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Do you want to become more fiscally responsible with your 21st CCLC program’s resources? Y4Y has several fiscal management tools and resources to help build and sustain a 21st CCLC program. Resources include a budget-development checklist and an FAQ that answers common questions about keeping inventory records in the 21st CCLC grant program.

Many afterschool programs face an urgent need to attract, select, and retain high-quality staff. But how does a program find potential team members? How does a program continue to support its current exceptional staff? The Afterschool Alliance hosted a webinar answering important staffing questions such as these and providing strategies to recruit, hire, and retain program staff.

For youth to thrive, our afterschool workforce also needs to thrive. Afterschool leaders can make this happen by ensuring that staff have access to living wages, good benefits, and a positive work environment. The National AfterSchool Association has written an article defining job quality and describing how to create quality afterschool jobs. The article provides suggestions that can lead to better outcomes for staff who help youth to thrive.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted young people as it has caused school closures and less access to out-of-school time (OST) programming. As a result, students have missed opportunities to build social skills, life skills, and other habits essential to promoting their wellbeing. A recent report from Afterschool Alliance shows that afterschool programs address these gaps. Additionally, findings explain that parents overwhelmingly support afterschool programs, with 81% saying afterschool programs help build children’s confidence and 82% saying the programs help children learn life skills.

Summer is here! Students have more time to hang out with friends, go on trips, and stay up late. Summer is also a great time to ensure that youth are getting their physical, social, and emotional needs met. You for Youth (Y4Y) has created a blog post titled “Health First,” which lists the resources summer programs need to promote their students’ wellbeing. Highlights include how to take advantage of out-of-school time flexibility to support healthy living and encourage nutritional wellness.

Staffing shortages have plagued many industries and sectors, including the afterschool field. The Afterschool Alliance has released the results from their most recent COVID-19 out-of-school time (OST) survey results. Survey findings indicate that recruiting and maintaining OST staff are the biggest challenges afterschool providers face.

Students can create lifelong memories when they attend an excellent summer learning program. The Afterschool Alliance, Every Hour Counts, and the National Summer Learning Association have hosted a webinar titled, Planning for a Game-Changing Summer. This webinar focuses on making a summer program successful, recommendations on effective summer planning, and resources from program leaders.

Do you want to learn more about what afterschool programs are doing to support their students nationwide? AfterSchool Today, the bi-annual magazine of the National Afterschool Association, promotes advocacy and education for the out-of-school time (OST) community. The most recent issue highlights racial equity in OST, having meaningful research-based staff development, and strengthening the children and youth caregiving workforce.

Fiscal management of afterschool programs is more important than ever. A sustainable budget is crucial to a high-quality afterschool program, and sound fiscal management can help ensure that your program receives future funding. Through the U.S. Department of Education’s You for Youth (Y4Y) fiscal management course, you can learn what it takes to create a successful and viable program budget. Key components include 5–7 hours of training on implementation strategies, a 1-hour course on coaching staff, tools, and a library of external resources.

As part of its America After 3 pm report on afterschool programs in the United States, the Afterschool Alliance has conducted research on the need for afterschool and summer learning programs in rural areas. The report finds that rural areas have experienced a sharp rise in unmet demand for these programs, as well as increasing barriers to participation. Dissemination and advocacy materials include the report, a dashboard, and fact sheets.