In Sweden 15 percent of young people aged 13–16 visit municipal youth clubs regularly. This paper will discuss how club leaders regard their own profession, as well as their attitudes towards ethnicity and gender. The article is based on an ethnographic study of four youth clubs in two Swedish towns. The majority of the leaders did not have a clear strategy on how to reach their goals, and were confounded when meeting young people with non-Swedish ethnic backgrounds. They tried to meet the young people with respect and as friends, not as mates. Girls and boys were divided into separate groups, a decision which did not result from a reflection upon gender. They wanted the young people to take part in running the club, but found it difficult to motivate them. The leaders had a kit of methods for different situations but did not reflect upon if they reached the established goals. The way in which the leaders reflected upon their own position in the club indicates a normative stance. It is argued that the “management of meaning” ought to be informed by a notion of the particular activities and ideas that are best suited to create and govern a wholesome process within the clubs.