Summer 2009 Newsletter
Funding Supports Building Blocks for OST Quality
Excel Beyond the Bell is pleased to announce two key resources for building quality out-of-school (OST) programs. County funding is supporting Advancing Youth Development, a 30-hour certificate course for out-of-school time staff who work directly with youth. Foundation funding will help out-of-school time programs use the Youth Program Quality Assessment to determine how well their program meets quality standards.
Advancing Youth Development Training for OST Workers. Quality out- of- school time programs depend upon caring, competent workers. Advancing Youth Development (AYD) is the foundation of our evolving professional development system. AYD is a certificate-giving, national training program developed by the Academy for Educational Development’s National Training Institute for Community Youth Work. The 30-hour training is usually delivered over five days in the fall and spring. The Collaboration Council partners with The After School Institute, the only agency certified in Maryland to teach the course.
With past funding from The Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation, AYD training was delivered to nearly 70 Montgomery County youth workers from both public and private, nonprofit programs. Participating youth workers consistently report that the training deepened their understanding of positive youth development principles and how to use them in their programs. Participants were also able to assess their own professional strengths and network with other youth workers.
County Executive Leggett included funding for AYD training in his FY2010 budget which was supported by the County Council. With the nearly $17,000, two sessions will be held—one in the Fall (October)2009 and one in Spring 2010—with a maximum of 30 participants each time. Registration information will be distributed shortly. To express your interest, e-mail info@excelbeyondthebell.org
Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA). Currently a quality standards framework for out-of-school time programs is being created by the Maryland Out-of-School Time Network. For this standards framework to be useful, programs need a tool to measure how well they are achieving the various components.
Excel Beyond the Bell will be using the Youth PQA, which has been developed and researched by the HighScope Educational Research Foundation. Excel beyond the Bell selected Y PQA because it focuses on the program’s relationships and activities—keys to engagement with youth; can be used with a wide variety of programs; and is easy to learn to administer. The Forum for Youth Investment has also identified how AYD training aligns with Youth PQA.
The YPQA is a research-based assessment tool. Program staff or an outside person observe program activities, take notes, and then conduct an interview with a program administrator. Notes, observations, and interview data are used as evidence to score items. Item scores are combined to create an overall program quality profile, which helps identify strengths and things to work on.
The Polinger Foundation is continuing its investment with a $25,000 grant to begin to implement Youth PQA. At least 15 programs and other stakeholders will complete the Youth PQA Basics training, giving them the skills and materials to self-assess their programs and work for continuous improvement.
If you are interested in participating Youth Program Quality Assessment project, please info@excelbeyondthebell.org with your interest. Details will follow. The initial kick-off meeting will be held in mid-to- late October.
