MANDEL CENTER FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
M. Christine DeVita
COMMUNITY FORUM WITH M. CHRISTINE DEVITA
October 17, 2006
On October 17, 2006, The Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations' Treu-Mart Youth Development Fellowship Program hosted a forum led by M. Christine DeVita, President of The Wallace Foundation. Ms. DeVita's remarks focused on "Hours of Opportunity: New Community Approaches to Helping Kids Flourish After School."
Ms. DeVita opened the community forum with the traditional Maasai greeting used in parts of Kenya and Tanzania: "And how are the children?"
The following are excerpts from Ms. DeVita's talk:
"In recent years...the youth development movement, drawing on the work of youth researchers, practitioners, policy makers, funders, advocates and others, now views youth needs and interests more holistically. It looks at the transition from youth to adult not just as a time of risk but also as a time of opportunity. Both goals, preventing unsafe and risky behavior and making the most of the opportunities for individual development, are crucial to the success of our nation."
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Based on research from Making Out-of-School-Time Matter, we believe that nine specific program factors can be associated with positive outcomes for kids. They are:
- A clear mission
- High expectations for kids and positive social norms
- A safe and healthy environment
- A supportive emotional climate
- A small total enrollment
- Stable, trained personnel
- Appropriate content for kids' needs
- Integrated family and community partners and
- Frequent assessment
Numerous studies tell us that high-quality out-of-school-time (OST) programming plays an important role in promoting better school and developmental outcomesÑlike improved attitudes toward school and higher graduation rates.
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Based on what we're learning, we think there are four moving pieces that, when they all work together, create a system that supports quality [in OST programming]:
- First, a system requires the active, ongoing engagement of public and private leaders who have the authority to make change.
- It makes use of data-based business planning, using tools such as program mapping and market research, to understand existing resources and determine demand so that unmet needs are pinpointed.
- It requires agreed-upon quality standards, and accountability for meeting them, for programs that receive funding.
- Finally, to be sustainable over the long term, systems require the establishment of reliable funding streams.
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The Providence After School Alliance, or PASA, shines out like the proverbial New England lighthouse, and its work is guided by the principles of systems-building, quality, participation and positive outcomes for youth that we've been discussing today.
PASA, a public-private citywide coalition created in 2004 with Wallace's support, is working under Mayor Cicilline's leadership to build an effective system of OST learning for middle school children. As a first step in planning for this initiative, PASA conducted market research with parents and youth. This research revealed that safety concerns were a barrier to kids' participation and also uncovered a strong preference for neighborhood-based programs that include academic support, the arts and recreation activities. The core of the Providence strategy responds to these needs.
PASA is leading the development of five "AfterZones," as they were named by the city's youth. Each AfterZone operates as a local hub for activity that provides a variety of programs for middle schoolers in areas such as art, dance, sports, cooking, science, history, maritime exploration and others. AfterZone programs are coordinated by over 20 program and service providers who are working together for the first time to manage transportation, scheduling, and other logistics.
What they have created together is a remarkable experience for young people.
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Their initiatives [referring to Providence and New York] share some important components that we believe are essential for building a system for quality OST.
First, leadership is crucial. It is and must be the starting point for any city systems-level undertaking because of a leader's ... unique power to bring the disparate elements together for a common goal. For an undertaking like this, city leaders are the lever.
Secondly, data is king. In all five cities [with OST initiatives being funded by Wallace], the first step was collecting dataÑnot relying on assumptions. This may mean mapping both need and existing programs to uncover service gaps. Or it may take the form of market research to determine what parents and kids in a particular area want and need in the out-of-school time period."
One challenge for any community thinking about developing a system for high-quality OST is the question of costÑof understanding what the different programmatic elements of quality will require in terms of funding.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, quality is key. Quality experiences are what parents and kids tell us they want. It's quality programs that keep kids engaged and coming back, so that they can actually get the benefits the program aims to provide. And if we are to ensure that all our children reach adulthood as the productive, healthy and engaged citizens we need them to be, every hour of the day counts.
To make the most of out of school time, programs must provide a rich set of activities and learning opportunities designed around quality standards that keep kids participating. Cities need to weave together the full range of a community's assets to provide these quality OST experiences.
