National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment Resource Library

This profile of innovation is part of a series of innovative initiatives in Child Care Development Fund lead agencies to support social-emotional and mental health as part of pandemic recovery. It includes examples from CO, KY, and SC on expanding mental health consultation and training, provider and director cafes for peer support on stress and trauma, and well-being coaches that help centers establish a well-being plan. An additional profile of innovation, Idaho Community Program Grant, highlights a grant opportunity for programs to receive funding to address student learning loss and behavioral health supports for ages 5-13; it can be found here. https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/new-occ/resource/files/id_profile.pdf.  This resource supports resiliency.

This brief summarizes findings from a study about equity in out-of-school-time programs run by school districts. It explores: (1) what equity looks like in OST programs provided by equity-minded districts; (2) what challenges districts face integrating their equity goals and efforts into their OST programs; (3) what actions districts can take to meet these challenges; and (4) what further research is needed to better inform policy and practice. This resource supports equity.  The companion full report can be found here: https://education.virginia.edu/documents/how-do-districts-implement-equity-afterschool-and-summer-programs

This issue brief provides lessons learned from a 2022 Learning Community convened by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment that included seven states--CA, IL, MA, NC, NM, VT, and WI. States explored ways to sustain compensation efforts begun with pandemic funding. Ideas included compensation reform, salary scales and cost modeling, obtaining dedicated funds and funding mechanisms, contracts and grants, and building data and evaluation capacity.  

This toolkit provides programs with an overview on the importance of youth voice, along with tools and examples.  The key takeaways are to meet youth where they are, train adults to exist in youth spaces and youth to exist  in adult spaces, and let youth take the lead. It also has a section with many resources on culturally responsive voice. Grantmakers in Education featured this resource and examples in this one-hour webinar, Youth Voice Initiative Share-Out and Discussion, found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZnHO1t6fDE 

This brief 15-minute webinar provides an overview of what trauma is, the common responses to and symptoms of trauma at different ages, and data on numbers of youth who have experienced trauma. It includes recommendations for bringing trauma-informed practices into OST settings that can serve as a checklist and reminders for afterschool and summer staff. Resources are provided. This resource supports resiliency.

This journal article in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences examines the role of afterschool and recommends that programs focus on relationships, developing youth interest, identity and social capital. Given the pressure from government and funders to focus on academics, this is an equity issue because research shows that wealthier youth are more likely to be offered enrichment experiences to develop interests and identify, but low-income and youth of color are more likely to have OST as extended forms of child care or schooling. This resource supports equity.  

This paper is designed to raise understanding and awareness of LGBTQ+ challenges, the current anti-LGBTQ climate, and ways that after school leaders can address these issues and support LGBTQ+ youth.  Given that 2022 data found that only 37% of LGBTQ+ youth identified home as an affirming space and only 55% felt school was an affirming place, it is essential that OST programs access these resources prepare their staff to provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment. This resource supports equity.  

This introduction to disability inclusion for youth-serving organizations by Partners for Youth with Disabilities covers topics like the American Disabilities Act, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and inclusive communication. It also includes forms and resources. Note that registering with Partners for Youth with Disabilities is required in order to download this free resource.

This course from Better Kid Care focuses on three tiers of strategies educators and programs can use to create a culture of caring that prioritizes relationships and supports for mental health and well-being. These are important strategies, given that research has found that educators' emotional availability and sensitivity to children's needs decrease in times of stress. To promote well-being, the module suggests developing a culture of caring, deepening relationships, and promoting work-life balance and self-care. To prevent burnout, suggestions include offering job accommodations, reflective supervision, and referrals to community resources. There are helpful worksheets such as burnout assessment and team-building activities. Available in Spanish. This resource supports resiliency. This resource supports equity.

This issue brief explores how youth-led efforts can be a response to the rising number of youth with mental health challenges and the shortage of school psychologists and counselors. It includes an overview of an Ohio suicide prevention program and an Oregon teen-to-teen youth crisis line. There are also interviews with the youth leaders and a list of relevant resources. A companion webinar highlighting the experiences of three youth leaders in supporting peer-to-peer mental health programs can be found here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikcpEPFByKw This resource supports resiliency.