The external safety assessment, led by the BGCA's Quality Assurance team, serves multiple critical purposes for the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Florida. It's designed to support the new 2024 membership requirement by validating existing safety measures through expert review, offering practical solutions to common safety challenges, and increasing the organization's understanding of safety standards. Ultimately, the goal is to identify opportunities for creating a safer environment for Club members and staff, thereby elevating the community standing of the Clubs by setting a new standard for the safety and protection of young people.

The assessment was comprehensive, covering a wide range of safety categories including Staff Practices, Security, Facility Safety, Restrooms and Locker Rooms, Emergency and Evacuation procedures, Sports and Outdoor Recreation, Food Preparation, Aquatic Safety, and Transportation. The methodology involved the organization completing a self-review prior to the visit, followed by an onsite assessment. During the onsite visit, the assessment team reviewed documents, verified self-assessment answers, conducted staff interviews, and observed operational activities to gather findings.

Across the Mayo Unit, Shady Grove Unit, and Taylor County Teen Club, staff practices largely "Met" the medium and low severity safety requirements. This included effective processes for monitoring individuals in the facility, understanding and following incident reporting procedures (including suspected child abuse), displaying BGCA child safety posters, and being trained on emergency operations plans. Staff were also observed maintaining appropriate interactions with youth, actively monitoring and supervising them, and avoiding one-on-one private contact. Club members were noted to complete annual digital citizenship and technology safety training.

The Clubs generally "Met" security requirements, including effective measures for controlling and preventing unauthorized site entrance, monitoring and alarming exterior doors, and ensuring doors can be easily closed and locked. Video surveillance systems were operational and appropriately positioned, and visitor access to outdoor programming areas was secured. Parking lots, sidewalks, and building perimeters were in good condition and well-lit. One minor deficiency noted at the Shady Grove Unit was that "Extension/flexible cords and power strips are used appropriately and in good condition" was "Not Met" with a due date in June 2025.

Facility safety and cleanliness standards were mostly "Met" across all units. This included proper maintenance of electrical panels, outlets, and switches, appropriate use and condition of extension cords, and ensuring floors are free from slip/trip hazards. Program equipment and youth belongings were stored securely, and sharp objects and chemicals were properly stored. The Clubs appeared clean, sanitary, and orderly, with proper waste removal, adequate ventilation and lighting, and readily accessible drinking water. A specific "Not Met" finding for the Taylor County Teen Club concerned gym flooring, which was observed to be uneven in places, with plans for an upgrade in progress.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Florida adheres to a comprehensive set of policies, most of which "Met" BGCA membership requirements. These include policies on child abuse prevention and response, drug and alcohol-free workplace, supervision and facilities (including restrooms and staff-to-youth ratios), transportation, technology acceptable use, incident reporting and investigation, safety policy provision to parents/guardians, screening and onboarding (including background and reference checks), and emergency operations. The organization also complies with safety laws like OSHA.

Background checks and safety training are paramount for ensuring the safety and protection of young people. The BGCA requires criminal background checks for all staff (including youth workers), board members, and volunteers who have direct, repetitive interaction with youth. These checks must include all four name or fingerprint-based record searches and be secured prior to engagement, with continuous monitoring or at least every 12 months thereafter. Findings from these checks are reviewed for felony and misdemeanor crimes. Regarding training, BGCA-approved safety training covering child abuse prevention, mandated reporting, and grooming prevention is required for all staff and volunteers with direct, repetitive interaction with youth, to be completed and documented annually. A specific "Not Met" finding indicated that all board members had not completed required annual BGCA-approved training, with a recommendation for completion before supervising young people.

While the assessment primarily found compliance, a few areas were identified as "Not Met" or "NA" (Not Applicable) for certain units. For instance, the Shady Grove Unit had a "Not Met" finding for the appropriate use and good condition of extension/flexible cords and power strips. The Taylor County Teen Club's gym flooring was "Not Met" due to uneven surfaces, with a recommendation to ensure regular maintenance for a safe environment. Additionally, a significant "Not Met" observation across the entire Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Florida organization concerned safety training, where it was noted that "all board members have not completed required BGCA-approved annual training." BGCA recommended ensuring that training for all Board Members with direct repetitive contact with youth is completed and documented before they begin supervising young people, in accordance with membership requirements. Other "NA" findings typically pertained to services not provided by a specific Club, such as aquatic safety or transportation, indicating that the relevant safety standards did not apply to them.