exhibited to any of the above mentioned rules, regulations, or guidelines, the following actions will be followed by BCYC. Certain actions may result in immediate suspension or expulsion depending on severity. Compliance with these rules is mandatory.

1st Infraction –  A warning will be issued in the form of a verbal reprimand.

2nd Infraction  – Behavior will be documented and parent/guardian will be notified. Depending on severity, participant may be asked to leave.  If problem persists, behavior will be documented and parent/guardian will be notified. Suspension or expulsion from the Teen Center will be applicable.  Legal action will be taken if necessary and the proper authorities will be contacted.