Boys & Girls Clubs Partnership Aims to Stop Bullying and Judgement

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Boys & Girls Clubs Partnership Aims to Stop Bullying and Judgement

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America originated in 1860 to help young people in Hartford, Connecticut, build character and find safe alternatives to the streets. Today, the organization continues supporting young people nationwide through programs and partnerships, like the one they’ve launched with Planet Fitness.

In 2016 Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Planet Fitness launched Judgement Free Generation, an initiative meant to reduce instances of bullying and judgement and boost acceptance in America’s youth. To reach its goal, the program awards scholarships to deserving young people, hosts training sessions, and offers judgement-free fitness centers to members of regional clubs.

Scholarships

To promote kindness and acceptance, each year Planet Fitness awards $5,000 scholarships to 30 active members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America who exhibit the values of the Judgement Free Generation initiative. Qualified candidates must demonstrate how they’ve spread goodwill among their peers while also preventing bullying and judgement. High school seniors involved with their local Club who wish to apply must receive a recommendation from a Club staff member, complete an essay, and fulfill certain other academic and eligibility requirements.

Training Sessions

The initiative provides training sessions meant to equip both students and Boys & Girls Clubs of America staff members with the tools they need to promote acceptance and end bullying. Through these sessions, the program has reached upwards of 1,200 Club members.

Judgement Free Zones

As part of its partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Planet Fitness built fitness centers within certain Clubs around the country. To date, the initiative has established 30 Judgement Free Zone fitness centers. Young people who belong to participating Clubs can work out at these fitness centers without fear of judgement.

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About Erol Onel

A physician in New Jersey focused on pharmaceutical development, Erol Onel, MD, most recently served Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., as vice president of clinical research and medical information. In these roles, Dr. Erol Onel’s responsibilities included overseeing studies presented to the US Food and Drug Administration and engaging with Pacira’s regulatory department to ensure the completion and transmission of regulatory documentation. Among his accomplishments at Pacira, he guided the launch and approval of the firm’s major product, a non-opioid pain medication.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Onel has led held leadership roles in all areas of clinical development. With particular experience in male fertility, he played an integral role in the development of degarelix (Firmagon), a drug used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Dr. Erol Onel earned his doctor of medicine at Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed a residency in urology at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Subsequently, he fulfilled the obligations of a research fellowship in andrology and sexual dysfunction at the University of Illinois at Chicago.