NLC Offers Afterschool Peer Learning Communities for City Officials
by Bela P. Shah
In an effort to support cities in the creation, expansion and improvement of afterschool programs and systems, NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute) has launched a set of peer learning communities on specific topics related to out-of-school time programs.
With generous support from the Wallace Foundation and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the YEF Institute surveyed more than 100 members of the Afterschool Policy Advisors Network (APAN) and determined the top three afterschool topics on which city officials would like more information and would like to connect with fellow municipal leaders. In response to the survey findings, the YEF Institute is offering regular conference calls for municipal leaders to share strategies on how to:
• Strengthen funding and sustainability of out-of-school time programs;
• Improve program quality; and
• Develop strong partnerships with other organizations to support afterschool systems.
City leaders are invited to regularly participate in the peer learning community conference calls, which are held every six weeks. The calls will help strengthen a network of municipal officials that can share tools and lessons on local successes and challenges, and that considers each other to be resources on afterschool issues.
Each peer learning community was launched with representatives from more than 20 cities registered. The cities ranged in size, geography and expertise, and experience with afterschool system-building. Cities such as Boise, Idaho; Chicago; Cincinnati; East Cleveland, Ohio; Morgantown, W.Va.; Orlando, Fla.; Palm Desert, Calif.; Providence, R.I.; San Antonio and Salt Lake City participated. There is still time for new cities to register to participate.
Participants in the Funding Peer Learning Community expressed a desire to focus on resources to support programs serving middle and high school youth, crime prevention taxes or other tax levies to support afterschool programs, and working with businesses to increase funding.
The city officials in the Quality Peer Learning Community shared their interest in discussing afterschool program standards, evaluation strategies and indicators of success, and youth engagement strategies.
The Partnerships Peer Learning Community discussed the need to create better partnerships with the business community, the importance of partnering to reduce duplication and be more cost-efficient by coordinating services, collecting data from community partners, and the various forms that partnership can take beyond providing funding. This group decided they wanted to highlight one experienced city per call to delve deeper into effective strategies for strengthening partnerships.
Details: To join an afterschool peer learning community, please contact Bela Shah at (202) 626-3057 or shah@nlc.org. These topics will also be discussed at the 2007 National Summit on Your City’s Families in San Antonio at an Afterschool Policy Advisors’ Network meeting on October 1.
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