National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment Resource Library

This study by the Institute for the Study of Resilience in Youth, commissioned by the National Summer Learning Association, was designed to help practitioners, policymakers, and researchers understand the youth perspective on two kinds of summer experiences—structured and unstructured. This representative sample of youth found that youth in structured programs reported feeling more happiness, positive emotions, interest, and better school preparedness than youth in unstructured settings. This could be used to help build the case for more structured summer learning opportunities for children and youth.

In this BUILD Initiative webinar, speakers from Migration Policy Institute and Civitas Strategies share fiscal and policy supports that would be beneficial for refugee and asylum families and children. Strategies include language access, increased workforce diversity, accessible two-generation approaches, coordination with refugee resettlement agencies, and trauma-informed practices. This resource supports equity.

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with the National League of Cities, has created a map and a chart that shows where states, cities, and school districts are investing COVID-19 relief funds. The charts show how funds are being used, including American Rescue Plan, ESSER III, and local recovery funds. The majority of funds are being used to increase access to afterschool and summer programs, and in addition for teen jobs programs, technology, and staff supports.

This user-friendly toolkit includes a wealth of resources and examples needed to start or grow a program. It has four sections: (1) Starting a program; (2) Running a program; (3) Sustaining a program; and (4) Getting help. Within each section there are links to existing program start-up guides, connections to curriculum and professional development, funding, marketing and media, and partnerships. This resource supports equity.  

For the first time, this analysis of America After 3PM data provides an in-depth look at the afterschool experiences of Native American children and youth, including the availability of afterschool programs, qualities Native American parents care most about in afterschool programs, and potential areas of growth for the afterschool field to reach more Native American young people.

Temescal Associates sponsored this webinar to explore the concerns being raised about youth mental health following their return to school and afterschool after the COVID shutdown. It features Dr. Gil Noam from Partnerships in Education and Resiliency (PEAR) and a panel with Eric Gurna, consultant and former President of LA's Best, and Diane Carrillo from ARC-Experience. With surveys indicating that 30 percent of youth need intervention, and the shortage of mental health clinicians, the panel explores the role out-of-school can play in supporting youth mental health through trauma-informed practice and in providing routine and structure, physical outlets, positive behavior management, and helping youth learn self-management through activities like yoga and mindfulness. This resource supports resiliency.

This webinar by Grantmakers for Education: OST Impact Group provides in-depth look into one organization’s journey to address its history of appropriating Indigenous culture and then moving ahead on its commitment to equity, putting youth in the lead. Camp Fire shares how it has partnered with local affiliates and youth to develop new traditions and practices, and how it is moving forward to create transformational partnerships with Indigenous leaders and organizations to support young people together. It includes examples from AK and OK, as well as its work with the National Indian Education Association. This resource supports equity.

This Bipartisan Policy Center webinar explores what cost modeling is and how it can inform investments in child care. Experts highlight why both cost modeling and market rate surveys are useful to increase the access, quality, and sustainability of the child care sector. It includes examples from IL, MA, and DC. There is an associated report, Charting the Path Forward for Child Care: Using Cost Modeling to Design New Solutions. 

This series of reports by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics provides a compilation of national data on 41 key indicators for children ages 0-17. The statistics include measures on issues such as food insecurity, summer enrichment, housing instability, mental health and substance abuse, and child and adolescent  mortality.  The 2022 version highlights selected special feature indicators related to COVID-19 to address the impact of the pandemic on child and family well-being.  

The Improving Child Care Compensation Video Series provides interviews with leaders whose work is covered in the Improving Child Care Compensation Backgrounder 2021, which is also in the NCASE library. There are multiple videos for each state, and include examples of strategies that increase workforce equity such as creating salary scales, raising salaries, providing benefits, and building partnerships. Entities included are CA, CO, DE, IL, LA, NM, NC, PA, WA and D.C. This resource supports equity.