Resource Database          Back to Resource Database Home Page

Understanding child development will help you and your afterschool team better engage with youth. Y4Y has developed a course that addresses the stages of child and adolescent development. The course provides strategies for building relationships with children and families and has resources for training afterschool staff on the topic.

When it comes to the arts, there is a participation gap between Black Americans and people of other racial backgrounds. A new study from the Wallace Foundation aims to understand more fully Black Americans’ relationship with arts and culture and how arts organizations can better serve Black Americans. It recognized that Black and African Americans value arts organizations and spaces that celebrate Black creativity, support self-care, commit to earning Black communities’ trust, and foster a sense of belonging among Black communities.

Studies show an increasing gap in access to OST programming for youth from middle-class and working-class backgrounds. Many youths from marginalized communities are treated differently by expanded learning professionals due to their racial or gender identity, or they cannot participate in OST programming because of other responsibilities. Two new studies from the Wallace Foundation examine these issues and provide recommendations on how to better support racially minoritized and marginalized youth.

Marginalized communities continue to experience horrifying events related to systemic racism, discrimination, and inequities. It remains crucial that afterschool programs provide inclusive program spaces, equity-centered activities, and an introduction to antiracism. These events have led the National AfterSchool Association to revise the NAA Core Knowledge and Competencies (CKCs) for Afterschool and Youth Development professionals with a focus on equity and culturally responsive practices. These updated CKCs, include a new content area and additional and streamlined knowledge, skills, and competencies, explicitly indicating the vital role equity, inclusion, access, and antiracism play in afterschool work.

Culturally relevant pedagogy helps students align their academic coursework with their cultural backgrounds. Achieve the Core has released a blog series in which they introduce this teaching method, the curriculum used, and student learning outcomes. One of the tools students learn is critical consciousness; this helps students and educators examine the world around them and consider topics through an equity lens.

Several laws and policies negatively impact transgender and gender non-conforming youth. Many of these youth also must endure hostile school climates that deteriorate their self-esteem and mental health. It is, therefore, crucial for them to have a trusted support system. The Afterschool Alliance has written a blog post that provides tips for educators to advocate for trans and gender non-conforming youth in schools.

Women continue to be vastly underrepresented in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) sector. In a recent episode of “Houston We Have a Podcast,” NASA’s Kris Brown and Emily Calandrelli discuss the importance of inspiring young women to pursue an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. Brown and Calandrelli describe their paths to STEM careers and how organizations can help young women cultivate an interest in STEM today.

Educators and staff must be mindful of the challenges that immigrant families face, especially when they include children with disabilities. The Global Family Research Project has released an article providing information on the needs of immigrant children with disabilities and recommendations for elementary schools so they can better serve these students.

Children should be introduced to multiple narratives and perspectives when they study history. Missing Narratives: Uncovering Untold Histories, a recent blog post from PBSEducation, encourages educators to learn the history of and construct lesson plans that include Native and Indigenous peoples. The blog post also includes links to PBS resources that educators can use to implement these practices.

All students should feel safe and respected on their school campuses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created a brief that is dedicated to helping educators better support LGBTQ+ youth on their campuses.