Resource Database

A recent study of records of more than 4,000 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) indicates that these students benefit from participation in afterschool programs. While the study was not designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship, researchers found that students who participated in afterschool programs missed fewer days of school, and their parents reported less severe ADHD symptoms.

The U.S. Department of Education is joining other federal agencies in combating the opioid crisis that is killing Americans at unprecedented rates and having a devastating impact on families and communities. This archived webinar outlines how the opioid crisis affects students and families. It also offers strategies and practices that educators can use to address the opioid crisis in schools.

The National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments has several resources for educators who want to ensure that students do not experience discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or national origin. These include policy and guidance, resources for special populations, and bullying and violence prevention resources for different age groups.

Expectant and parenting teens have unique needs and challenges. Youth.gov, a federal website with interactive tools and resources to support youth in a variety of areas, has several resources specifically designed to help adults support teen parents. These include information on the importance of working with pregnant and parenting teens, links to federal programs that provide support and resources, tip sheets, and strategies for working with both teen mothers and fathers.

Even when parents discuss alcohol consumption with their children, they may not explain why underage drinking is harmful. To help educators and parents address this information gap, Responsibility.org has developed Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix, an alcohol education program that provides a suite of education resources on the harmful effects of underage drinking. The National AfterSchool Association recently hosted a webinar to introduce the program. Information and resources can be found on the Ask, Listen, Learn website.

In this archived webinar from the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs, experts from the American Institutes for Research share evidence-based communications strategies to help organizations gain buy-in from stakeholders for their program evaluation. Presenters also describe barriers to communication and mobilization around program evaluation, as well as ways to overcome these barriers.

The Spring 2018 issue of Afterschool Matters, the magazine of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time, includes articles useful to Illinois 21st CCLC grantees. Topics include fostering friendships and peer groups in afterschool programs, promoting youth voice, and the work of an afterschool ecology club.

Making the transition from afterschool to summer programming often means switching from 2-3 hours to a full day of activities. This blog post from the National AfterSchool Association offers ways expanded learning professionals can prepare for a full day of programming, including developing schedules that work for staff and students and planning and delivering learning activities.

If your 21st CCLC is offering summer programming, be sure to check out this summer learning recruitment guide from the Wallace Foundation. The guide includes strategies for messaging and recruitment, and a list of essential, recommended, and optional recruitment tactics.

A new publication by Policy Studies Associates, commissioned by the National AfterSchool Association, examines how afterschool can help close the digital learning gap that students from low-income families often experience. Recommendations include providing tools and training to afterschool staff; using coaching and online platforms for professional learning; fostering site-based collaboration and peer observation; and creating connections with organizations that support digital learning.