Welcome to the Inside Out Club

 Inside Out Club develops kids with character inside and out. Every Inside Out Club activity – after school, on weekends or online – is a fun way for kids ages 3-12 to learn and practice character skills like kindness, acceptance and gratitude through service projects and community engagement.

Four opportunities for helping kids and families develop the character skills necessary to thrive in their lives, schools, community, and later in their careers.

Welcome to the Inside Out Club

Four opportunities for helping kids and families develop the character skills necessary to thrive in their lives, schools, community, and later in their careers.

    

Today’s youth face many risks and challenges – self-esteem, mental-health issues, bullying and more 

It’s never too early to start equipping your kids and family with character and community 

Since Inside Out Club Began in January 2014 

Kids & Parents Attended Inside Out Club on the Weekends

Students Attended Inside Out Club in Schools

Character Learning & Volunteer Hours of Inside Out Club Kids

Volunteer Hours Donated to Execute School Program

Inside Out Club Today

 

In Schools

31 schools with more than 1,400 kids

 

On Weekends

18-20 events a year serving families with kids ages 3-12

 

@Home

online resource filled with books, videos and projects 

 

Through Community

nonprofits we partner with in our school and weekend programs 

After my son’s first meeting, he told me they were doing ‘important things’ for the community. I think this was the first time he felt like he had a real impact on his community. His view of his world and the world in general grew three sizes that day!

2nd Grade Parent

I learned what it’s like to be someone else and how I can give back to the community.

I learned to help others because some people might not have things that other people have.

I learned to work together. [We] can change the world.

Inside Out Club Participant

I learned so much through these programs and really enjoyed sharing this experience with my son and the students. It’s amazing how I enjoyed the hour we had together each month.

Lead Volunteer, May Watts Elementary School

What makes the Inside Out Club unique is our Integrated Curriculum

Our curriculum combines social and emotional learning (SEL) with volunteerism. SEL helps people recognize and manage emotions, develop empathy for others, maintain cooperative relationships and make responsible decisions. The curriculum aims to 1) provide kids and families opportunities to develop and practice character skills, 2) broaden individuals’ perspective of the community through education on the social causes, and to 3) empower children and families to make their community better.

Character Skills – Practicing these 8 character skills translates into measurable positive outcomes.

Social Causes – Knowledge and understanding of key social issues increases a child’s sense of community and self.

Connection to Nonprofit Organizations – Children and parents believe they can create change and are empowered to help others.

Inside Out Club takes a comprehensive approach to helping develop kids with character by incorporating these three elements in all four Inside Out Club opportunities where everyone can participate.

Kids who practice these skills:

Acceptance

  • Proactively include others
  • Allow others to belong unconditionally
  • Value others for who they are

Collaboration

  • Listen and speak with others to contribute to group success
  • Actively support and inspire
  • Engage positively, patiently and productively with others

Curiosity

  • Demonstrate an active interest in learning
  • Are brave enough to ask questions
  • Are fearless innovators

Empathy

  • Understand what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes
  • Demonstrate compassion
  • Help others through service

Gratitude

  • Demonstrate a genuine appreciation for life’s gifts
  • Recognize and focus on the positives
  • Model gratitude to impact others

Kindness

  • Put others’ needs before individual wants
  • Value sharing, selflessness, generosity and compassion
  • Care for themselves, others, animals and the environment

Perseverance

  • Show grit, resilience and determination when facing challenges or the unexpected
  • Have a growth mindset
  • Follow through on commitments with grace and integrity

Self-Awareness

  • Embrace their authentic selves
  • Demonstrate healthy coping skills with social and emotional maturity
  • Work to understand their biases, feelings and motivations to make good choices

Embracing Humanity

Connecting to people for who they are and recognizing how we are all the same.

Protecting Our Planet

Working to keep our planet safe and healthy for generations to come.

Meeting Basic Needs

Understanding needs (food, shelter, clean water, transportation and literacy) versus wants.

Developing Self-Awareness / Character

Building the skills necessary to be a good person and thrive.

Being Socially Responsible

Having a desire and sense of responsibility to care for others and the planet.

Supporting Troops & Veterans

Valuing those who serve our country.

Nonprofits Inside Out Club DuPage Highlights:

  • Bernie’s Book Bank
  • Blessings in a Backpack
  • Celebrate Differences
  • Clean Water Project
  • The Conservation Foundation
  • DuPage Pads
  • DuPage Senior Council – Meals on Wheels
  • DuPage United
  • Family Focus Aurora
  • DuPage Forest Preserve
  • Giant Steps School
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Honor Flight Chicago
  • Literacy DuPage
  • Loaves & Fishes CARES
  • Loaves & Fishes Community Services
  • Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans
  • NAMI DuPage
  • Naperville Area Humane Society
  • Operation Drive
  • Operation Support Our Troops
  • People’s Resource Center
  • Phil’s Friends
  • Ripple Kindness Project
  • Ronald McDonald Family Room
  • SCARCE
  • Special Olympics Illinois
  • Special Spaces
  • The GardenWorks Project
  • Trees that Feed Foundation
  • West Suburban Community Pantry
  • Willowbrook Wildlife Center
  • World Relief DuPage/Aurora

Check Out Our Latest Blog

How Parents Can Use Curiosity to Fuel Positive Decision Making

How Parents Can Use Curiosity to Fuel Positive Decision Making

Finding ways to motivate your children to make healthy decisions can be tricky. Threatening to take away screen/play time can be an effective strategy, but does encourage good choices out of fear rather than genuine interest. Luckily, recent psychological research highlights a new way to approach this problem using something innate in all children.

Thank You to Our Partners!