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Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time
A How-To Manual
DRAFT
October 1, 1997
National Institute on Out-of-School Time"
Center for Research on Women
Wellesley College
The Corporation for National Service
Washington, DC
"formerly the School-Age Child Care Project
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time:
A How-T Manual
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
?
Introduction
?
I.
What is Quality Out-of-School Time?
2
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time
>
II.
III.
Service as Part of Delivery in Out-of-School Time
>
Effective Practices - What Works:
Action for Children Today and Parents United for Child Care
,
AmeriCorps Berkeley Tutoring Program
,
AmeriCorps and Energy Express West Virginia
2
AmeriCorps YMCA Programs in New York City
>
City Year Boston LEFTY Program
,
Learn & Serve at the University of Pennsylvania
2
National Civilian Community Corps and Brown Elementary
,
Senior Corps R.S.V.P. Grandma Please Program
>
Volunteers in Service to America Boys and Girls Club
2
Future Trends: Cross Stream PlusTime New Hampshire
,
IV.
Service and Service-Learning Activities
for Children and Youth in Out-of-School Time
)
,
Acknowledgements
Appendices
A.
State-by State Directory of National Service Contacts
B.
CNS Headquarters Contacts
C.
Internet Links
D.
Other Out-of-School Time Resources
E.
Current Research and Statistics on Out-of-School Time
F.
State Pilot Teams
G.
Other Service Resources
H.
December 1996 Forum Participants and Organization Information
Preface
On December 4-6, 1996, Expanding Opportunities in Out-of-School Time: A National Forum on
Service and School-Age Care launched a new partnership to expand the resources available for
children and youth in programs operating before school, after school, on weekends, and
during school breaks (i.e. out-of-school time, OST). The Corporation for National Service
(CNS), the Department of Education (DOE), the Child Care Bureau at the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Association of Child Care Resource and
Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), and the National Institute on Out-of-School Time
(NIOST)¹ joined together to begin planning for the development of new community-based
collaborations that will expand and enhance out-of-school time programs for children and
youth. Three pilot state teams -- Massachusetts, Washington, Illinois - and a national
partnership team met to discuss solutions for implementation of service integration with
out-of-school time at the community, state, and national level.
The inspiration for this how-to-manual originated from discussions at the December 1996
forum focused around the integration of service as a strategy. The purpose of this how-to-
manual is to provide program directors, child care providers, service members, school
administrators, and leaders of community-based organizations with a guide for effectively
integrating service as a strategy in the development and implementation of OST programs.
The manual discusses quality OST, service as a strategy in OST, examples of effective
practices, service and service-learning activities for children and youth in OST, and an
appendices of resources and contacts. The manual is designed as a work in progress that will
be updated periodically as new lessons emerge from the field.
To help coordinate forum follow-up activities, the Corporation for National Service has
organized the To Learn and Grow (TLG) public/private partnership initiative to expand,
enrich and improve the quality of programs for children and youth in during out-of-school
time. The TLG partnership brings together representatives from education, child care and
service organizations, private corporations, and foundations, who are committed to
providing quality OST opportunities for children and youth. A recent outgrowth of this
initiative are funds available through the Corporation specific to training and technical
assistance for service as a strategy in OST. For more information please contact the
Corporation for National Service.
I Formerly the School-Age Child Care Project
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Introduction
In the past few decades, dramatic changes in the social and economic fabric of our
country have led to profound changes for the American family. Today, less than 15%
of our nation's children live in a household with a working father and "stay-at-home"
mother (U.S. Census Bureau, 1996). In fact according to the U.S. Bureau of Census
(1991), two thirds or 24 million school-age children ages 5-14 are in need of care during
their out-of-school time hours, a population which is expected to grow with recent
changes in welfare laws. The Government Accounting Office estimates that in the
year 2002, the current child care supply would meet as little as 13 percent of the
demand in some urban areas (GAO/HEHS-97-95, May 1997).
Increasingly, schools and community-based organizations are responding to the needs
of millions of children and youth by providing safe places and constructive activities in
the out-of-school time hours. Quality out-of-school time (OST) programs provide a
variety of enrichment activities that keep children safe, provide opportunities for
positive and consistent relationships with adults and other peers, and promote
development through building skills and interests. Quality OST programs also provide
opportunities for young people to volunteer in their communities, learn leadership and
team building skills, and connect with adult mentors.
[insert box: a couple specific examples of what can be accomplished in OST programs-
in Los Angeles, Calif., the Safe Haven helped students by providing tutoring help to
increase their academic performance; in Boston, Mass., a middle school class service
project that created a community garden; etc.]
Out-of-school time programs encompass a wide range of activities for young people
that take place before school, after school, on weekends and during school breaks.
Some OST programs run for short intervals during summer months only. Other OST
programs, such as the school-age care facilities, operate year-round and provide services
for whenever parents work and children are not in the classroom. Many schools are
keeping their doors open in the afternoons and evenings to address the needs of
students and families. Law enforcement officials have started volunteer programs, like
midnight basketball leagues, to provide recreation and keep young people safe. When
piecing together this myriad of resources, communities are beginning to build OST
networks with some potential to meet the needs of parents, children and youth.
In addition, some OST programs are also using service and service-learning activities to
expand and enhance opportunities for children and youth. Service is people taking
responsibility for meeting community needs by giving their time and talents to help
solve problems. Service can be an important resource in OST programs through two
primary ways:
- Bringing national and community service resources into programs to increase
organizational capacity and support the delivery of care. [insert examples: college
students as after-school tutors, Senior Corps volunteers as mentors, AmeriCorps *VISTA
members mobilizing community volunteers... ]
- Engaging children and youth in community service and service-learning activities in
the out-of-school time hours. [insert examples: Learn and Serve America grants to fund
the development of a s-1 curriculum ]
In Chapter II-IV, these primary vehicles for service as a strategy will be explored
through a variety of examples. The goal of this manual is to give program staff and
school-age care providers practical information about how to integrate service as a
component within quality out-of-school time. Discussions among both practitioners
and researchers in the emerging fields of service and OST have developed a body of
knowledge about what makes a high quality program. In an attempt to create a
common language for OST programs, Chapter I, What is Quality Out-of-School Time?,
presents a summary of some of these efforts to define quality standards.
In each chapter, there are practical suggestions about how to apply service as a strategy
within a variety of OST program settings (see gray boxes???). For additional
information on OST resources.
Contact To Learn and Grow for more information on
What is Quality Out-of-School Time?
I.
What is Quality Out-of-School Time?
Definition
To describe children's time outside the regular school day, the field has recently adapted the
term "out-of-school time". For the purposes of this manual, out-of-school time (OST)
programs refer to the broad range of enrichment opportunities for children and youth,
grades K-12, in the out-of-school time hours, including school-age care programs, before
and after-school centers, and extended day programs.
Quality out-of-school time is the opportunity for children and youth to develop positive and
consistent relationships with adults, access a safe place, and participate in constructive
activities during OST hours. These activities occur in a wide variety of organizational
settings and agencies, including schools, community-based organizations, YMCAs, Campfire,
Bovs and Girls Club, churches, and cooperative extensions. The hours encompass before
and after school, weekends, holidays, in-service days, summers and other school vacations.
What is Quality?
Extensive research in child care and early childhood education conducted over the past 20
years has demonstrated strong, positive relationships between a variety of quality measures
and various dimensions of children's development and well-being. Although child care
quality can be based on factors that are difficult to measure, the research on child care
quality has consistently found the following dimensions to be most strongly associated with
enhanced child well-being (Love, et al 1996): 1) structural features such as lower child-staff
rations and smaller group sizes; 2) classroom/caregiver dynamics including caregivers'
sensitivity; and 3) staff characteristics such as education and experience.
More recently, studies specific to school-age care have found that latchkey children are at
significantly greater risk of truancy and poor academic performance and are more likely to
engage in risky behavior such as juvenile delinquency and substance abuse. In contrast,
children who attend high quality out-of-school time programs have been found to have
better peer relationships, emotional adjustment, and better grades and conduct in school
(Vandell et al, 1996). (For more information on research, see Appendix E).
Consistent with existing research, NIOST recommends the following three desired
outcomes for children in out-of-school time:
developing consistent and caring relationships with adults and other children,
opportunities for constructive activities, and
access to a safe place.
Standards of School-Age Care
With the numbers of unsupervised children rising and the evidence for quality according to
existing research, the National School-Age Care Alliance (NSACA) in collaboration with
NIOST, developed national pilot standards and an accreditation system for school-age care
programs. The purpose of the building a national system of program improvement and
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: How-to Manual
accreditation for school-age care is to provide a strategic opportunity to impact the lives of
millions of children and youth by improving the quality of school-age care programs
available to them.
With the appropriate training, these standards of quality school-age care can be used as part
of continuous program improvement which combines assessment and program
improvement. Depending on the results of the assessment, program improvement can take
the form of training in staff development in child and adolescent development, teamwork,
director management, age-appropriate activities, utilizing volunteers etc. The Corporation is
currently providing training and technical assistance funding to integrate the quality
standards school-age care with national service in OST programs.
The pilot standards are currently under revision and will be available in January 1998.¹ Upon
completion of the pilot phase in January 1988, the quality standard will provide the basis for
a national accreditation process applicable to a wide variety of OST programs. The current
pilot standards are divided into The Six Elements of Quality which are listed below and
provide a guideline of what constitutes a quality school-age program.
Human Relationships
"The staff here are really cool. They do stuff with us and talk with us and we have a lot of fun.
It makes me really want to come here."
Are the staff warm and compassionate? Are they actively involved with children? Do
staff treat children with respect? Do staff help children without taking control? Do
they work with the children every day to build positive relationships and model
communication? Do they help children make informed and responsible decisions?
Do staff have realistic expectations of children?
Do staff-child ratios and group sizes allow staff to meet the children's needs? Are
children given enough staff time so that they are not rushed? Are there enough staff
to handle both an emergency and regular child care?
Do the staff and families work together to make the transition between home and
child care go smoothly? Are the diverse needs of families recognized and viewed as
strengths rather than burdens? Are staff responsive to issues affecting the children's
lives outside of the program? Are families welcome at the program and do they feel
well informed?
Do the staff and host work well with each other to meet the needs of the children
they serve? Are they cooperative, communicative, and respectful of each other? Is
there a generally pleasant tone when staff interact in front of kids?
I Changes to the standards focus on sensitivity to cultural diversity, allowing more flexibility in activities,
and including a section on community partners focusing on community service. For more information
contact: NSACA, 1137 Washington St. Boston, MA 02124; 617-298-5017
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: How-to Manual
Indoor Environment
"I like being able to move around to different places. Some days I like going to the gm and some days I like
working with the computers. Sometimes I just like to go to the loft and read The best part is that I can pick
where I want to be."
A good program has space that feels cozy and comfortable and has interest areas. Every
space can be improved with imagination and enthusiasm. Those who run programs located
in "dedicated" space are free to shape that space as they wish. Programs which share space
can make the curriculum mobile. Stackable containers, large pillows, moveable storage
cabinets, and furniture will help. Design the space around the needs of children and the
goals of the program. Look for the following to see if your program has a quality indoor
environment:
Are the space, furniture, and equipment organized to support a wide range of
program activities? Are there areas for active play, quiet work and play, messy
activities, eating, and various social groupings? Can several activities go on at the
same time without disrupting one another?
Can children get materials out and put them away on their own with ease? Does the
space reflect the interests of the children?
Are there soft, comfortable spaces for relaxation and/or privacy for children who
have been in large-group settings all day?
Is it comfortable? How is the room temperature, ventilation, and lighting? Can
people with disabilities get around the space? Can they use the equipment?
Outdoor Environment
"The first month I was here I met my friends and we played hopscotch every day. That was the best. Now I'm
building a clubhouse with some wood and recycled material. When it's finished, we going to make a club."
To promote healthy development, children need to have room to move and run and play.
They need a full range of outdoor experiences. These can include gardening, camping,
exploring, climbing, running, and jumping. Ideally, there will be as many outdoor choices as
there are indoor choices. There should also be places for quiet play. These are not always
easy to provide.
Programs in urban areas may not have an outdoor play area. Even if there are outdoor
spaces they may not be safe enough. Staff and families may need to work together to find an
outdoor play area that is safe, and use transportation to get the children to it.
Is the space clean and comfortable? Is it suitable for a wide variety of activities? Can
various activities take place at the same time without crowding?
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: How-to Manual
Does the equipment allow children to be independent and creative? Is it appropriate
for the interests and abilities of all children? Does the space provide safe challenges
for children of all ages including those with special needs?
Activities
"I like it best when my friends and I get to plan what we want to do. Last week we made a play and the staff
helped us with costumes, and nowwe re going to perform it for our families at a potluck dinner!"
One of the wonderful aspects of school-age child care programs is their ability to give kids
the freedom they long for. The children have probably been in a fairly structured
environment all day. When they get to your program they are looking for flexibility and
opportunities for exploration and development. A quality program will provide children with
the chance to choose what they want to do and let them do it at their own pace.
Is the daily schedule flexible? Does it meet children's needs for security,
independence, and stimulation? Does it give children the opportunity to relax and let
off steam? Do children have time to socialize? Can they pursue hobbies and learn
new skills? Can children move from one activity to another at their own pace?
Are there many different activities for children to choose from? Do the choices
include active play, creative arts, quiet times, and enrichment activities? Do the
activities give kids the opportunities to learn in different ways and test out new ideas?
Are the children involved in planning their own activities? Do activities develop in
response to children's interests? (For example, drum playing leads to the formation
of a band; a clay activity leads to a pottery class; an interest in baseball cards leads to
learning about statistics.)
Safety, Health, and Nutrition
"They have the best food here. I especially like it when I can help with cooking projects. Also, if missed
snack and I'm hungry at the end of the day, they always let me have an apple"
School-age children do a lot of running, jumping, falling, and bumping! Kids take risks. It
can be a struggle to look out for their safety and health and still provide a program that
allows them to take the kinds of risks that are natural for them. Children need to be
supervised by staff who are trained to handle emergencies.
With many programs open until 6:00 p.m., children need a substantial, nutritious snack to
keep them going until they can eat their dinner at home. Children who seem to present
behavior problems may be lacking in a healthy diet. Sometimes the way to a child's heart is
through the stomach.
Are the safety and security of the children protected? Do staff know the people the
children are released to? Are entrances and exits supervised? Are there any
observable safety hazards? Are all play equipment safe for active play? When
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: How-to Manual
accidents do happen, are staff trained to handle emergencies and equipped with first-
aid materials?
Do staff know how to spot signs of child abuse and know how to report it? Are
they about to identify other issues with health and development?
Are steps taken to protect and improve the health of children? Is the facility clean? Is
food served under sanitary conditions? Are practices such as hand washing in place
to help prevent the spread of germs?
Does the program serve healthy foods? Is there enough food to meet the needs of
children of all ages and sizes? Is the food available at times when children are
hungry? Do the kids seem to like the food?
Administration
You won't hear kids saying, "I really like the budget this quarter; I really like your staff hiring decisions;
I'm glad Mary has been here for three years... but you can be sure that the children will benefit if
there are adequate resources, low staff turnover, and professional development for staff.
At the core of a quality program is an administration with both experiences in school-age
child care and strong administrative skills. Good administrators struggle every day to build
and maintain programs that are accessible and affordable. The director plays a key role in
supporting staff, and developing relationships with families and the community. The director
also manages program finances and maintains records. It is usually the director who
supervises support services such as transportation. Sometimes, though, administrators can't
meet their own high standards because of systemic problems. The administrative aspirations
of a program might include the following:
Are staff salaries adequate to reduce turnover? Are program fees affordable for
families? The answers to these questions often reveal a delicate balancing of
resources.
Are the staff-child ratios low enough?
Are staff given an orientation to the job before working with children? Are staff
asked about their training needs? Do they receive at least ten hours of training per
year provided to meet these needs? Do staff receive appropriate support (benefits,
wages, discussion time, input into the program) to make their work experience
positive?
Does the financial management of the program support the program goals?
Consider This:
Staff turnover may seem like an administrative issue, but it impacts other areas of the
program:
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: How-to Manual
the children's ability to feel secure and experience long lasting relationships with staff
the staff's ability to work well as a team
the director's ability to keep staff fully trained, even on basic procedures for safety
and health
staff knowledge about children's interests, so it becomes difficult to plan activities
that will be exciting.
Service and Quality Standards
The next three chapters will present several ideas about how service and service-learning
activities can be important tools to help enrich out-of-school time programs. In much way,
these ideas will also demonstrate how service can support the school-age standards for
quality. For example, adult service members who serve as mentors can provide the caring
and supportive relationships - a powerful predictor of resiliency in children. Some
researchers believe that a caring and supportive relationship remains the most critical
variable throughout childhood and adolescence (Bernard, 1991). In addition, service
learning can be a vehicle for children and youth to participate and be meaningfully involved
and have roles of responsibility within a community - again, another powerful predictor of
resiliency in children.
It is also important to note that quality standards apply to all individuals who interact with
children and youth. For example, volunteer tutors or mentors require appropriate screening
and training to insure proper placement. Volunteers often have the best intentions, but may
lack the skills necessary to relate well with children. Thus it is important to train volunteers,
as well as service members and program staff on quality standards of OST programs.
There are several resource guides available to help providers and program staff understand
more about including service members in OST programs. Some will be addressed in the
following chapters. Please refer to Appendix G for a listing of additional resources.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: How-to Manual
Bibliography
Bernard, B., 1991. Foster Resiliency in Kids: Protective Factors in Family, School, and
Community. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.
Love, J., Schochet, P., and Mechstroth, A. Are they in Real Danger? What Research Does -
and Doesn't Tell Us about Child Care Quality and Children's Well-Being. Mathematica
Policy Research, Inc. Princeton, NJ. May, 1996.
Vandell, D. L., Shumow, L., and Posner, J.K., 1996. Children's After-School Programs:
Promoting Resiliency or Vulnerability. Chaper in unpublished paper, University of
Wisconsin, Northern Illinois University.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: How-to Manual
Service as Part of Delivery in
Out-of-School Time* *
.
The information gathered in this section was done through telephone interviews. Effective practices were
based on recommendations from the Corporation for National Service. Programs were not assessed using
the NSACA pilot standards of quality school-age care.
WHAT WORKS: Brown Elementary School's Educational Outreach Program
The Project: The Educational Outreach Program (EOP) at Brown Elementary School in
Denver, Colorado is an after-school program which began in 1994, and first incorporated
National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) members in 1996-97. The EOP serves low-
income youth in kindergarten-5th grades, most whom are homeless. The program's main
purpose is to increase the academic achievement of homeless youth while providing a safe
and stable after-school environment. The NCCC members also help the EOP students in
their classrooms during the day, providing them with individualized attention and
instruction.
Immediate Goals and Objectives:
Increase academic achievement of homeless youth, particularly in reading and math.
Help make homework completion a priority for after-school students.
Provide more individualized attention to target students.
Promote classroom participation.
Assist teachers in classroom tutoring and supervision.
Supplement teachers' curricula with innovative classroom lessons and learning activities.
Lend emotional support to needy children.
Raise the self-esteem of the children through academic success.
Build positive social and life skills to help youth achieve their goals.
Long-Term Goals and Objectives:
Add more activities, volunteers and youth.
Increase parent involvement.
Add adult education classes in English-as-a-Second-Language and computer-training.
Results:
Sixty children attended EOP at Brown Elementary in 1996-97 with a waiting list for
others who want to participate.
The EOP was able to increase the number of children served by 100% in that year with
NCCC members' assistance.
NCCC members individually tutored Brown Elementary students 986 hours in 1996-97.
The Program Director says that one of the best things about the EOP is that children
not only enjoy the program, but have benefited immensely in terms of academic
improvement and growth. Teachers at Brown Elementary say many youth would not be
doing the homework if it were not for the encouragement and assistance from the after-
school program staff. Students who consistently fail spelling tests are now receiving
"A"s. Their reading abilities have improved entire grade levels, and weaker students
have caught up to their classmates.
Homework assistance is the primary focus at the EOP, but youth also play board games
(which teach fair play, how to lose, and math and reading skills), participate in physical
education class with Denver Parks and Recreation, work on art projects, and go on field
trips.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Why It Works:
Service Members/Volunteers: NCCC members are 18-24 years old and work in groups
of 12-13 for six-nine weeks from 10 am to 5:30 pm every day. The expansion of the
EOP into the school day has had a significant effect on the children's academic
performance. The members help with programming in the after-school program and
assist with lesson-planning in the classrooms. They are trained in the psychology of
homelessness, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other issues that
affect the children in the program. In addition, the EOP has a grant to pay middle-
school youth volunteers $10 a week to help younger children with homework in Brown
Elementary's after-school program. The EOP is also helping middle school youth set up
bank accounts to learn how to save their money.
Evaluation: EOP staff members are part of a Community Task Force concerned with
meeting the needs of homeless youth. The after-school program at Brown Elementary
uses formal assessments on a regular basis to evaluate the progress of the students and
Denver public schools.
Partnership: The EOPs most important partners are Brown Elementary and the Denver
public schools. The school district provides the project director (a full-time teacher at
Brown Elementary) and a paraprofessional. Brown Elementary provides the site for the
after-school program. Businesses in the community support the EOP through in-kind
donations. The Denver Parks and Recreation Department provides a certified physical
education instructor to play sports with the youth twice a week.
Funding: The EOP does not have a budget or receive regular funding, but Brown
Elementary provides many in-kind resources, and the remaining funds come from
donations and grants. Local restaurants and food banks donate snacks for the after-
school program. Currently a grant allows children who move out of the area receive free
bus tokens so they can continue to attend Brown Elementary and maintain stability in
their lives. This helps immensely with academic achievement as well as social and
emotional development.
Advice from Brown Elementary EOP's Program Leader:
Creating a program that children want to attend makes all the difference.
Parent, teacher, and community support helps to make a program successful.
It is important to establish and maintain community contacts.
Training volunteers is a big task, but a necessity.
Organization is very important.
For more information, contact:
Kim Miceli, Project Director
EOP, Brown Elementary School
2550 Lowell Blvd.
Denver, CO 80211
(303) 477-1611
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
WHAT WORKS: West Philadelphia Improvement Corps - Turner Middle School
The Project: Since 1990, the West Philadelphia Improvement Corps (WEPIC) has
sponsored a summer program at Turner Middle School in Philadelphia for 6th-8th grade
youth. As part of a 12-week summer service-learning course at the University of
Pennsylvania, college students spend five weeks interning at the program. Turner
Middle School's program is a cross-stream model, i.e., it receives funding from Learn
and Serve Higher Ed and the college student interns are partially funded through
AmeriCorps State. The program engages middle school students in hands-on learning
through curriculums in environmental studies, health, journalism, conflict resolution
and technological competence. Most of the participants in the program come from
urban African American families whose incomes are at or below poverty.
Goals and Objectives:
Engage students in real-world problem solving.
Make education part of community improvement.
Improve nutrition and health education within the community.
Increase middle school students' literacy skills.
Revitalize the schools and communities based on their own efforts.
Change the learning patterns by using hands-on experience of both the children
served and the University of Pennsylvania students.
Results:
Approximately 100 students are enrolled in Turner's summer program each year.
Turner Middle School began as the pilot site for WEPIC programming in
Philadelphia. There are now 13 WEPIC schools.
Youth who come to the summer program before entering sixth grade are more
prepared to handle the transition to middle school and are more comfortable at
school during the year.
General school attendance is higher at Turner Middle School than any other in the
city for both students and teachers.
The level of violence and the number of serious incidents, including suspensions, in
schools with WEPIC programs has decreased significantly.
Students in the summer program are more likely to become leaders in service-
learning activities.
Why It Works:
Service Members/Volunteers: The college students interning at Turner Middle
School are extrmely diverse and come from many racial and economic
backgrounds. Some students are part-time AmeriCorps members as Pennsylvania
Service Scholars. Public school teachers are an integral part of the Turner Middle
School summer program, where they are able to develop and test service-learning
curriculums. The college students help develop the curriculum and serve as
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
teachers and mentors. They are dedicated to the program and often return during
the school year to work in the school's before- and after-school programs.
Evaluation: Evaluation occurs throughout the program. Service members keep
journals and the program gets feedback from teachers.
Partnership: The partnership between the Philadelphia school district, the
University of Pennsylvania and WEPIC is key to the successful program at Turner
Middle School. In order to reach the program goals, WEPIC, Turner Middle
School and the University of Pennsylvania have remained committed to the
neighborhood for the past 11 years and understand that longevity and partnership-
building are crucial to their success. Turner Middle School is kept open for the
summer program and public school staff are supported through the school district.
University of Pennsylvania provides housing for summer interns/AmeriCorps
members, stipends, salary for coordinators, and course credit for interns.
Funding: A Learn and Serve Higher Ed grant provides fund for Turner Middle
School and other Philadelphia public schools for resources and materials on service-
learning. Some of the college students are part-time AmeriCorps members, while
other receive funding from the Scott Paper Company Foundation and other
endowments. The WEPIC summer internship program began with a grant from
the UPS Foundation. Other supporters include the Pennsylvania Department of
Labor and Industry and the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the
Corporation for National Service, Ford Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, DeWitt
Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund, and the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education.
The University of Pennsylvania has provided extensive in-kind support to the
program.
Advice from Turner Middle School's Program Liaison:
Long term commitment is crucial.
Maintain optimism!
Be able to share praise as well as responsibility.
Match the priorities of your institution with the priorities of your community.
Assess community needs.
Believe that children can be agents of change in their community.
Maintain strategic and focused programs - recognize the limits.
For more information, contact:
Penny Gordon-Larsen, Liaison for Turner Middle School
University of Pennsylvania
Center for Community Partnerships
133 South 36th Street, Suite 519
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3246
(215) 898-4704
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
WHAT WORKS: University of California at Berkeley AmeriCorps Tutoring Program
The Project: Ten part-time AmeriCorps members recruit and train 100-150 college student
volunteers to tutor 6th graders in two middle schools and one recreation center in Berkeley.
Begun in 1994 as one of many Learn & Serve demonstration programs at the University of
California at Berkeley, the tutoring program has prospered and grown.
Immediate Goals and Objectives:
Increase the reading and writing levels of the youth.
Enhance students' college education through volunteer experience.
Develop a solid foundation and structure for the program.
Long-Term Goals and Objectives:
Develop a 5-year strategic plan with the schools and recreation department to establish
long-term goals.
Develop a model to increase parent involvement.
Create a standardized and uniform curriculum to use at all sites.
Formalize the evaluation process.
Develop a stronger support network for youth after they leave the program.
Results: Volunteers tutor the youth, most of whom are low-income African Americans one-
on-one 3-6 hours per week in reading and writing. They also provide homework assistance
and English-language assistance for non-native speakers. Youth are selected to participate in
the program based on a score below the 39th percentile on a standardized exam.
Why It Works:
Service Members/Volunteers: The AmeriCorps members are also full-time students at
Berkeley who work 15 hours per week for AmeriCorps. They recruit and help train the
volunteers and are responsible for the logistics of the program. The student volunteers
they recruit receive college credit for their service.
Evaluation: The tutoring program currently has an informal advisory board, but is
working to develop a formal advisory board made up of principals, teachers and
AmeriCorps members. This group will be responsible for the development and
implementation of the program.
To monitor progress toward goals, the volunteers give the youth assessment tests before
and after tutoring assistance. The volunteers also keep daily logs and write monthly
progress reports.
Partnership: Berkeley has a good relationship with the public schools. The tutoring
program takes place with the schools during after-school hours. The teachers and
principals are very supportive of the program and provide curriculum assistance. Each
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
school currently uses its own curriculum, so the coordinators of the program are working
to create a standard curriculum to be used at all schools.
Funding: Formerly a Learn & Serve Program, the tutoring program at Berkeley now has
an $80,000 budget funded by AmeriCorps. This covers a full-time AmeriCorps Program
Coordinator and a Program Director. Additional funding comes from the University,
foundations, the state commission and in-kind donations from the schools.
Advice from the Program Director:
Spend a lot of time motivating and supporting volunteers.
Invest in volunteers. Build and support the infrastructure of the program.
Good evaluation is important.
For more information, contact:
Alex Lonne, Program Director
505 Eshleman Hall
University of California at Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720
(51C) 642-1081
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
WHAT WORKS: Parents United for Child Care, Making the Most of Out-of-
School Time (MOST)/Boston School-Age Child Care Project (BSACCP) and
Action for Children Today (ACT)
The Project: In 1995, AmeriCorps Action for Children Today (ACT) members began
working with Parents United for Child Care to enhance the quality of after-school
programs throughout the Boston area for children ages 5-14 from low and middle-
income families. Sponsored by PUCC, MOST/BSACCP staff and community
members evaluate proposals from local programs and place ACT members in after-
school programs throughout the city. ACT members work with the after-school
programs to improve different aspects that need enhancement.
Goals and Objectives of Parents United for Child Care:
Increase the supply of quality, affordable child care in Massachusetts.
Provide a parent voice on public policy issues related to families, children and the
workplace. Create an organized constituency for improvements in child care and family policy
by empowering parents to effectively advocate in their own interest.
Work on community and workplace initiatives that guarantee access to quality
services and assist parents in their roles as workers and caregivers.
Reduce staff turnover and improve service quality.
Build a professional field of out-of-school time providers.
Improve services for children and youth.
Increase access to out-of-school time programs for Boston families.
Goals and Objectives of Action for Children Today (ACT):
Community Service
Increase the number of infant/toddler and school-age slots.
Improve the quality of child care programs through training, on-site
consultation and modeling.
Connect families to comprehensive services in communities.
Participant Development
Receive professional training and experience in school-age and infant/toddler
care.
Develop leadership skills.
Improve parenting and advocacy skills of AmeriCorps members.
Community Building
Contribute to the development of community child care.
Collaborate around infant/toddler and school-age care.
Extend the involvement of child care resource and referral agencies in
activities of related groups.
Catalyze diverse groups of individuals to participate in planning, training
and program activities.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Results: Between January 1 and March 31, 1997, five ACT members served 239
children in child care programs throughout Boston. During the same period, ACT
members trained 466 parents in different areas. The members completed special
projects within their programs. One member presented a "fun reading" literacy class
to the students in her program.
Why It Works:
Service Members/Volunteers: The program is effective because PUCC places well-
trained and dedicated ACT members in out-of-school time programs to enhance
quality. There is a competitive process among area programs to take advantage of
the helpful resources of the ACT members.
In addition to their after-school program placements ACT members work on
projects to improve child care in Boston. One member's project involved giving
technical assistance to before-school programs, while another member worked on
an inclusion initiative to place children with special needs in after-school programs.
Projects may include recruiting and managing volunteers, curriculum design and
evaluation, or creating a parent involvement manual. This coupling of direct
service with work on city-wide reform initiatives gives members an opportunity to
impact a large segment of the community.
Evaluation: ACT members evaluate their progress toward their goals on a weekly
basis, and produce quarterly and yearly reports. They also have regular meetings
with their after-school supervisor to assess the program. Although each after-
school program has its own system of evaluation, ACT members encourage the use
of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time's Assessing School-Age Quality
Standards (ASQ).
PUCC stresses the importance of engaging community members in the allocation
of resources to out-of-school time programs. Their input is invaluable.
Partnership: Many of the after-school programs that the ACT members work in
have established partnerships with other community organizations and businesses.
ACT members facilitate connections of individual programs to community
organizations as well as policy-makers and other advocacy groups.
Funding: The many funding sources of PUCC enable the organization to handle
managing the ACT program as part of their regular work. PUCC is partially
funded by the MOST initiative, while out-of-school programs in which ACT
members work have their own funding sources.
Advice from the ACT Project Coordinator:
Supervision of service members is important.
Constant communication between service members and supervisors is vital.
Include only the number of members that is manageable by the program staff.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Creative problem-solving is essential.
It is important for host agencies to consistently view service members as a valuable
resource and project this to the community.
For more information, contact:
Kate Kuvanlanka, Project Coordinator
Parents United for Child Care
30 Winter Street
Boston, MA 02108-4720
(617) 426-8288
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
WHAT WORKS: Grandma Please, a Station of RSVP Greater Cleveland
The Project: Established in 1995, Grandma Please is an RSVP (Retired and Senior
Volunteer Program) station in Greater Cleveland where senior citizens speak with
children who are alone at home during after school hours. Grandma Please serves 4th-
6th grade students, mostly African Americans, from 22 urban schools in Cleveland.
Immediate Goals and Objectives:
Grandma Please is not a crisis hotline.
Although the "Grandparents" are trained to deal with crises, the main purpose of
Grandma Please is to serve lonely children home alone who want someone to talk
about problems, concerns, events that happened that day, and help with
homework.
Long-Term Goals and Objectives:
Grandma Please's current goal is to expand the program into the summers and into
more schools in the area.
RSVP would like to recruit more volunteers of ethnic diversity, particularly
African Americans.
Results:
1996-97, 18 volunteers of Grandma Please received approximately 2,700 calls from
children home alone.
Although it is unlawful in Ohio to leave children under 4th grade alone at home,
calls were received from younger children who were home alone.
Many youth trust their "Grandparent" as a reliable adult they can speak to in
confidence.
The RSVP executive director says that the best thing about Grandma Please is that
it meets a significant community need, and volunteers are happy to know that they
are making a difference in the lives of these children.
Why It Works:
Service Members/Volunteers: The unique nature of a phone program allows
seniors who cannot leave their homes to contribute to their community. Grandma
Please gives seniors an opportunity to alleviate loneliness and remain productive,
contributing members of their community while sharing their wisdom, skills and
experience with younger generations. Volunteers are thoroughly screened and
receive extensive training before becoming official "Grandparents." The training is
key to the success of the program. "Grandparents" learn how to initiate
conversations with youth, improve their listening skills, and deal with crises. A
part-time social worker is on staff at the intergenerational resource center in case a
volunteer needs additional assistance.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Evaluation: Extensive research of the community and publicity of the program
was done before Grandma Please set up its phone lines. The program was modeled
after a successful Grandma Please program in Chicago, which provided important
technical assistance and guidance.
Partnership: Grandma Please has been a successful collaboration with the
Intergenerational Resource Center of Fairhill Center for the Aging - a respected
and well-known organization in the community. Grandma Please received a grant
from a Cleveland phone company (Ameritech) which provided funds for the first
three years, a central switchboard, a volunteer switchboard operator, and a large
initial publicity campaign. The local schools also invited volunteers to come in,
talk about the program, and organize parent information meetings.
Funding: Ameritech continues to provide a switchboard and volunteer operator
for the Grandma Please program. Grandma Please is a station of RSVP, 40% of
which is funded by the Corporation for National Service as a Senior Corps
Program.
Advice from Grandma Please:
Be aware of the effects welfare reform can have on increasing numbers of children
who need programs like Grandma Please. Children who once had a parent at
home may now be home alone because their parents are working or doing
community service.
Many older adults work well with children. Both generations can benefit
emotionally and socially from the relationship.
Extensive research is important before starting a program to understand the needs
of the community and how best to reach them.
For more information, contact:
Margaret McCarthy, Executive Director
RSVP of Greater Cleveland
2611 Church Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 566-9192
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
WHAT WORKS: AmeriCorps VISTA and Boys and Girls Club of Santa Fe
The Project: The Boys and Girls Club provides out-of-school programming for children and
youth ages 6-17 after school and the summer. Programming takes place in a central facility in
Santa Fe and five satellite sites in suburban and rural areas outside the city. The children
served are of all backgrounds, although a high percentage is Hispanic or Native American
youth or from single-parent homes. Programming is often free or very inexpensive and
includes arts and crafts classes, athletics (including a basketball court and swimming pool),
karate classes, two libraries (one for younger children and one for teens), computers, and field
trips. In a partnership that began in 1993, the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Fe and
AmeriCorps VISTA members work to improve services for families and children in Santa Fe
and surrounding areas. The VISTA members helped create new parent and family programs
to expand the Boys and Girls Club into a community center.
Immediate Goals and Objectives:
Maintain a positive place for youth to go during out-of-school time.
All children and youth are welcome.
Give youth opportunities for positive behavior and life skills to be productive in the
community.
Continue to attract and keep teenagers involved in the program.
Long-Term Goals and Objectives:
Expand the Boys and Girls Club - especially in the satellite centers - to include more
family and community programs which include adult GED classes, parent classes,
community college extension classes and mentoring.
Encourage adult community service.
Build a bigger central facility in Santa Fe.
Create and implement a more extensive evaluation system incorporating parents, youth
and community members.
Results:
The central facility in Santa Fe serves 500-600 youth per day during the summer and 250-
300 youth every day in the after-school program. Each satellite facility serves
approximately 100-150 each day in the summer and 100 in their after-school programs.
The crime rate in county housing areas where the Boys and Girls Club satellites have been
established has dropped by 50 percent.
The Boys and Girls Club has a scholarship program that sent 13 students to college in 1997.
Six Boys and Girls Club scholarship award recipients have graduated from college and are
now working for the Boys and Girls Club or other agencies in the Santa Fe area.
The director of the Boys and Girls Club says that the program works because they serve
and tailor programming to youth that need help and attention.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Why It Works:
Service Members/Volunteers: The four VISTA members at the central facility in Sante Fe
spend the majority of their time expanding the Boys and Girls Club into a community
center. Service members focus on logistics of setting up and finding staff and participants
for GED and parent classes. They also recruit community volunteers for service in the
Boys and Girls Club and in the neighborhood. The program director says that the Boys and
Girls Club would never be able to run the community programs without the VISTA
members. Boys and Girls Club now requires that parents give four hours of community
service per month to allow their child(ren) to attend the programs at the Club.
Evaluation: VISTA members complete ongoing membership needs assessments in the
community. They also have weekly meetings with staff and write quarterly reports. At
the end of their service, they administer an extensive evaluation. The Boys and Girls Club
is working on a more advanced system of evaluation to document progress toward goals as
well as future needs.
Partnership: The Boys and Girls Club has an excellent relationship with the schools.
Occasionally when schools have discipline problems, they ask the Boys and Girls Club to
come in to present conflict management and other programming. When the Boys and
Girls Club had to relocate during renovation of the facility, the public school welcomed
the program into the schools. The Boys and Girls Club also provides meals for other youth
programs in the area, serving 2,000-3,000 meals per day. A school provides their cafeteria
and kitchen for free.
Funding: The budget of Boys and Girls Club has increased every year, and in 1997-98 it
topped at one million dollars. The majority of funding is federal (Office of Juvenile Justice
and Delinquency Prevention) and the remainder is from state, county and city
governments and private grants. Members who come to the Boys and Girls Club pay
according to a sliding fee scale, where the lowest-income families pay $30 per week.
However the program never turns anyone away if they cannot afford the fee.
Advice from the Boys and Girls Club Director:
Running a program like the Boys and Girls Club takes a lot of time and dedication.
Community involvement is essential.
People in the community are the best resources for assessing community needs.
For more information, contact:
Al Padilla, Executive Director
Boys and Girls Club of Santa Fe
P.O. Box 2403
730 Alto Street
Santa Fe, NM 87504
(505) 983-6632
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
WHAT WORKS: AmeriCorps School's Out Kids Club of New York City
The Project: School's Out Kids Club is an after-school program for 2ⁿᵈ-4th graders
housed in 12 schools in Manhattan, Harlem, and the Bronx, with six AmeriCorps
members per site. The partnership with AmeriCorps began in 1995. School's Out Kids
Club is part of the School Success Program - a comprehensive program that focuses on
youth in low-income communities, helping students to achieve school success with an
emphasis on literacy. All children in the program live in urban New York City, are
mosty African American or Latino, and the majority come from families with incomes
below the national poverty line. The after-school programs incorporate academic and
physical activities and community service.
Immediate Goals and Objectives:
Improve the academic achievement of the youth in the School's Out Kids Club.
Increase the physical fitness and health of the youth.
Promote community service.
Long-term Goals and Objectives:
Increase parent involvement, especially among men.
Results: Currently 50-60 children attend after-school programs at each site.
The children participate in academic activities including homework assistance, tutoring
and chess; physical activities like basketball, hockey and dance; and community
service. Recent projects included a neighborhood clean-up and a History of Harlem
Program where children interviewed older members of the neighborhood about the
history of the community and created a book that was donated to the local library.
The School's Out Kids Club has been very successful in recruiting community
volunteers to assist the staff, including parents. About 10 parents contribute an hour
of their time each week to tutor and coach in the after-school program. Community
members also volunteer at the School's Out Kids Club for special events. In addition,
older youth that have graduated from the School's Out Kids Club often return to donate
their time to help children with homework or sports.
Each site has a monthly newsletter that informs parents about the activities their
children participate in and encourages parents to become more involved. The
newsletter also recognizes children's achievements in the after-school program.
Why It Works:
Service Members/Volunteers: The AmeriCorps members are at the children's
schools throughout the entire day as assistants to teachers and continue to work
with the same children in the after-school programs, building strong relationships
with the children. The project director of the School's Out Kids Club says that the
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
impact of the AmeriCorps members is immeasurable. The success centers around
the mentorship role played by the members.
Evaluation: The School's Out Kids Club regularly monitors and evaluates its
progress toward its goals. A parent committee provides continuous feedback and
completes biannual program evaluations on the program. In addition, local school
principals, teachers, and AmeriCorps members complete internal evaluations. The
program is also required by AmeriCorps to present quantitative results on its goals
of increasing math and reading test scores and improving physical fitness. So far
the program has consistently met these goals.
Partnership: Schools in the community have been very receptive to the School's
Out Kids Club. The schools benefit from having the AmeriCorps members in the
classrooms as assistants to the teachers. Schools have expressed a desire to have
more AmeriCorps members working in the program.
Funding: The School's Out Kids Club receives funding to incorporate AmeriCorps
members into their after-school programs. The grant is matched with donations
from local and national organizations, both public and private. The School Success
Program was also able to secure donations from national sports teams. The
program's activities include a Junior Knicks Team and NHL Street Rangers. The
New York Knicks recently donated tickets for children on the after-school Junior
Knicks Team to attend a basketball game at Madison Square Garden.
Advice from the School Success Program's Project Director:
Cooperation of schools and principals ensures the success of the program.
Receptiveness of the schools is key.
It is important to have a general understanding of national service.
It is crucial for children to have positive adult role models.
For more information, contact:
Julie Arce-Morales, AmeriCorps Project Director
Vanderbilt YMCA
224 East 47th Street
New York, NY 10017
(212) 756-9600
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
WHAT WORKS: Energy Express West Virginia and AmeriCorps
The Project: Energy Express is a six-week summer program for 1ˢᵗ-6ᵗʰ graders in low-
income communities in West Virginia. Established in 1994 in two public schools, the
program operated in 55 mostly rural schools during the summer of 1997. College
student AmeriCorps members work with children in Energy Express in small groups on
activities involving literacy that make reading fun in a print-rich environment.
Immediate Goals and Objectives:
Help children maintain a healthy diet during the summer by providing two
nutritious meals per day.
Continue academic learning to prevent children from "losing ground" during the
summer months.
Improve reading skills while making reading meaningful and fun.
Encourage and support community service.
Encourage children to develop positive relationships with college student mentors.
Long-term Goals and Objectives:
Promote school success of children living in rural and low-income West Virginia
communities.
Results:
Energy Express engaged 326 AmeriCorps members and served over 2500 youth in 55
sites during the summer of 1997.
Based on pre- and post-test measures, Energy Express youth have shown significant
increases in reading comprehension and word identification after participating in
the summer program.
In 1997, a survey of AmeriCorps members showed that members made large gains
in feelings of personal efficacy and dedication to community service.
Energy Express is also changing parents' perceptions of their children. Before their
children's participation in Energy Express, many parents lost hope and felt that their
children had "fallen through the cracks" at school. Energy Express gives children
the individual attention they need, and parents see their children as learners.
In order for a school to be eligible for an Energy Express program, more than 50 percent
of the children at that school must be eligible to receive free or reduced-price school
lunches. The schools select children most in need of Energy Express programming, and
they attend free-of-charge. Selection is based on low reading scores, special needs, and
other high-risk factors.
At Energy Express, the children spend time reading aloud, silently, and one-on-one with
their group leader. Reading becomes meaningful by acting stories out and doing art
and nutrition activities associated with books. Energy Express encourages children to
start their own book collections by giving each child one book a week to keep. The
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
children and staff have family-style breakfasts and lunches focusing on nutrition
education. The AmeriCorps members serve as adult models for trying new foods,
sharing and healthy eating.
Why It Works:
Service Members/Volunteers: Each AmeriCorps member has his or her own
group of 5-8 youth for three and a half hours per day for six weeks. Children
develop positive relationships with trusted adults. The AmeriCorps members are
at Energy Express six hours per day. In addition to working with the children, they
make home visits, call parents, and do additional community service projects.
Energy Express encourages community input into its program. They have many
parent and community volunteers, including high school and junior high students.
In partnership with the foster grandparent program, senior citizens volunteer at
Energy Express. These programs connect the community to children's learning. In
1996, Energy Express had an average of 400 hours of volunteering at each site over a
six-week period. The project director feels that when people join Energy Express
they are committed to making a difference in the lives of West Virginia youth.
Evaluation: Energy Express designed an intensive evaluation system using both
qualitative and quantitative measures with assistance from professors at West
Virginia University. Graduate students and other professionals complete case
studies of the program by visiting the program and interviewing participants and
staff. The central staff of Energy Express visits every site, and weekly site
assessments are done to monitor goals.
Partnership: Energy Express is housed in the schools and has good partnerships with
local organizations and businesses. Community partners donate money and in-
kind supplies including staff trainings, newspapers, and library resources. The
program director says that the synergy of all the Energy Express partners is one of
the things that makes the program work.
Funding: Energy Express had a budget of over $2 million in 1997. The program
receives funding from many diverse local, state and federal sources. The program
director says that the great partnerships at the state and local levels enable Energy
Express to succeed. In addition, diversified funding strengthens the program and
builds ownership.
There is a lot of collaboration at the local level with city and county boards of
education, community action groups, businesses and social welfare agencies. About
30 percent of Energy Express' total costs were funded by local sources in 1997. The
program also receives funding from the state - West Virginia University, West
Virginia Department of Education, West Virginia Department of Education and
the Arts, Department of Health and Human Resources, the Bureau of Employment
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Programs and others. Six colleges provide work-study funding to support the
AmeriCorps members.
Advice from the Energy Express Director:
A strong and tested model is important, but a program must be open to change
and committed to continuous improvement.
A strong evaluation system makes a program work and provides evidence of the
impact of the program.
Having lots of partners and community members involved adds strength to the
program and provides leadership opportunities.
Multiple funding sources is preferable to relying on one single source of funding.
Include funding for transportation, particularly in a summer program.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Ruthellen Phillips, Director
Energy Express West Virginia
704 Knapp Hall
P.O. Box 6031
Morgantown, WV 26506-6031
(304) 293-2694
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
WHAT WORKS: City Year Boston's LEFTY Program
The Project: Begun in 1996, LEFTY (Learning Environments For Today's Youth) is an out-of-
school time program for middle-school students facilitated by City Year AmeriCorps
members. The program runs from 6 pm-8 pm on weekdays and is housed in the Roxbury,
Boston YMCA. Most of the 6th-8th grade students are African-Americans from low-income
and lower-middle class families. The City Year members, ages 17-24, work with LEFTY
youth on developing communication skills and learning to live life in a pro-active fashion.
Programming includes conflict resolution, violence prevention, educational sports, and
creative expression through arts awareness.
Immediate Goals and Objectives:
Reach middle school youth previously untouched by City Year and the Roxbury YMCA
and introduce them to both organizations in the partnership form.
Provide a safe space where middle school age youth can come to feel ownership and pride
around being part of such special programming.
Educate LEFTY youth through fun and innovative programming allowing the youth
options they may not have in school.
Teach LEFTY youth how to think, communicate, and produce in a creative, positive, and
self-empowering manner.
Engage surrounding community organizations, parents and local businesses through
LEFTY events so that as many people as possible can become involved in out-of-school
programming.
Long-Term Goals and Objectives:
Produce a solid foundation for the LEFTY program in order and replicate across the City
Year network in Boston (in 1997-98 the program will expand to three locations in the
Boston area).
Provide more LEFTY youth with leadership opportunities.
Teach the youth more about real-life issues through leadership experiences.
Create a partnership role between City Year teams and students where students run parts
of programs and service members provide support through guidance and supervision.
Results:
In the first year of operation, approximately 70 youth attended LEFTY's out-of-school
program. Many presenters and outside instructors from the area have come to LEFTY and
volunteered their services and time.
Parents often visit the program and have become more involved.
New and innovative programming has been developed to meet the needs of the youth.
The project leader says that the best thing about LEFTY is the relationships the youth
develop with the AmeriCorps members.
Some youth have been so inspired by the mentorship that they aspire to finish school and
become City Year AmeriCorps members.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Why It Works:
Service Members/Volunteers: The combination of dedicated City Year AmeriCorps
members and creative programming make LEFTY a popular program for middle school
youth in inner-city Boston. To help the youth remain connected and involved,
AmeriCorps members contact youth by phone on a daily basis.
Evaluation: LEFTY's inception began with a needs assessment of the community. Results
of the assessment shaped the design of the program. With input from staff and youth,
LEFTY continues to provide a safe, fun, and educational place for middle school students
in the evenings. Regular internal evaluations take place to update the after-school
curriculum.
Partnership: LEFTY is very resourceful in designing programming through recruiting
organizations and people to donate money, time and supplies. Space for LEFTY is
provided by the YMCA and the programming is financially sponsored by the
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). Teachers have also been very
supportive of City Year and have promoted the program in their schools. LEFTY is
hoping to increase support from schools and form collaborations with other community
organizations during the next year.
Funding: One third of City Year Boston is funded by AmeriCorps, one third by private
donations, and one third by corporate sponsorship. There is also a $5 registration fee per
participant, which is designed primarily to give the youth a sense of ownership.
Advice from LEFTY's Program Leader:
Do as much research as possible before starting an after-school program.
Constant evaluation is very important.
Accessing volunteer opportunities is key.
Actively pursue people for resources. Be clear about goals of the program, what is
needed, and what are the benefits of volunteerism.
Young people are the resource, not the client.
For more information, contact:
Alexandra Moore, Project Leader
City Year
285 Columbus Ave.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 927-2500
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Future Trends of Service and Out-of-School Time Integration
Cross-Stream Program: PlusTime New Hampshire
The Project: In September, 1997, the Cross-Stream program incorporated the
Corporation for National Service's AmeriCorps, VISTA, RSVP and Learn & Serve
programs with PlusTime NH to enhance a state-wide organization that directly serves
almost 2,000 1st through 8th grade youth in after-school programs. Cross-Stream serves
low-income youth in New Hampshire. The program's focus is on conflict resolution,
environmental education, and establishment of new after-school programs. PlusTime
NH was formed in 1990 to help communities build coalitions to start school-age child
care programs and support existing programs.
Goals and Objectives:
The mission of Cross-Stream is to encourage and support development of accessible,
affordable and enjoyable programs for school-age youth throughout New
Increase Hampshire. the capacity and/or number of after-school programs. A significant
amount of children throughout the U.S. have been identified as having no access to
licensed after-school programs. The project will provide the needed technical
assistance to allow communities to open successful programs for youth.
Improve the quality of care in day care settings. Based on three areas of concern
(space, human relationships, and use of time), many programs are determined to be
inadequate. This project will address these quality indicators, mobilizing a
volunteer network trained to implement research-based curriculum.
Prevent morbidity and mortality due to vehicular accidents, suicide and violence.
The project will start after-school programs for youth and focus on conflict
resolution curriculums as an alternative to such behaviors.
Decrease the use of alcohol, tobacco, and any other drugs among children and
youth. The project will introduce anti-tobacco curriculum, posters, handouts, etc.,
through a volunteer network. The use of alcohol and drugs will be addressed
through prevention programs focusing on areas such as general life skills, goal-
setting, decision-making and friendship-making.
Decrease teenage pregnancy. Additional programs will be created as alternatives to
unsupervised afternoons.
Establish community coalitions to improve services to youth. The project will
facilitate the communication between various community organizations such as
schools, child care providers, cultural institutions, libraries, churches, and
recreation departments, thereby expanding and improving after-school programs
for youth.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
The Results: Cross-Stream is the first collaboration of its kind in the nation. The
program will serve 1000-2000 youth in 30-40 new programs, and impact another 3000-
5000 youth with its curriculum. The early success of Cross-Stream is due to
partnerships it has already created with schools, business and other organizations
throughout the state.
Why It Works:
Service Members/Volunteers: The service members for the Cross-Stream program
will be Learn & Serve, AmeriCorps, VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America)
and RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Corps) members. About 400 people are
being recruited to serve in the Cross-Stream program.
Evaluation: Needs assessments are distributed throughout the communities where
new Cross-Stream programs are to be implemented. Formal evaluations on each
piece of the project and curriculum are planned.
Partnership: PlusTime's Advisory Board includes many prominent citizens of
New Hampshire, including the State Commissioner of Education. The schools in
New Hampshire have a long-standing strong relationship with the organization, as
do businesses, organizations and educators. Plus Time works with the University of
New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, State Parks and Recreation, YMCA,
YWCA, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services,
and Boys and Girls Clubs.
Funding: Cross-Stream's budget for the first year is $250,000, and comes from a state
health care grant, federal sources, foundations, and the Bureau of Substance Abuse.
Advice from Cross Stream's Program Director:
Collaboration and diversity are key.
For more information, contact:
Cynthia Billings, Director
PlusTime NH
160 Dover Road, Suite 1
Chinchester, NH 03234
Phone: (603) 798-5850
Fax: (603) 798-5861
[email protected]
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Appendix A
State-by-State Directory of National
Service Contacts
Appendix B
Corporation for National Service
Headquarters Contacts
Appendix C
Internet Resources
Sac Information
and Resource
Sharing Via the
Internet
Lillian Coltin
Project Associate
MOST Initiative
Introduction
Technology and telecommunication is changing the way the world communicates.
But change can be difficult. For some, the acceptance of computers into their lives
has been slow. Others label themselves "computerphobic" and maintain a safe
distance at all times. As professionals who work with school-age children, however,
it is important to become comfortable with technology. While computer software
and the Internet can provide an important learning activity for children and youth in
your program, technology also offers professional growth opportunities for you and
your staff. This paper aims to increase your understanding of how technology is
entering the field of school-age care.
Technology is beginning to be used more and more in the field of school-age care.
But before we discuss these SAC technology developments, let's review some of the
basic components of this new communication method: the Internet, World Wide
Web, E-mail and electronic discussion groups.
NIOST °1997
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
The Internet
Join the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST)
on a journey along the Information Super Highway.
Get anywhere from HERE:
The National Institute on Out-of-School Time at
Stop at the NIOST home page to learn about
The Center for Research on Women at Wellesley College
our current projects, publications and
trainings and to explore the Center for
Research on Women and Wellesley
Center for Research
on Women
College where we are located. Here you will
find may avenues to travel. Click on the
school Age (hirt Care Pro-
words highlighted in color to link to
documents, calendar of events, and
Welcome to the home page for the SACCPmject at the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women
resource lists on NIOST's computer system
or go around the world to other hot web
Our URL is: http://www.welleley.edu/WCW/CRW/SAC/
sites with information about the school-age
(type exactly as shown, including all capital letters)
care field.
Where can you go?
One exciting trip to take is to the MOST Initiative. The MOST Initiative was designed in partnership
with the NIOST, which is serving as national manager for the project. Here you can learn about the
national goals for this community based project. Next visit the 3 MOST cities: Boston, Chicago and
Seattle. Each site is committed to improving the experiences of school-age children in their
communities. Children, youth and parents can search for out-of-school time activities, while program
staff can find out about training opportunities.
OTHER PATHS to take from the NIOST home page
International- gain new and exciting multicultural perspectives and information by traveling the
globe. Click on ENSAC and see what an international coalition between Sweden, the Netherlands,
England and Belgium is doing to improve the quality of children's and young people's lives.
Links to CyferNet (Children, Youth, and Family Education and Research Network) and its
networks. This site includes child care and child development information in Spanish and English,
and it provides help to Cooperative Extensions in disseminating child care information through the
National Network for Child Care (NNCC).
Jump to NCCIC's (National Child Care Information Center) mecca of resources, including: the full
text of Child Care Bulletin, and a list of organizations serving child care and related professions
(including contact information, with Web addresses, where applicable).
Further your professional education at Wheelock College, Concordia College, and Child Care
Career Institute (CCIC).
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E-mail individual members of NIOST.
Request information and publications from the NIOST clearinghouse.
Designed to help make information of interest to SAC professionals easy to find, the NIOST home
page can help you locate web sites you need. The site currently organizes links of interest to SAC
professionals under six subject areas:
1. Resources related to SAC policy
2. Resources related to SAC programming
3. Technical Assistance for those in SAC
4. Funding resources
5. Technology resources
6. General resources
Looking for the Children's Defense Fund? Check under "SAC Policy Resources." There you will
find a link to the Children's Defense Fund and other organizations and resources of interest to
SAC advocates. The "What's New" feature keeps you informed of changes since your last visit.
Stepping out on Your Own:
Search Engines
The world wide web provides a multitude of search engines (e.g. AltaVista, Excite, Infoseek,
Lycos & Yahoo) which allow you to explore the inner depths and far reaches of the Internet
world. The benefit of using a search engines is that you can find wonderful information about
curriculum activities, administration, news articles, etc. using your own key words.
ERIC/EECE search
This is a great clearinghouse on elementary and early childhood education issues which is also
available on the web. You can find information on the physical, cognitive, social, educational
and cultural development and education of children. To journey through their collection visit
the NIOST home page and click on the ERIC/EECE link.
The NIOST web site is continually updated. If you have comments that you feel would improve the page, please send
them to our webmistress: [email protected]
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E-mail (electronic mail) is your Vehicle to SAC-L
Not only does E-mail allow you to correspond one-on-one with people you know, you can also join
"listservs" and discuss, deconstruct, and debate issues of common interest. You can connect with your
colleagues instantaneously and get support from people who face the same daily challenges of working in
the SAC field. Keep informed about what is happening in public policy. Find out about upcoming
conference events. Learn about funding opportunities.
To reach out to the SAC community it is as easy as joining the SAC-L world-wide discussion group. Co-
owned by NIOST and the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education
(ERIC/EECE) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, SAC-L is where administrators,
caregivers/teachers, policy-makers, parents, and others interested in school-age care share ideas,
resources, problems, and solutions over the internet - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
To subscribe to SAC-L:
1. Send an E-mail message (without your E-mail signature, if you have one) to:
[email protected]
2. Leave the subject line blank.
3. Type: subscribe SAC-L <You Full Name Here>
(substituting your own name, without brackets, for <Your Full Name Here> above) in
the first line of the message area, for example, subscribe sac-l Jane E. Doe
4. Send the message.
Once the list manager has added your E-mail address to SAC-L, you will receive a welcome message
about the list and can now post messages to everyone on the list at the [email protected]
address.
To unsubscribe from SAC-L:
1. Send a one-line E-mail message to: [email protected]
2. Type: signoff SAC-L
You should receive a note confirming your signoff within a few minutes (although sometimes it can take
an hour or two).
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Netiquette:
Provide your audience with adequate context:
Use meaningful subject lines,
Quote the E-mail to which you are responding,
Avoid pronouns.
Be aware of page layout issues:
Have short paragraphs,
Have lines under seventy-five characters,
Have the entire E-mail under twenty-five lines.
Find replacements for gestures and intonation:
Smileys :-) =) =P ;-),
Asterisks,
Capital letters,
Typed-out vocalizations,
White space,
Lower-case letters,
Creative punctuation.
Archive Feature:
There is this nifty feature in SAC-L, which archives all of the messages, and allows you to access them at
any time.
Books and Articles:
Internet for Kids: A Beginner's Guide to Surfing the Net, by Ted Pedersen and Francis Moss, Price Stern Sloan,
Inc. 1995
A to Z: The Early Childhood Educator's Guide to the Internet, by the ERIC?EECE staff with an introduction by
Bonnie Blagojevic, 1995. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education,
University of Illinois, 805 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Urbana, IL 61801-4897. Tel. (217) 333-1386.
NCCIC Internet Guide: How to Access Child Care Information on the Internet, compiled by staff of the National
Child Care Information Center, the Guide will be available on NCCIC's Home Page on Internet
(http://ww.ercps.crc.uc.edu/nccic/ncichome.html), Print version published August 1996,
Electronic version prepared February 1997.
Child Care Bulletin, Child Care Bureau, May/June 1996 (Issue 9).
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+
TECHNOLOGY IN THE SCHOOL-AGE CARE FIELD
The following are examples of how technology is being used to support the school-age field.
1. Making the Most of Out-of-School Time (MOST Initiative)
http://www.welleley.ed/WCW/CRW/SAC/es sensitive)
Contact: MOST Project Director - Joyce Shortt 617-283-2526
National Institute on Out-of-School Time
Center for Research on Women
Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02181
e-mail: [email protected]
In 1994, the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund made an unprecedented commitment to school-age
child care by launching the MOST Initiative, a $6.5 million project aimed at systematic community-based
change to improve the quality and availability of out-of-school care for children. MOST was designed in
partnership with the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at the Wellesley College Center
for Research on Women. The SACCProject, with over 15 years of action research and expertise in the
field of school-age care, provides the national scope and vision to oversee the effort. This initiative will
enable communities to utilize collaborative strategies to address the needs of youth, especially those from
low-income families, during the hours they are not in school and most often at risk.
After a one-year planning process, three cities - Boston, Chicago, and Seattle - were selected in May,
1995, to receive grants of up to $1.2 million for implementation of a three-year Action Plan. Action
Plans were developed through an intensive collaborative process that allowed for providers, parents,
foundations, community leaders, educators, children, and other concerned individuals to assess needs,
develop strategies, and generate substantial matching funds. Although each plan is unique to the needs
of its particular communities, they all focus on achieving the following national MOST Initiative goals for
school-age care:
increased public awareness of the need for out-of-school care
increased numbers of children served
program start-up and improvement
participation in a national accreditation project (See NIAS/ASQ Description)
increased professional development and in-service training opportunities for providers
development of a college-based academic program culminating in a degree or certificate
implementation of financial assistance programs for families in need of school-age care and
practitioners interested in career development
information and resource sharing via the Internet
development of a local school-age conference to be held annually
local fund raising to sustain the project's goals
The Wellesley NIOST staff work closely with each community to provide technical assistance and
comprehensive training support. In addition, the NIOST facilitates communication between sites and
other interested parties at national conferences and annual retreats to do problem solving and to share
lessons learned. DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund has also hired an independent research
organization, Chapin Hall Center for Children, to conduct a multi-year evaluation of the MOST
Initiative. At the conclusion of the Implementation Phase (1998), the NIOST will synthesize and
disseminate a wide range of technical assistance materials for application in other communities, with the
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5
goal of initiating systematic changes at a national level to better serve the needs of children and youth in
their out-of-school time. Boston, Chicago and Seattle are each working to achieve the national MOST
goals in their own unique ways. Highlights of their activities are described on the following pages.
Boston MOST
Contact: Boston MOST Coordinator: Laura Gang
Parents United for Child Care
Boston School Age Child Care Project
30 Winter Street, 7th floor
Boston, MA 02108-4720
phone: 617-426-8288
fax: 617-542-1515
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.wellesley.edu/WCW/CRW/SAC/most-boston.htm
Boston MOST maintains a homepage with links to some of its collaborative partners such as Boston
Public Library, Child Care Careers Institute, and Arts in Progress.
Chicago MOST
Contact: Chicago MOST Coordinator: Leonette Coates
Day Care Action Council of Illinois
4753 N. Broadway, Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60640
phone: 773-564-8872
fax: 773-561-2256
e-mail: [email protected]
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~chgomost/
Internet Database Related to Children and Youth
A collaborative venture involving Chicago MOST, the Chicago Youth Agency Partnership, and Children
and Youth 2000 is working to develop a database related to children and youth in the Chicago area.
There are 446 Chicago-based organizations among these collaborating agencies alone. They include child
care centers, youth-serving agencies, drop-in centers, universities and colleges, health care providers,
advocacy organizations, religious organizations, corporations, and government agencies.
The following list provides a sampling of what this database seeks to accomplish:
Vastly improve communication efforts required to create system-wide change.
Make available information about professional competencies for youth workers, child care
workers, and nonprofit leaders and managers as well as advertise the availability of training and
educational opportunities based on these competencies.
Provide linkages to information on models and best practices locally, regionally and nationally in
such areas as prenatal care, gang intervention, and other child and youth development topics.
Significantly increase the involvement of youth, parents, community members and organizers in
policy/advocacy efforts by making timely information immediately available to them and rapid
responses possible.
Provide direct access for parents and youth to information such as where to have a child
immunized and what out-of-school activities are available in a particular community.
Reduce the isolation of workers, parents, and other caregivers that each day counsel, challenge
and care for children and youth.
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It is anticipated that this database will receive widespread direct use by parents, youth, and professionals
through access on the Internet via public schools, public libraries, park district programs, and in-home
computers. Other locations for access are also being explored, such as day care centers, corporations,
and building lobby directories. In addition to developing their own database, once the collaborators and
other stakeholders get on-line, they will be able to access a variety of other local, regional and national
databases related to children and youth.
Seattle MOST
Contact: Seattle MOST Project Manager: Adrienne Bloom
School's Out Consortium / YWCA
1118 5th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
phone: 206-461-3602
fax: 206-461-4860
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.pan.ci.seattle.wa.us/seatte/dahls/most/index.htm
Technology and Access to School-Age Care
Seattle MOST created a free database for parents and youth to access information about 300 out-of-
school time programs in Seattle. The database is available via the internet and is also available on-line
and in hard copy directories at all Seattle Public Libraries, Public School Libraries and community-based
agencies serving low-income families, families of color and families with children with special needs. The
database features a simple search form which asks users to specify in which neighborhood or school area
they are searching for a program; and what type of activities interest them. The result is a list of
programs tailored to individual needs, which can be displayed and/or printed. Additionally, printed
neighborhood directories of programs will be published to give parents a resource guide. Community
outreach continues to play an important role in ensuring that this service is widely utilized.
2. National School-Age Care Alliance (NSACA)
The North Carolina School-Age Care Coalition is leading the nation in the first pilot of a statewide
system for school-age care accreditation. The system will be based on the National Improvement and
Accreditation System (NLAS), developed by the National School-Age Care Alliance (NSACA) and the
National Institute on Out-of-School Time at Wellesley College (NIOST). This pilot project is funded by
a grant from the American Business Collaboration for Quality Dependent Care.
Besides promoting community awareness of accreditation, the recruitment and training of endorsers, and
ASQ Advisor and First Steps Training, the North Carolina School-Age Care Coalition will also have a
database which can be used to track inquiries about accreditation, responses to individual inquiries, and
dissemination of materials. Through Internet access and a home page, school-age programs can review
information about the accreditation process, standards and strategies for program development. The
home page will include information of interest to parents, potential funders and the public at large. In
addition to accreditation information via computer, anyone in North Carolina will also be able to obtain
accreditation information through a toll-free telephone number. Contact: Linda Sisson, NSACA, c/o
School-Age Child Care Project, Center for Research on Women, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02181, Tel: (617)
283-3460, E-mail: T1LSISSON.
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3. The Early Childhood & School-Age Forum in the Children, Youth & Families area
on HandsNet. http://www.handsnet.org/handsnet/
Founded in 1987, HandsNet links some 5,000 public interest and human service organizations across the
United States. Network members include national clearinghouses and research centers, community-
based service providers, foundations, government agencies, public policy advocates, legal services
programs and grassroots coalitions.
From the NIOST home page you can click on HandsNet and visit HandsNet on the web. HandsNet on
the web offers daily news from HandsNet on CONNECT: information about services, forums and
members, the latest Action Alerts and The Weekly Digest, a sample from the hundreds of policy,
program and resource articles posted each week by HandsNet members. The information on HandsNet
on the web is currently available at no charge. In the future HandsNet plans to offer memberships to an
expanded service on the web.
For a membership fee you can join HandsNet on CONNECT, a full-featured network environment with
interactive forums for human service organizations to exchange information and resources, and
collaborate on a broad range of program and policy issues.
NIOST is the information provider for the School-Age Folder on the Early Childhood & School-Age
Forum. Contact: Lillian Coltin at NIOST, Center for Research on Women, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02181.
e-mail: [email protected].
4. Eric Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education
http://ericps.crc.uiuc.edu/ericeece.html
The ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education (ERIC/EECE) is one of 16
ERIC clearinghouses funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), U.S.
Department of Education. ERIC clearinghouses identify and select documents and journal articles, and
then prepare entries describing the documents and articles to be incorporated in the ERIC database, the
world's most frequently used collection of information on education. Clearinghouses also publish digests,
monographs, and other publications; answer questions; disseminate information on the Internet; and
represent ERIC at conferences and workshops. See the ERIC System page for more information.
ERIC/EECE contributes to the database in the areas of child development, the education and care of
children from birth through early adolescence, the teaching of young children, and parenting and family
life. ERIC/EECE is located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. ERIC/EECE has
provided information for educators, parents and families, and individuals interested in the development,
education, and care of children from birth through early adolescence, since 1967.
The clearinghouse also operates several Internet-based discussion groups:
CAMPUSCARE-L on campus
REGGIO-L on the Reggio Emilia
children's centers
(Italy) approach to early education
ECENET-L on early child education
PROJECTS-L on the Project
ECPOLICY-L on early child policy
Approach
SAC-L on school-age care
PARENTING-L on parenting issues
MIDDLE-L on middle education
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5. National Network for Child Care
htp://www.exnct.iastate.cdu/Pages/families/nco
The National Network for Child Care is part of the National Cooperative Extensions System under the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Extension's National Network for Child Care is a group of
professionals from across the country who have a vision of safe, caring, accessible child care for all
children. NNCC is part of a larger Children, Youth and Family Network consisting of National
Networks for Child Care, Science and Technology, Collaborations, Family Resiliency and Health
Decisions.
These Networks are committed to improving the outcomes for limited resource families and at-risk
children through collaborative efforts. The electronic and information service of these Networks is
CYFERNET (Children, Youth, and Family Education Resource Network.)
CYFERNET can be reached at the following web site: http://www.cyfernet.mes.umn.edu:2400
6. National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC)
http://ricps.ed.uiuc.edu/ncic/nccichome.html
The National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC) has been established to complement, enhance
and promote child care linkages and to serve as a mechanism for supporting quality, comprehensive
services for children and families. NCCIC activities include the dissemination of child care
information, outreach to ACF grantees, publication of the Child Care Bulletin and adjunct ERIC
Clearinghouse for Child Care. Technology is vital to improving services for children and families.
Through the Internet, listservs and audio-conferences, for example, NCCIC connects administrators,
organizations, and parents regularly to discuss child care issues.
7. Center for Career Development in Early Care and Education at Wheelock
College: http://ericps.crc.uic.edu/cdee/ccdee.html
The Center for Career Development in Early Care and Education at Wheelock College is devoted to
improve the quality of early care and education for children by promoting the definition of early care
and education as a professional field and a field of study. Through their technical assistance, research
and information about conferences happening around country, they are able to bring about change that
meets the needs of families, children and the child care field.
The Center offers week-long intensive seminars for child care professionals that focus on practical, up-
to-date information that can be put to use immediately. The Advanced Seminars in Child Care
Administration, administered in partnership with the Wheelock College Graduate School, offer
exceptional opportunities for networking and sharing with other practitioners, administrators, and
policy-makers. For information about the Advanced Seminars in Child Care Administration contact:
Advanced Seminars in Child Care Administration, The Center for Career Development in Early Care and Education,
Wheelock College, 200 The Riverway, Boston, MA 02215. Ph. (617) 738-5200 ext. 279. Fax: (617) 738-0643.
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Links:
ECCAREER-L - [email protected]
ECCAREER-L is a private electronic discussion list available only to members of the National
Career Development Network for the Early Childhood and School-Age Fields. ECCAREER-L
provides a forum for Network members to discuss the progress and challenges of their work on
early childhood and school-age career development issues, to ask questions of one another, to
share successes, and to solve problems.
8. Concordia College
http://www.csp.edu/Dept Pages/sac/sac.html
The Concordia College in St. Paul, Minnesota provides a number of services and information via their
Web page. They offer information about workshops that they offer, access to their library catalog of
school-age care materials, descriptions of their publications and links to many other home pages that
discuss issues around school-age child care. One of the many features that Concordia College offers is
the Studying by Distance Learning (BA or MA Program), which allows people through Internet
communication, discussion groups and video and audio tapes to earn their degree without attending
traditional on-campus classes.
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LINKS to INFORMATION on SERVICE
The following internet links will provide information about service at the federal, state and local
level.
NATIONAL SERVICE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Corporation for National Service
http://www.cns.gov
GENERAL SERVICE SITES
AmeriCorps Network Northwest
http://www.nwrel.org/edwork/direct.html
AmeriCorps Resources
http://www.ksu.edu/~jeffrei/acorps.index.html
Bay Area Volunteer Information Center
http://www.meer.net/~taylor/index.htm
Campus Outreach Opportunity League (COOL)
http://www.cool2serve.org/cool/home.html
C.O.R.E. Susquehanna AmeriCorps
http://home.ptd.net/~coresusc/
Habitat For Humanity Internet Resources
http://www.cwru.edu/CWRU/Og/habhunm/wwwhab.htm
Hands On Atlanta
http://www.handsonatl.org
Impact Online
http://www.impactonline.org/info/index.html
Institute for Global Communications
http://www.igc.org
Invisible College at Portland State Univ.
http://www-adm.pdx.edu/user/invcol/ic.htm
LibertyNet
http://www.libertynet.org
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National School & Community Corps
http://www.woodrow.org/urban-ed
Points of Light Foundation
http://www.bilkent.edu.tr/inet-non/pointsoflight/welcome.html
Project STAR (Support and Training for Assessing Results)
http://www.projectstar.org/STAR.html
SERVEnet
http://www.servenet.org
Support Centers of America
http://www.supportcenter.org/sca/
ValleyNet
http://www.valley.net/
VISTA Link- Electronic Recruitment
http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/vistalink
VISTA Web
http://libertynet.org/~zelson/vweb.html
Volunteer and Volunteer Management Resources
http://www.halcyon.com/penguin/svm.htm
West Coast LISC AmeriCorps
http://www.garlic.com/~tam/LISC
Who Cares
http://www.whocares.org
Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Prevention Resources
http://www.uhs.wisc.edu/wch
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YOUTH SERVICE-RELATED SITES:
City Year
http://www.city-year.org
National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC)
http://www.hooked.net/~dbiggs/nasc.htm
SERVEnet
http://www.servenet.org
The Youth Source
http://youth.village.com/
SERVICE-LEARNING AND EDUCATION-RELATED SITES:
America Goes Back to School
http://www.ed.gov/Family/agbts
American Association of Community Colleges
http://www.ac.nche.edu/spcproi/service/service.htm
AmeriCorps Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
http://ericpsed.uiuc.edu/nccic/amercorp/ectac.hml
Association for Experiential Education
http://www.princeton.edu/~rcurtisae.html
Berkeley Service Learning
http://www.gse.berkeley.edu/research/slc/servicelearning.html
Campus Compact National Center for Community Colleges
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/academic/compact
CASE (Citizenship and Service Education)
http://www.scils.rutgersedu/case/case.html
The Council of Chief State School Officers
http://www.ccsso.org/
Diversity University
http://hacker.smy.com/tour/ira/data/sect72/list8.hrml
Eastern Michigan University Office of Academic Service Learning
http://www.emich.edu/public/ofice_asl/home.htm
NIOST ©1997
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Indiana Department of Education Service Learning
http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us/srvirm
Lafayette College Community Outreach Center Programs
http://www.lafayette.edu/millerg/outreach.html
Tech Corps
http://www.ustc.org
SCALE (Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education)
http://www.unc.edu/depts/scale/index.html
University of Colorado Service-Learning Center
http://csf.colorado.edu/s
University of Michigan Office of Community Service Learning
http://www.umich.edu/~ocsl
University of Pennsylvania Program for Student-Community Involvement
http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~psci
US Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov
Virginia Tech Service Learning Center
http://ccserver.phil.vt.edu/www/SL/index.html
STATE COMMISSIONS FOR NATIONAL SERVICE:
California Commission on Improving Life Through Service
http://www.impactonline.org/cameric
Florida Commission on Community Service
http://www.fccs.org
The Kentucky Community Service Commission
http://www.occ.uky.edu/kcc.html
The Maine Commission For Community Service
http://www.state.me.us/spo/mccs/mc home.htm
The Maryland Governor's Commission on Service
http://www.mgcos.state.md.us/mgcos
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The Missouri Community Service Commission
http://services.state.mo.us/ltgov/homepg.htm
The New Hampshire Commission on National and Community Service
http://www.americorps.nh.com/
The North Carolina Commission on National and Community Service
http://www.nccu.edu/~tbaker/welcome.html
The Texas Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service
http://www.txcncs.state.tx.us/
Utah Commission on Volunteers
http://www.volunteers.state.ut.us/commission.htm
NIOST ©1997
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
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We want to hear from you
The National Institute on Out-of-
Do you have a MOST-like initiative in your
School Time's (NIOST's) mission is to
community? Interested in starting one up?
Please talk to us about it-let's share ideas and
improve the quantity and quality of school-age
collaborate!
child care programs nationally through
collaborative work with communities,
Lillian Coltin, Project Associate
individuals, and organizations, and to raise the
NIOST, MOST Initiative
Center for Research on Women
level of public awareness about the importance
106 Central Street
of children's out-of-school time. NIOST
concentrates its efforts in four primary areas---
Wellesley, MA 02181-8259
research, education and training, consultation,
(617) 283-2539 Fax: (617) 283-3657
and program development.
e-mail: [email protected]
NIOST ©1997
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16
Appendix D
Other Out-of-School Time Resources
Organizational Resources on OST
National Institute on Out-of-School Time
NATIONAL 4-H COUNCIL
(NIOST)
Southern Region
Center for Research on Women
Alcorn State Cooperative Extension
Wellesley College
P.O. Box 479
106 Central Street
Lorman, MS 39096-9402
Wellesley, MA 02181.
Tel.(601) 877-6556
Tel.(781)283-2547
Fax.(601) 877-6219
Fax.(781)283-3657
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.wellese.edu/WCW/CRW/SAC
Western Region
Resources include The School-Age Fact Sheet,
University of Idaho Cooperative Extension
Spotlight on MOST, and ASQ Resource Manual.
103 Morrill Hall
The Institute provides training, technical
University of Idaho
assistance, consultation, and resource materials.
Moscow, ID 83844
Tel.(208) 885-6321
School-Age Notes
Fax.(208) 885-6198
P.O. Box 40205
e-mail: [email protected]
Nashville, TN 37204
Tel.(615)242-8464
Northeast Region
Fax.(615)242-8260
University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension
1376 Storrs Road
School-Age Notes is a newsletter for the field,
Storrs, CT 06269-4036
and distributes many other publications.
Tel. (860) 486-0101
Fax.(860) 486-4128
Search Institute
e-mail: [email protected]
Thresher Square West
700 South Third St., Suite 210
North Central Region
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Kansas State University
Tel.(612)376-8955
Justin Hall
Fax.(612)376-8956
Manhattan, KS 66506
Tel.(913) 532-1484
Resources on developing programs for youth
Fax.(913) 532-5055
based on developmental assets.
e-mail: [email protected]
National Child Care Information Center
National School-Age Care Alliance (NSACA)
301 Maple Avenue West, Suite 602
1137 Washington Street
Vienna, VA 22180
Dorchester, MA 02124
Tel.(800) 616-2242
Tel. (617) 298-5012
Fax.(800) 716-2242
Fax. (617) 298-5022
http://ericps.ed.uiuc.edu/nccic/ncichome.html
e-mail: [email protected]
NCCIC provides linkages to school-age care
resources and published The Child Care Bulletin.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Making the Most of Out-of-School Time
School's Out!
MOST Initiative
An Initiative to Integrate Service and Out-of-
National Institute on Out-of-School Time
School Time
Center for Research on Women
Corporation for National Service
Wellesley College
1201 New York Avenue, NW
106 Central Street
Washington, DC 20525
Wellesley, MA 02181
Tel. (202) 606-5000
Tel. (781) 283-2526
Fax. (202) 565-2784
Fax. (781) 283-3657
http://www.cns.gov/
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.wellesley.edu/WCW/CRW/SAC/most.html
Boys and Girls Clubs of America
1230 West Peachtree St., NW
American Business Collaboration for Quality
Atlanta, GA 30309
Dependent Care (ABC)
Tel. (404) 815-5778
930 Commonwealth Ave.
Fax. (404) 815-5789
Boston, MA 02215
http://bgca.org
Tel. (617) 278-4111
Fax. (617) 232-5302
Campfire Boys and Girls
4373 Westover Place, NW
America Reads: A National Challenge
Washington, DC 20016
Corporation for National Service
Tel/Fax. (202) 364-3240
1201 New York Avenue, NW
http://www.campfire.org/
Washington, DC 20525
Tel. (202) 606-5000
Project Spirit
Fax. (202) 565-2784
African American Family Institute
http://www.cns.gov/areads/aread.htm
555 South Dakota Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20011
U.S. Army's Credential for School-Age Care
Tel. (202) 269-0049
Providers
Fax. (202) 269-9126
Headquarters Department of the Army
CFSC-SFCY
YMCA of the USA
2461 Eisenhower Ave. Room 1408
101 N. Wacker Dr., 14th Floor
Alexandria, VA 22331-0521
Chicago, IL 60606
Tel. (703) 325-0710
Tel. (800) 872-9622
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.ymca.net
Save the Children Out-of-School Time
YWCA of the USA
Rural Initiative
726 Broadway
National Institute on Out-of-School Time
New York, NY 10003
Center for Research on Women
Tel. (212) 614-2805
Wellesley College
Fax. (212) 290-7362
106 Central Street
http://www.ywca.org/
Wellesley, MA 02181
Tel. (781) 283-3497
Fax. (781) 283-3657
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.wellesley.edu/WCW/CRW/SAC/SAVE.html
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
Appendix E
Current Research on
Out-of-School Time
Highlights of Research Findings
NIOST, Centers for Research on Women, Wellesley College
Out-of-School Time
February 1997
Child Outcomes
What children do during out-of-school time will have a major influence on their academic
achievement and life success. The kinds of relationships they develop with adults and peers are
also important factors in their development. Research has shown that children who spend many
hours without adult supervision are at risk for a number of negative outcomes.
The three desired outcomes for children in out-of-school time are:
Developing emotionally supportive relationships with adults and other children.
Developing skills and interests.
Having access to a place that supports development of positive relationships and enriching
experiences.
Highlights of the research on how out-of-school time affects children's development include:
Out-of-school time activities provide opportunities for children to build on what they have
experienced in school, develop areas of skills and interest, and develop relationships with
caring adults. Research on resiliency has found that these factors are related to adult success
(Miller, 1995).
Television is the most frequent activity during children's out-of-school time: one in four
nine-year-olds watches television five or more hours a day (Carnegie Corporation of New
York, 1996). Research indicates that watching more than three hours per day or watching
violent programming places children at risk for a number of negative outcomes.
Several studies have found that children who are heavy television viewers perform poorly on
literacy-related skills compared to their peers.
Watching television may increase aggressive behavior and have other negative consequences,
including desensitivity to violence and the belief that the world is a more violent place.
Watching educational television may increase prosocial skills.
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Highlights of Research Findings, Continued
Out-of-school time is an opportunity for children to develop their social competence and
make lasting friendships. Children who spend more time with friends may have more
opportunities to develop social skills, which have been related to higher levels of both self-
esteem and academic skills (Miller, 1995). In addition, research indicates that children who
have the opportunity for social connections in the after-school hours are more well-adjusted
and happier than those who do not (Belle & Burr, 1989).
Research repeatedly demonstrates that the intellectual growth of young children depends
greatly on the interactions they have with their parents or caregivers, particularly the verbal
interplay that takes place in the context of affectionate relationships (Carnegie Corp. of New
York, 1996).
Children who spend out-of-school time "hanging out" with peers may be less likely to
achieve in school and more likely to engage in a range of risk-taking behaviors. Children
under adult super- vision during out-of-school time are less likely to be susceptible to peer
pressure (Miller, 1995).
Certain groups of children are at increased developmental risk when they spend time in self-
care, particularly low income children who reside in urban areas (Miller, 1995).
Latchkey children are at significantly greater risk of truancy from school, stress, receiving
poor grades, risk-taking behavior, and substance use (Dwyer et al., 1990).
When school-age programs are well-designed, they can raise academic achievement, but
when they are of low quality, with poorly trained staff and few age-appropriate activities,
participants may do worse in school than children who are cared for by a parent or a sitter or
even left alone (Carnegie Corporation of New York, 1996).
Children attending quality school-age programs may have better peer relations, emotional
adjustment, and better grades and conduct in school than their peers in other care
arrangements (Posner & Vandell, 1994). These children are exposed to more learning
opportunities, spend more time in academic activities and enrichment, and spend less time
watching TV.
Teachers indicate children in good quality school-age programs become more cooperative,
learn to handle conflict better, develop an interest in recreational reading, and get better
grades as a result of program involvement (Riley et al., 1994). Principals note that vandalism
in the schools decreased as a result of the programs.
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Highlights of Research Findings, Continued
Qualitv of programming
Defining a high quality school-age program is not an easy task, especially in a field with as much
variation in program models and goals as school-age care. However, a number of recent studies
indicate characteristics of programs that are linked to higher quality experiences for children, and
some of the ways in which children benefit from attending good programs. Existing studies
show that when staff are well-trained and experienced, groups sizes and ratios are low, and a
variety of enriching experiences are offered, children do well and enjoy school-age programs.
Highlights of the research on quality and school-age programs include:
A recent study of school-age programs emphasizes the importance of well-trained staff.
As the ratio of children to staff increased, staff had more negative interactions with children
(Rosenthal & Vandell, in press).
When staff lacked formal training and education, interactions were more negative (Rosenthal
& Vandell, in press).
When school-age programs offered a great variety of activities, staff-child interactions were
more positive (Rosenthal & Vandell, in press).
Children's feelings about their school-age program were heavily influenced by their
experiences with the staff. For example, when staff were more negative in their interactions
with children, children reported that staff were emotionally nonsupportive. Furthermore, the
children indicated that they did not want to be at the program (Rosenthal & Vandell, in
press).
Positive behavior management and sensitive interactions are associated with staff's ability to
meet the needs of children regardless of gender, temperament, or family circumstances
(Vandell et al., 1996). When staff members understood family situations, they were better
able to provide emotional support and instrumental assistance to the children in their care.
Staff turnover affects program quality. Staff who had worked in a school-age program longer
knew the children better, knew more about their home situations, and were more likely to
seek out children when they started skipping the school-age program (Halpern, 1992).
Child and community-centered philosophy, staff characteristics, and age-appropriate
activities are important components of a successful school-age program (Vandell et al.,
1996).
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Highlights of Research Findings, Continued
Children were much more positive about attending school-age programs when there was a
greater diversity of activities and when they had some choice in selecting activities (Halpern,
1992; Rosenthal & Vandell, in press).
Barriers
Despite the potential benefits of school-age programs, only a small percentage of school-age
children--an estimated 11 percent of all children ages five-to-twelve in 1990--are currently
enrolled (Hofferth et al., 1991). Many barriers exist, from lack of awareness of the benefits
of programs to affordability and transportation issues.
The overwhelming dependence of programs on income from parent tuition fees places
school-age programs out of reach for many families (Seppanen et al., 1993).
Children may not be able to attend school-age programs because parents do not feel trusting
of the staff and program (Gravett et al., 1987; Miller et al., 1996).
Children may not participate in school-age programs because they are needed at home where
they serve as caregivers for younger siblings (Miller et al., 1996).
Children who attend schools outside their neighborhoods may not be able to participate in
school-age programs because of transportation problems.
School-age programming is often not available for older school-age children, and what is
available is not always well designed to meet the needs of older children.
Policy and Community Recommendations
Community action is the key to expanding and improving opportunities for children during
their out-of-school time, yet communities cannot meet their goals for children without
adequate resources. At the state level, administrators need to work across agencies to create
an optimal environment for communities and children, including funding, access to
information, and incentives for collaboration.
Create structures for inter-agency collaboration at the state level between agencies working
on issues related to recreation, youth development, parent education, family support, child
care, and related areas.
Increase funding of community out-of-school time resources to increase quality of existing
services, expand services as necessary, and increase access for low-income children.
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Highlights of Research Findings, Continued
Improve the quality of existing services, where such improvement is needed, and through
systematic methods of assessing and improving quality of out-of-school time for children in
formal settings (Miller, 1995).
Expand and improve out-of-school time programs, so that program activities are linked to
what children are learning in school (Carnegie Corporation of New York, 1996). Promulgate
licensing standards designed to ensure that at least a minimal quality of care is provided to
children, and adequately fund enforcement to ensure timely monitoring. In addition, use
public funds as an incentive for programs to increase quality.
Support and create collaborations at the community level. Areas for collaboration include: 1)
informal resources for leisure time, including parks, playgrounds, museums, libraries, and
community festivals; 2) child care programs; 3) lessons and recreational activities, including
drop-in and community center programs, and 4) summer programs (Miller, 1995).
Promote high-quality educational television and access to other electronic media for
improving instruction (Carnegie Corporation of New York, 1996).
Promote parent involvement and parenting skills through parent support and educational
programs.
Encourage continuity of relationships with staff and other adults that will facilitate
relationships that result in supportive learning communities (Carnegie Corporation of New
York, 1996).
Develop and disseminate materials to help parents with their children's out-of-school time
(Miller, 1995).
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References
Belle, D. & Burr, R., 1989. Alone and with others: The context of children's after-school experiences.
Unpublished paper, Department of Psychology; Boston University.
Carnegie Corporation of New York, 1996. Years of Promise; A Comprehensive Learning Strategy for
America's Children. New York, NY: Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Dwyer, K.M., Richardson, J.L., Danley, K.L., Hansen, W.B., Sussman, S.Y., Brannon, B., Dent, C.W.,
Johnson, C.A., & Flay, B.R., 1990. Characteristics of eighth-grade students who initiate self-care in
elementary and junior high school. Pediatrics, 86, 448-454.
Gravett, M., Rogers, C.S., & Thompson, L., 1987. Child care decision among female heads of
households with school-age children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2, 67-81.
Halpern, R., 1992. The Role of After-School Programs in the Lives of Inner-City Children: A Study of
the "Urban Youth Network". Child Welfare League of America, LXXI, Number 3, May-June, 215-230.
Hofferth, S., Brayfield, A., Diech, S., & Holcomb, P., 1991. The National Child Care Survey, 1990.
Washington, DC: Urban Institute Press.
Miller, B.M., 1995. Out-of-school time: Effects on learning in the primary grades (Action Research
Paper ed., Vol. 4). Wellesley, MA: SACCProject, Wellesley College Center for Research on Women.
Miller, B., O'Connor, S., Sirignano, S., & Joshi, P., 1996. "I Wish the Kids Didn't Watch So Much TV";
Out-of-School Time in Three Low Income Communities. Wellesley, MA: SACCProject, Wellesley
College Center for Research on Women.
Posner, J.K. & Vandell, D.L., 1994. Low-income children's after-school care: Are there beneficial
effects of after-school programs? Child Development, 65, 440-456.
Riley, D., Steinberg, J., Todd, C., Junge, S., & McClain, I., 1994. Preventing Problem Behaviors and
Raising Academic Performance in the Nation's Youth: The Impacts of 64 School Age Child Care
Programs in 15 States Supported by the Cooperative Extension Service Youth-at-Risk Initiative.
Rosenthal, R. & Vandell, D., in press. Quality of Care at School-aged Child Care Programs:
Regulatable Features, Observable Interactions, Child Perspectives, and Parent Perspectives.
Seppanen, P.S., Love, J.M., deVries, D.K., Bernstein, L., Seligson, M., Marx, F., & Kisker, E.E., 1993.
National study of before & after school programs (Final report to the Office of Policy and Planning, U.S.
Department of Education). Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation.
Vandell, D.L., Shumow, L., & Posner, J.K., 1996. Children's After-School Programs: Promoting
Resiliency or Vulnerability. Chapter in unpublished paper, University of Wisconsin, Northern Illinois
University.
NIOST ©1997
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7
National Institute on Outof - School Time
Center for Research on Women, Wellesley College
Fact Sheet On School-Age Children's Out Of School Time
Children spend less than 20 percent of their waking hours in school.
Schools are typically open less than half the days of the year, and when
open provide care only until mid-afternoon. What happens during the
other 80 percent is critical to children's development.
What children do during non-school hours has a critical impact on school
achievement and long-term success.
Whether or not their mother is employed, research indicates that the activities children engage in, as well as
the quality of adult supervision they receive, are as important as family income and parents' education in
determining academic success.
Children spend more of their out-of-school time watching television than
in any other single activity.
Children's television viewing has been associated with lower reading achievement, behavior
problems, and increased aggression. Television is not necessarily harmful to all children,
but when they watch more than three hours a day and/or watch programs with violent
content, negative outcomes are increasingly likely.
School - Age Children with Employed Parents
Approximately 24 million school-age children require child care.
According to the Bureau of the Census, in 1991 there were 36.7 million children between the ages of 5 and 14
years living in the U.S. Of these children, 21.2 million lived with a mother who was employed, and an
additional 953,000 lived with an unemployed mother (currently seeking employment) and 999,000 lived with a
mother enrolled in school. An estimated 912,000 children in this age range lived with a single father who was
employed, 61,000 with an unemployed father, and 9,000 with a single father enrolled in school.
An estimated 17 million parents need care for their school-age children
during their hours of work.
In 1991, the Census Bureau found that 14.9 million employed
mothers had children between the ages of 5 and 14. An
additional 681,000 mothers were unemployed and 642,000 were
enrolled in school. An estimated 728,000 employed single
fathers lived with school-age children, in addition to 50,000
unemployed fathers who were seeking employment and 9,000 fathers who were attending school..
NIOST ©1997
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Fact Sheet On School-Age Children, Continued
Child Care Arrangements of School - Age Children
Unlike preschool children, school-age children are likely to spend time in
many different care arrangements.
According to the National Child Care Survey 1990 (NCCS), 76 percent of school-age
children with an employed mother spend time in at least two child care arrangements
during a typical week, in addition to their time in school. Based on a nationally
representative sample of parents of children under the age of 13, the NCCS examined both
primary and secondary care arrangements for school-age children, in addition to the hours
they spend in school (see Hofferth et. al., 1991 in references).
School-age children of employed mothers are most likely to be cared for
by a parent (33%), followed by care by a relative (23%), lessons (15%),
center-based after-school program or day care center (14%), family day
care (7%), self-care (4%), and in-home provider (3%), according to the NCCS.
These percentages reflect the primary care arrangement - the one
where the child spends most of his or her non-school hours
during a typical week. Secondary care arrangements are as
follows: care by a parent (55%), lessons (19%), relative (14%),
self-care (4%), family day care (3%), center care (3%), in-home
provider (1%) and other (1%).
Experts estimate that nearly 5 million school-age children spend time
without adult supervision during a typical week.
Exact figures are not available, due to parents' reluctance to report that they leave children alone. Older
children are much more likely to spend time on their own than younger children. Data from the NCCS suggest
that less than 5% of children under age 8 are regularly in self-care at any time during the week during the week
compared to nearly 35% of twelve-year-olds.
Approximately 1.7 million children in kindergarten through grade 8 were
enrolled in 49,500 formal before-and/or-after-schol programs in 1991,
according to the National Study of Before and
After School Programs.
The study found that 83 percent of those enrolled in after-school
programs are in the pre-kindergarten through third grade age range.
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Fact Sheet On School-Age Children, Continued
AN
Related Materials
Condry, J. (1993). Thief of time, unfaithful servant: Television and the American child. Daedalus, 122, 259-
278.
Dwyer, K.M., Richardson, J.L., Danley, K.L., Hansen, W.B., Sussman, S.Y., Brannon, B., Dent, C.W.,
Johnson, C.A., & Flay, B.R. (1990). Characteristics of eighth-grade students who initiate self-care in
elementary and junior high school. Pediatrics, 86, 448-454.
Hofferth, S.L., Brayfield, A., Diech, S., & Holcomb, P. (1991). The National Child Care Survey 1990.
Washington, DC: The Urban Institute Press.
Miller, B.M. (1995). Out-of-school time: Effects on learning in the primary grades (Action Research Paper
No. 4). Wellesley, MA: SACCProject, Wellesley College Center for Research on Women.
Myers, J. and Kyle, J.E. (1996). Critical needs, critical choices: A survey on children and families in
America's cities. Washington, DC: National League of Cities.
Posner, J.K. & Vandell, D.L. (1994). Low-income children's after-school care: Are there beneficial effects of
after-school programs? Child Development, 65, 440-456.
Riley, D., Steinberg, J., Todd, C., Junge, S., McClain, I. (1994). Preventing problem behaviors and raising
academic performance in the nation's youth: The impacts of 64 school age child care programs in 15 states
supported by the Cooperative Extension Service Youth-at-Risk Initiative. Madison, WI: University of
Wisconsin.
Seppanen, P.S., Love, J.M., Vries, D.K., Bernstein, L., Seligson, M., Marx, F., & Kisker, E.E., (1993).
National study of before & after school programs (Final report to the Office of Policy and Planning, U.S.
Department of Education). Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation.
U.S. Bureau of the Census. (1994b). Current Population Reports: P 70-36. Who's minding the kids? Child
care arrangements: Fall 1991. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce.
NIOST O1997
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11
National Service Statistics
1996
from National Service News
Learn & Serve, AmeriCorps, and National Senior Service Corps
In 1996,
25,000 AmeriCorps members
served
1,100 communities,
and taught or tutored
508,493 children.
AmeriCorps members served
85,406 students enrolled in after-
school programs.
They also provided
706,527 students
with educational enrichment activities.
109,370 youth were trained in
violence prevention.
95,327 youth were mentored
by AmeriCorps members.
AmeriCorps members helped in other ways too.
39,294 community tutors were recruited or trained;
3,133 public safety patrols and programs were established;
3,544 neighborhoods were cleaned up and;
24,307,203 trees were planted.
Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time: A How-To Manual
13
Appendix F
State Pilot Teams
Appendix G
Other Service Resources
Appendix H
December, 1996 Forum Participants
and Organization Information
F: Child Care -
service
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON CHILD CARE
Over the past decade, the number of American families with working parents has expanded
dramatically Each of us -- from businesses to religious leaders to policy-makers and
elected officials -- has a responsibility and an important stake in making sure that children
of all ages have the best possible care available to them. From infancy to adolescence, in
child care settings and after-school programs, children can learn and thrive with the right
care, attention and education.
--President Clinton, July 23, 1997
On October 23, 1997, the President and the First Lady will host the White House
Conference on Child Care in the East Room of the White House. The conference will
examine the state of child care in this country and explore how Americans can better respond
to the needs of working families for affordable, high quality care.
There will be two panel discussions. The morning panel will address: (1) why child
care is important to our children's development, the health of American communities, and the
nation's economy; and (2) what is quality child care. The afternoon panel will provide an
overview of the strengths and weaknesses of child care in America and highlight promising
efforts across the country.
I.
OPENING SESSION
II.
PANEL DISCUSSION: WHY DOES GOOD CHILD CARE MATTER AND
HOW DO WE KNOW IT WHEN WE SEE IT?
Part 1: Why is Child Care Important?
This panel will include presentations by experts on the relationship between
child care and children's development, particularly in the earliest years of life; the need
for adequate care for children of school age; and the importance of child care to our
economy and workforce.
Part 2: What Is Quality Child Care?
A state legislator, a child care provider, and a parent will present three
perspectives on what makes quality child care.
III.
WHITE HOUSE LUNCHEON AND WORKING SESSIONS AT FEDERAL
AGENCIES
Several Cabinet Secretaries will host working sessions at their agencies during the
White House luncheon.
IV.
PANEL DISCUSSION: HOW DO WE MOBILIZE THE PIVOTAL SECTORS TO
SUPPORT AFFORDABLE, QUALITY CHILD CARE?
Part 1: What is Going On In Child Care Across the Country?
Secretary Shalala will give an overview of the strengths and gaps in child care
across the country as well as the role of the federal government in child care.
Part 2: What Promising Models Can We Learn From?
This panel will include presentations by state and local officials, military
personnel, a religious leader, and representatives from business, labor, and the health
care community on promising efforts to promote affordable, quality child care.
V.
SOUTH LAWN RECEPTION
The conference will conclude with a reception and closing remarks on the White House
South Lawn.