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Afterschool and Summer Workforce Solutions Database
The workforce challenges faced by afterschool and summer programs today are impacting their ability to meet the needs of children, youth, and families. Fortunately, workforce strategies and solutions are emerging, including those originating within our field and also in the early childhood and non-profit sectors.
Use this searchable database to learn about local, state, and national practices that are contributing to a thriving workforce. Strategies address issues such as recruitment, retention, compensation, career pathways, staff wellbeing, BIPOC leadership, and more.
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This resource was made possible by the Grantmakers for Education Out-of-School Time Impact Group and produced in partnership by the Afterschool Alliance, the California School-Age Consortium, Every Hour Counts, the National AfterSchool Association, National Summer Learning Association, National Urban League, and the Partnership for Children & Youth.
| Emerging Solution | Focus | Sector | State | Program or System | Scope | ID | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leadership Fellowship for BIPOC Emerging Leaders | Supporting BIPOC leadership | Nonprofit - not OST specific | AK | Program | Multi-state | 1 | ||
| Description | Philanthropy Northwest’s Momentum Fellowship is an 18-month fellowship limited to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) folks who work in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska and are emerging leaders at grantmaking institutions (approximately three years or fewer). The fellowship includes both personal and Professional development opportunities from a decolonizing lens. Throughout the program, the cohort of fellows participate in retreats run by Philanthropy Northwest, network with their peers, conduct periodic check-ins with program facilitators, and work one-on-one with a professional coach to support them over their 18 months of learning. Philanthropic organizations nationwide, including the Alaska Children's Trust, serve as Host Foundations for Fellows and support them throughout the program by covering travel and accommodation expenses for in-person fellowship retreats and additional Professional development. | |||||||
| Tags | State network or affiliate,Mentoring & coaching of staff | |||||||
| Details | ||||||||
| AmeriCorps in Afterschool | Staff recruitment,Career pathways & advancement opportunities,Professional development | Afterschool programs,Summer learning programs | AK | Program | State | 2 | ||
| Description | The Alaska Afterschool Network has partnered with AmeriCorps to increase staffing capacity at the state's afterschool and summer learning programs. AmeriCorps members serve as STEM coaches for one semester, over the summer, or for an entire year and work to engage more girls and BIPOC students in STEM. This role also allows AmeriCorps members to explore the education career field and build a career pathway into afterschool and/or summer learning. Members can also access Professional development opportunities like the Child and Youth Care Credential, NAA Facilitating STEM Micro-Credentials, Positive Youth Development Training, and more. | |||||||
| Tags | State network or affiliate,National service | |||||||
| Details | ||||||||
| Child & Youth Care Credential | Career pathways & advancement opportunities,Staff recruitment,Compensation & benefits | Afterschool programs,Summer learning programs,Early care & education programs | AK | Program | State | 3 | ||
| Description | The Alaska Afterschool Network has partnered with the Academy for Competent Youth Work and the Child & Youth Care Certification Board to expand the number of individuals in Alaska with credentials in Child & Youth Care. The Child & Youth Care Certification Board provides an assessment process and certification to child and youth care practitioners who demonstrate their commitment to high standards of care and responsibility to pursue ongoing competence development. This initiative has provided an alternative educational pathway for diverse individuals in Alaska’s OST workforce to qualify for leadership positions. | |||||||
| Tags | State network or affiliate | |||||||
| Details | ||||||||
| The Leadership in Action Fellowship Cohort Series | Professional development | Summer learning programs,Afterschool programs | AR | Program | State | 4 | ||
| Description | Since 2010, the Arkansas Afterschool Network has offered the Leadership in Action (LIA) Fellowship Series, which provides an intensive leadership development experience to develop strong leaders in out-of-school-time across the state. Participants in the fellowship can create more adaptable, responsive programming that aligns with the field's most up-to-date and effective approaches. LIA Fellows meet from the fall to the spring and have sessions with subject matter experts on topics like positive youth development frameworks, communication competencies and techniques, trauma-informed care, strengths-based leadership approaches, and more. Fellows also have the chance to network with peers in their field. | |||||||
| Tags | State network or affiliate,Mentoring & coaching of staff | |||||||
| Details | Additional Resources: | |||||||
| Arkansas Youth Development Institute | Professional development,Career pathways & advancement opportunities | Afterschool programs,Summer learning programs,Early care & education programs | AR | Program | State | 5 | ||
| Description | The Arkansas Youth Development Institute consists of 30 peer-reviewed courses that offer essential on-demand content for youth development professionals at all levels. The courses are free to any Arkansas user, and users can earn a Youth Worker Orientation Certificate (YWOC) by completing core course content. The Arkansas Out of School Network added mental health and well-being courses to equip OST providers with tools and resources to serve the students in their programs better. This is especially critical in Arkansas, given the high prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). A partnership with the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care has enabled the Arkansas Out of School Network to develop a more in-depth focus on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma Informed Care, and health and wellness in general, including the addition of three online courses in the Arkansas Youth Development Institute to address these topics: ACEs Pt. 1, Trauma Informed Care, and the Science of Learning & Development. | |||||||
| Tags | State network or affiliate | |||||||
| Details | Additional Resources: | |||||||
| Standard Occupational Code | Narrative & visibility of the workforce | OST | CA | System | State,National | 6 | ||
| Description | The California Afterschool Network, CAN, is working with organizations in the out-of-school-time fields to consider the feasibility and utility of making a case for a specific Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code for out-of-school-time professionals. | |||||||
| Tags | State network or affiliate | |||||||
| Details | ||||||||
| CAN Policy Framework | Career pathways & advancement opportunities,Compensation & benefits,Narrative & visibility of the workforce,Professional development,Organizational stability & health | Afterschool programs | CA | System | State | 7 | ||
| Description | CAN believes the Out-of-School-Time (OST) field, including Expanded Learning, plays an essential role in advancing the health and well-being of every child. To achieve this, CAN and our partners focus on fundamentally redesigning systems to expand access to high-quality programs, support and nurture our workforce and strengthen and align resources for children, families, and communities. We advocate for policy changes that address the root causes of inequity and create a more just and equitable landscape for all children and youth. We recognize those most impacted by policy work are often the least likely to be engaged in the decision-making processes. We strive to build capacity and ensure access to advocacy opportunities for all members of our communities to advance policies that ensure we all thrive. This framework aims to set a high-level, long-term vision that guides CAN’s annual priorities for advocacy and policy efforts. Any organization cannot achieve the goals outlined in this framework alone. CAN looks forward to partnering with others across multiple sectors to advance this bold vision. | |||||||
| Tags | State network or affiliate | |||||||
| Details | Additional Resources: | |||||||
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