Cities Partner With Statewide Networks to Strengthen Afterschool Programs
by Bela P. Shah and Audrey M. Hutchinson
Municipal officials are playing key roles in statewide networks to strengthen
afterschool programs for children and youth. Teams of local leaders from 33 of
these statewide afterschool networks gathered in Newport, R.I., from January 29
to February 1 at a conference sponsored by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
to share lessons and strategies and to focus on the importance of engaging
cities in state efforts.
The networks help build partnerships among city and state agencies and
community groups, increase public support for afterschool, impact state
policies, secure funding for afterschool programs and improve program quality.
The Mott Foundation has funded the networks annually for the past five years
with plans to expand in 2007 (see sidebar for list of networks).
“Mayors understand the cost of delay at a gut level,” said Mayor David N.
Cicilline of Providence, R.I., in his keynote address to the 230 conference
participants. “If we don’t invest in children now, we will pay in social,
juvenile justice and economic losses.”
Mayor Cicilline created the Providence After School Alliance (PASA) in 2004
to create a citywide system of afterschool opportunities. PASA is partnering
with the Rhode Island Afterschool Plus Alliance to promote its local afterschool
standards across the state.
City-State Partnerships
A workshop on city-state
partnerships highlighted the critical role of municipal leadership in
strengthening statewide efforts. Among the cities featured were Detroit and
Grand Rapids, Mich., whose leadership and experience in creating local
afterschool systems has aided the Michigan After-School Partnership (MASP).
MASP has worked to ease regulations for afterschool programs serving older
youth. The Cities of Detroit and Grand Rapids worked with their state
legislators to pass legislation exempting programs serving older youth from the
strict state guidelines for childcare, leading to significant cost savings and
making programs eligible for increased funding.
“The city and state need each other to bring system change and expand state
afterschool funding,” said Lynn Heemstra, administrator of the Office for
Children and Families in Grand Rapids.
In Colorado, the City of Denver has worked with the Colorado Afterschool
Network to conduct a rigorous survey of the city’s afterschool landscape and
hundreds of afterschool providers’ needs. The network analyzed survey findings,
which will guide future trainings and evaluations, and plans to replicate the
survey in other communities across the state. In addition, Denver has used
geographic information systems technology to identify gaps in services and
funding and map the location of afterschool programs in areas with high juvenile
crime, teen pregnancy and poverty rates.
The Connecticut After School Network was successful in advocating for a $4.5
million line item in the state budget for afterschool programs. To secure this
funding, the network offered advocacy training for local groups to prepare them
for visits to the State Capitol. In addition, Mayors John Fabrizi of Bridgeport,
Mark Boughton of Danbury, and Michael Jarjura of Waterbury testified before the
state legislature and persuaded their legislators to co-sponsor the effort to
increase funding.
In Utah, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson has been a vocal champion, and
his city’s work led to the formation of the Utah Afterschool Network. Last
November, the network held a Statewide Think Tank conference, in which Utah
First Lady Mary Kaye Huntsman gave the keynote address.
“Cities know their needs well,” said Janet Wolf, director of Child and Family
Services in Salt Lake City and chair of the network. “It’s imperative for cities
to work with their state delegations to inform them of our realities. The
statewide afterschool networks were created to be this resource.”
Other city leaders at the conference are getting involved with their state
afterschool network as well. Omaha, Neb., Mayor Mike Fahey recently launched the
Omaha Afterschool Alliance and wants to invest in a comprehensive, citywide
afterschool system. Mayor Kitty Piercy of Eugene, Ore., joined the Oregon
network and plans to recruit mayors from neighboring communities. Mayor John
Engen from Missoula, Mont., is on the board of the Montana Afterschool
Network.
“Statewide afterschool efforts are evolving into an increasingly
well-positioned national network to influence national priorities,” said An-Me
Chung, program officer at the Mott Foundation.
Details: NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education and Families
is part of a collaborative of national organizations providing technical
assistance to the statewide networks. To connect with state network
coordinators, contact Bela Shah at (202) 626-3057 or shah@nlc.org.
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