Boston Center for Youth and Families outlines FY26 priorities: facilities work, aquatics pipeline and expanded senior programming

Boston Center for Youth and Families leaders presented the department’s FY26 budget request to the Boston City Council Committee on Ways and Means on May 6, 2025, emphasizing investments in facilities, staff training and programming to keep centers and pools open across the city.

BCYF Commissioner Marta Rivera told the committee that BCYF is the city’s largest human services department, operating the city’s network of community centers, pools and senior sites and serving tens of thousands of residents. “BCYF is committed to ensuring that everyone has equitable access to facilities, staff [and] quality programs,” Rivera said during the hearing.

The department framed FY26 work around three continuing priorities from its multi‑year plan: capital investments in facilities, a system‑wide human capital strategy to develop staff, and consistent, equitable program quality across centers. Rivera said BCYF is completing a facilities condition assessment intended to shift the department from reactive to preventive maintenance and to reduce sudden closures.

BCYF reported recent capital work and reopenings. Rivera said BCYF has reopened the Clarity Pool in Charlestown, the Johnson Community Center in Mission Hill and the Draper Pool in West Roxbury and is “nearing the final stages” of a new community center in Dorchester (Grove Hall). The department also launched designs for a new North End community center.

Programming and workforce investments BCYF described program expansion across age groups. Rivera said the department offers youth sports under the “Let’s Play Boston” initiative (formerly the Mayor’s youth sports initiative), reporting 500 youth in a fall developmental basketball league and several hundred more across winter and spring futsal and volleyball leagues. Rivera said BCYF expanded older‑adult programming from 13 centers to 30 centers that now offer ongoing weekly services for older adults.

BCYF said it has invested in staff development and certifications including CPR, psychological first aid, adaptive swim and referee certifications. Rivera said the department recently relaunched “BCYF Academy,” a staff professional‑development conference, and noted that more than 75% of recent center director openings have been filled internally.

Aquatics pipeline and hiring BCYF highlighted a multi‑pronged strategy to keep pools open: building staff pipelines for aquatics jobs, offering free training, and investing bonuses to retain lifeguards. Rivera said BCYF filled all 68 seasonal aquatics positions in summer 2024 for the first time in many years and continues to invest in recruitment and training to maintain that pipeline.

Councilors pressed BCYF on staffing and budget execution. Commissioner Rivera and Director of Operations Edward McGuire acknowledged ongoing vacancies in entry‑level positions (youth workers and athletic staff) and said filling those roles has been a priority; the department relies on a mix of permanent hires, vendors and overtime while it recruits. Rivera told the committee that many historic vacancies have been reduced through recent outreach and collective bargaining increases for lower‑paid roles.

New FY26 program initiatives For FY26 BCYF identified several program starts or expansions: continued growth of Let’s Play Boston, expanded toddler and girls programming, a position to improve public access to technology at centers, and partnerships to deliver menstrual equity dispensers and staff training in all center restrooms. Rivera also described an arts expansion in partnership with the human services cabinet and the mayor’s office to bring more high‑quality arts programming into centers.

Financial and operational context BCYF said it has nearly 400 employees and operates 36 facilities citywide, including 18 pools and one beach. Rivera reported roughly 87,000 registered members and more than 800,000 visits to BCYF facilities last year. She said BCYF staff are majority female and more than 60% BIPOC, and that racial diversity is reflected across leadership pay bands.

Looking ahead BCYF told the committee that the facilities condition assessment will guide capital prioritization and help the department avoid emergency repairs and sudden closures. Rivera and McGuire said they will continue to work with Boston Public Schools, property management and third‑party contractors to sequence repairs and reopenings. The department said it will continue to deploy targeted program and hiring investments to sustain increased participation in aquatics, sports and senior services.