SEARCH FOR RESOURCES
This report discusses the components of strong continuous quality improvement systems, emphasizing ways to safeguard and sustain such systems. It shares lessons learned from afterschool quality system leaders who took part in a multi-year Wallace-funded initiative for cities. A companion self-assessment tool is designed to help system builders identify action steps for strengthening CQI system.
This resource guide is designed to help community-based organizations (CBOs) understand and develop cultural competency—the ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. It offers a framework for understanding cultural competency, including sections such as: choosing interventions, conducting a needs assessment, workforce diversity, budgeting and costs for intervention. Each section includes an extensive annotated bibliography of tools and resources. This is a relevant and useful guide for afterschool programs even though it is not specific to OST. The companion webinar can be found at: https://www.hispanicresearchcenter.org/research-resources/developing-culturally-responsive-approaches-to-serving-diverse-populations-recording/
This infographic lists the 10 categories of the NAA (National Afterschool Association) core knowledge and competencies (CKCs). The CKCs articulate what professionals need to know and be able to do for a program to be considered high quality. This infographic presents the 10 core knowledge areas in an easy-to-read-and-remember format.
Based on the knowledge that strong, positive family relationships are good for children and youth, this easy-to-digest infographic provides suggestions on how to create growth-enhancing family relationships. The 20 suggestions for action are divided into 5 categories--(1) express care; (2) share power; (3) challenge growth; (4) provide support; and (5) expand possibilities. This resource supports resilience.
This brief outlines the protective factors from Strengthening Families. It is a brief and practical guide that can be used for professional development on how to support families about the importance of (1) parental resilience in response to stressors; (2) social connections for information and support; (3) knowledge of parent and child development; (4) concrete supports; and (5) building social-emotional competence of children.
This report is based on a study of 1,085 parents of children age 3-13. It suggests six changes in how schools, organizations, and networks engage families based on a framework of developmental relationships with five features: (1) express care; (2) challenge growth; (3) provide support, (4) share power, and (5) expand possibilities. It includes a final chapter designed specifically for parents. This resource supports resilience.
This website offers afterschool nonprofits a range of tools, articles, reports, and resources to develop financial skills. It includes articles, webinars, videos, and self-assessment resources on planning, operations, monitoring, and governance.
This guide compares purpose, structure, content, and technical properties of assessment tools for out-of-school time programs. With growing interest in quality, this information can be helpful to cities or states that are examining available tools for assessment. This resource is older, but will give you a preliminary idea of the choices available. You should follow up by going to the primary websites to learn more and get updated information.
On March 21, 2017 NCASE hosted a webinar as part of the National Afterschool Alliance (NAA) Conference in Dallas, Texas. The event was broadcast live. Attendees learned about the history of efforts to professionalize the field and the current state of affairs, and heard from state representatives on how they are addressing key OST workforce issues, such as core competencies, professional development, and compensation. Presenters shared both national lessons learned and examples from state level efforts.
Topics for discussion included: Data on the OST workforce and efforts to professionalize the field; the role of higher education and efforts to advance credentials or certification and building a system that spans the continuum of care, from early childhood to school-age and beyond.
On December 1, 2016 the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE) facilitated a 20-minute virtual tour of its Resource Library. Participants learned how this curated collection of tools, information, and examples of promising practices can inform and support efforts to increase access and to improve the quality of programs for school-age children. Presenters showed how to search the Resource Library to find resources that address a wide range of out-of-school time topics, including:
* Quality improvement
* Family engagement
* Professional development