The core Clubhouse strategy involves giving participants the opportunity to become designers and creators - not just passive consumers - of technology. Activities are guided by educational research which shows that adolescents learn most effectively when they are engaged in designing and creating projects, rather than memorising facts or learning isolated skills out of context. Thus, the Clubhouse fosters a learner-centred, informal educational approach that encourages participants to discover their interests and apply their own ideas. Specifically, the Clubhouse provides the resources, materials, and tools for young people to develop projects in areas such as: computer simulations, multimedia creations, electronic music, computer game design, electronic publishing, computer-controlled devices, 3-dimensional design, and developing web pages. In short, young people learn how to use professional software for design, exploration, and experimentation - trying for themselves what it is like to be an architect, engineer, composer, artist, journalist, scientific researcher, computer programmer, and a wide array of other professions in the modern workplace.

The Clubhouse educational approach is also based on research that shows the importance of interpersonal relationships and community in the learning process, particularly for adolescents. Thus, a core strategy involves creating a sense of community, where young people work together with one another with support and inspiration from adult mentors. Specifically, when young people first visit the Clubhouse, they are able to choose among introductory exploration activities, such as experimenting with image processing; as they continue their involvement, they begin to develop more in-depth projects - either individually or as part of a project team. Members also work closely with adult mentors who share their experience and serve as role models. These mentors are students and professionals in fields such as art, science, education, or
technology. In addition to serving as role models, these (volunteer) mentors introduce new project ideas and technologies - helping youth create web pages, make their own animations, make videos, conduct a web search, compose music, and so on act.

Specific Computer Clubhouse programmes that have been informed by these strategies include:

• Teen Summit - A gathering of youth from Computer Clubhouses worldwide takes place in Boston every two years. The 2006 Summit included 250 ambassadors (13-18 years old) from 18 countries. Chosen by their local Computer Clubhouse coordinators for outstanding leadership skills, technical and creative ability, and contributions to the community, these youth worked together to address their communities' challenges, and created computer generated animations, art, music, an e-magazine, radio and video documentaries, robots, and 3-D models.
• Clubhouse-to-College/Career (C2C) - This project supports members in leveraging the technology skills and experience they get at the Clubhouse, as well as in life- and job-related skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and project management. C2C helps Clubhouse members explore professional jobs and academic opportunities, and to learn from and interact with people like local college representatives, and met working engineers, musicians, publishers, animators, writers, producers, programmers, and photographers. Activities have included field trips to local companies and area colleges, "job shadow days" at local companies, "visiting technologist days", professional internship and job opportunities, and workshops in resume-writing, interviewing, and educational planning.
• Hear Our Voices - Funded in part through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), this project involves giving girls an opportunity to use a variety of software applications to create projects that reflect their own unique personal interests. Adult female mentors serve as role models and work to inspire girls using a "Circle of Friends" approach to nurture and teach girls how to establish strong, trust-building connections. The idea is that, on the strength of their interactions with mentors, girls can feel supported as they develop self-confidence, while exploring their curiosity about real-world applications of technology and creative expression. Activities may include writing and recording music, learning to use digital cameras, designing science and engineering projects, creating digital artwork and graphics, crafting original movies and video productions, and creating Flash animation, 3-D, and robotics projects. A principal feature of Hear Our Voices is its specific design for countering the patterns of math, science, and technology avoidance among girls and young women, and their resultant under-employment in these fields.
• Beyond Black Boxes (BBB) - This initiative seeks to engage girls (ages 9 to 14) in scientific and technological inquiry in a way that feels relevant and inviting to them. Using the mission, resources, and experience of both the Girl Scouts and The Computer Clubhouse, BBB seeks to enable inner-city girls to explore technology in ways that strengthen their interests and their intellectual, social, and emotional development. Working with staff and volunteer mentors, participants built scientific instruments using LEGO, Crickets (microcomputers developed at the MIT Media Lab), motors, sensors, and various other building and art materials. Using Crickets, participants gathered, analysed, and interpreted data. They created sculptures, moving environments, and other works of science/art. BBB encouraged experimentation, invention, and fun by making it okay to ask questions, to be beginners, and to work individually as well as in groups. It introduced girls to building, design, computer programming, and career opportunities in science and technology.
• Beyond Four Walls - To build on the experience and lessons learned of Beyond Black Boxes, the Computer Clubhouse (with partial support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council) is collaborating with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) to develop activities that allow youth from under-served communities to learn through design, invention, and self-discovery. Beyond Four Walls is designed to reach out to youth who might not think of themselves as interested in science and technology, but who have a natural curiosity about the things that interest them. For example, youth can analyse the math and physics of the game of pool and design a "virtual" game that simulates the trajectories, spin, and speed of the balls as they travel across the pool table. They can design kites that contain instruments that allow them to measure atmospheric conditions at different altitudes. Others may opt to work as a team to create gardens; some could take charge of preparing and planting the garden (having interviewed landscape designers, for instance), while others might film the entire process for a documentary, which could be produced in the Clubhouse using video-editing tools. Participants could then monitor their garden's progress through data collection and analysis, scientific journal entries, photography, video, and/or a website.

Children, Youth, Gender, Technology, Education.

In 1997 the Flagship Clubhouse in Boston won the Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation in recognition of the programme has made a difference in the lives of the people it serves, and serves as a model that others can learn from. In 1999 Intel Corporation announced its support for the establishment of 100 Intel Computer Clubhouses in under-served communities worldwide.