Resource Database

Youth wellness is a key part of an afterschool program’s support for educating the whole child. This issue brief from the Afterschool Alliance advocates for a “big-picture” approach to wellness, which includes healthy eating and physical activity combined with social and emotional learning. In addition to explaining the importance of supporting student wellness, the brief provides examples of wellness practices and strategies that afterschool programs are currently using. An issue brief summary document is also available.

As the movement to promote healthy living and wellness through afterschool gains momentum, advocates are assessing the movement’s progress and future. This article in Education Week outlines the movement’s progress and links to research and resources. Education Week provides access to a limited number of articles when readers complete the free registration.

KnowledgeWorks, with support from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, has created a toolkit to help educators engage in conversations about how our changing world affects student learning. The toolkit contains detailed facilitation instructions and activities that can be modified for different stakeholder groups. Topics include exploring future graduate profiles, designing student-centered learning experiences, mapping a learning community, and prototyping learning solutions.

Successful implementation of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs is a key part of their lasting success. This brief by Harvard’s Easel Lab describes features and best practices of effective social and emotional learning programs and offers a set of recommendations for educators implementing SEL programs.

The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments’ Trauma-Sensitive Schools Training Package has several guides to help schools and districts adopt a trauma-sensitive approach to education. The resource includes an implementation guide, an overview of trauma and its impact, and guidance for building and leading trauma-sensitive schools. Afterschool programs can also use the guide independently or in collaboration with their partner schools and districts.

Social media can be a useful tool for afterschool programs, and it is also popular among youth, especially teenagers. This blog post from Y4Y provides an overview of social media apps that are popular today, including recent statistics on their usage among teenagers. It also provides guidance for using social media in an afterschool program.

Successful afterschool recruitment and outreach depends on crafting compelling stories that motivate people to support your program. This blog post from Afterschool Alliance has suggestions for developing an afterschool brand that engages and inspires stakeholders. Suggestions include identifying your program’s unique character, working with partners to share communications resources, and highlighting your program’s impact.

How can educators host meetings that balance the competing demands of colleagues’ time with a desire for collaboration and connection? This research story from the Harvard Graduate School of Education provides guidance on holding productive meetings for educators. It also provides solutions to common dilemmas, such as silence in meetings, an activity not working, and a lull in group energy.

Staff development is an important component of providing high-quality afterschool programming. This webinar from American Institutes for Research’s Beyond the Bell suite of professional development services provides an overview of foundational elements of staff development. A free template for creating a professional development plan is also available until November 5.

Providing opportunities for authentic youth input and creating partnerships are important to both program success and youth development. This brief from Education Northwest explores adult-youth partnerships, including their importance, how to cultivate them, and why organizations should invest in and promote them. The brief also provides tips for educators and youth.