So You Want to Start an Afterschool Program…
When organizations or individuals decide to start an Afterschool program it is often in response to a community need. Maybe you are a working parent who is having trouble finding a safe place for your child to go after school. You may be employed by juvenile justice or social services and have noticed an upward trend in the occurrence of youth crime and violence between the hours of 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. Or perhaps you volunteer in a youth-serving field like education, youth ministry, or a community-based organization and are realizing that there are not enough opportunities for the youth in your community after school.
Whatever your reason for starting an Afterschool program, you should know that sometimes the general public may be unfamiliar with the proven results of Afterschool programs and might think of them only in the context of child care. However, research shows that high-quality Afterschool programs do more – they are proven solutions to community issues like workforce development, college readiness, truancy, food insecurity, youth crime and violence, and social-emotional competency development. Citing years of surveys, data collection, and first-hand testimonials, research by organizations like NIOST, The Mott Foundation, The Wallace Foundation, the Afterschool Alliance and more illustrate the effectiveness of Afterschool programs.
You should also know that the need for high-quality Afterschool programs far exceeds the demand. In fact, here in Ohio for every one youth in an Afterschool program, there are five more who would attend one, if one were available. This statistic – along with all the research of the many proven outcomes – is why OAN and our members believe that new programs are desperately needed in our state.
Resources:
So You Want to Start an Afterschool Program
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Child Care Licensing
Ohio Department of Education School Age Child Care Licensing