Current Issues in Out-of-School Time – serie

Current Issues in Out-of-School Time, is designed with a purpose to disseminate original research and promising practices that further the OST field. This first book sets the foundation on which the series rests upon, by offering an analysis of the progress made since the 2000s, as well as by looking toward the future for areas of considerations. Leading OST experts explore latest knowledge, intentionally bridging research and practice, and propose new areas of inquiry within each of the following six sections: 1. OST as a vehicle for young people’s development; 2. socio-cultural dimensions of OST; 3. professional development within OST; 4. research- and evaluation-informed field; 5. OST advocacy;6. future directions for the OST field. The OST field has grown considerably over the last two decades. Today, we have the frameworks, practice- and research-based knowledge and tools, and burgeoning paths to advance the field across multiple dimensions: demographic, stakeholder groups, contexts, systems and sectors, and disciplines. The hallmark of the OST field has been the ability to remain agile and adaptable to change in a way that complements the field and supports all children and young people in diverse ways. This anthology is designed to be a platform for research-practice discussions and future directions that could further grow, sustain, and improve the field. We hope this book inspires both reflections and conversations on the OST field.

Current Issues in Out-of-School Time, is designed with a purpose to disseminate original research and promising practices that further the OST field. This first book sets the foundation on which the series rests upon, by offering an analysis of the progress made since the 2000s, as well as by looking toward the future for areas of considerations. Leading OST experts explore latest knowledge, intentionally bridging research and practice, and propose new areas of inquiry within each of the following six sections: 1. OST as a vehicle for young people’s development; 2. socio-cultural dimensions of OST; 3. professional development within OST; 4. research- and evaluation-informed field; 5. OST advocacy;6. future directions for the OST field. The OST field has grown considerably over the last two decades. Today, we have the frameworks, practice- and research-based knowledge and tools, and burgeoning paths to advance the field across multiple dimensions: demographic, stakeholder groups, contexts, systems and sectors, and disciplines. The hallmark of the OST field has been the ability to remain agile and adaptable to change in a way that complements the field and supports all children and young people in diverse ways. This anthology is designed to be a platform for research-practice discussions and future directions that could further grow, sustain, and improve the field. We hope this book inspires both reflections and conversations on the OST field.

This volume focuses on social and emotional learning (SEL) from a variety of perspectives. The goal of the volume is to offer a clear framing of SEL in relation to other related out-of-school time concepts and initiatives. SEL has gained popularity as a concept in recent years and there remains confusion as well as great interest in the meaning and implementation of SEL in OST. Policymakers, researchers, and practitioners are pursuing work related to SEL in OST and this volume offers an opportunity to share that work by:• Defining and explaining SEL in a variety of out of school contexts and highlighting opportunities for integration and alignment with other fields (e.g., formal education)• Clarifying the language and framework confusion and honoring the field’s foundation in thinking about social and emotional development through high quality youth development practice• Sharing information about current trends and new developments and how that work is shaping the field across the developmental continuum• Making the research to practice connection by including in each chapter foundational research on the topic, evidence of effective efforts, and practical implications• Offering recommendations for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers related to SEL in OST settings

This volume focuses on social and emotional learning (SEL) from a variety of perspectives. The goal of the volume is to offer a clear framing of SEL in relation to other related out-of-school time concepts and initiatives. SEL has gained popularity as a concept in recent years and there remains confusion as well as great interest in the meaning and implementation of SEL in OST. Policymakers, researchers, and practitioners are pursuing work related to SEL in OST and this volume offers an opportunity to share that work by:• Defining and explaining SEL in a variety of out of school contexts and highlighting opportunities for integration and alignment with other fields (e.g., formal education)• Clarifying the language and framework confusion and honoring the field’s foundation in thinking about social and emotional development through high quality youth development practice• Sharing information about current trends and new developments and how that work is shaping the field across the developmental continuum• Making the research to practice connection by including in each chapter foundational research on the topic, evidence of effective efforts, and practical implications• Offering recommendations for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers related to SEL in OST settings

A foundational tenet of the Out-of-School Time (OST) field is that all youth deserve impactful and engaging learning experiences. That requires that organizations, programs, and OST professionals remain responsive to the emerging needs of their diverse youth populations and the communities in which they live. This book illustrates the tensions that arise when organizations and OST professionals try to engage all youth, especially the traditionally underserved populations — when infrastructure, funding, and mindsets have not kept pace with the evolving needs of youth and their communities. The issues raised in this book — funding, outreach, engagement of immigrant families — have yet to be fully explored with an equity lens. Within these broad topics, this book brings to the surface the equity and access challenges as well as posit solutions and strategies.Each chapter is written from an insider’s perspective, by practitioners themselves, who articulate some of the key and relevant issues in the field. Each chapter ends with a Research-Practice Connection section written by the editors, which discusses the topic from a research lens and generates a set of questions that can be used by researchers in future studies to explore the topic in a more in-depth, expansive manner.

A foundational tenet of the Out-of-School Time (OST) field is that all youth deserve impactful and engaging learning experiences. That requires that organizations, programs, and OST professionals remain responsive to the emerging needs of their diverse youth populations and the communities in which they live. This book illustrates the tensions that arise when organizations and OST professionals try to engage all youth, especially the traditionally underserved populations — when infrastructure, funding, and mindsets have not kept pace with the evolving needs of youth and their communities. The issues raised in this book — funding, outreach, engagement of immigrant families — have yet to be fully explored with an equity lens. Within these broad topics, this book brings to the surface the equity and access challenges as well as posit solutions and strategies.Each chapter is written from an insider’s perspective, by practitioners themselves, who articulate some of the key and relevant issues in the field. Each chapter ends with a Research-Practice Connection section written by the editors, which discusses the topic from a research lens and generates a set of questions that can be used by researchers in future studies to explore the topic in a more in-depth, expansive manner.

At Our Best: Building Youth-Adult Partnerships in Out-of-School Time Settings brings together the voices of over 50 adults and youth to explore both the promises and challenges of intergenerational work in out-of-school time (OST) programs. Comprised of 14 chapters, this book features empirical research, conceptual essays, poetry, artwork, and engaged dialogue about the complexities of youth-adult partnerships in practice. At Our Best responds to key questions that practitioners, scholars, policymakers, and youth navigate in this work, such as: What role can (or should) adults play in supporting youth voice, learning, and activism? What approaches and strategies in youth-adult partnerships are effective in promoting positive youth development, individual and collective well-being, and setting-level change? What are the tensions and dilemmas that arise in the process of doing this work? And, how do we navigate youth-adult partnerships in the face of societal oppressions such as adultism, racism, and misogyny? Through highlighting contemporary cases of authentic youth-adult partnerships in youth programs, this fourth volume of the IAP series on OST aims to introduce, engage, and sharpen educators’ understandings of the power and promise of these relationships. Together, the authors in this volume suggest that both building youth-adult partnerships and actively reflecting on intergenerational work are foundational practices to achieving transformational change in our OST organizations, schools, neighborhoods, and communities.

At Our Best: Building Youth-Adult Partnerships in Out-of-School Time Settings brings together the voices of over 50 adults and youth to explore both the promises and challenges of intergenerational work in out-of-school time (OST) programs. Comprised of 14 chapters, this book features empirical research, conceptual essays, poetry, artwork, and engaged dialogue about the complexities of youth-adult partnerships in practice. At Our Best responds to key questions that practitioners, scholars, policymakers, and youth navigate in this work, such as: What role can (or should) adults play in supporting youth voice, learning, and activism? What approaches and strategies in youth-adult partnerships are effective in promoting positive youth development, individual and collective well-being, and setting-level change? What are the tensions and dilemmas that arise in the process of doing this work? And, how do we navigate youth-adult partnerships in the face of societal oppressions such as adultism, racism, and misogyny? Through highlighting contemporary cases of authentic youth-adult partnerships in youth programs, this fourth volume of the IAP series on OST aims to introduce, engage, and sharpen educators’ understandings of the power and promise of these relationships. Together, the authors in this volume suggest that both building youth-adult partnerships and actively reflecting on intergenerational work are foundational practices to achieving transformational change in our OST organizations, schools, neighborhoods, and communities.

Measure, Use, Improve! Data Use in Out-of-School Time shares the experience and wisdom from a broad cross-section of out-of-school time professionals, ranging from internal evaluators, to funders, to researchers, to policy advocates. Key themes of the volume include building support for learning and evaluation within out-of-school time programs, creating and sustaining continuous quality improvement efforts, authentically engaging young people and caregivers in evaluation, and securing funder support for learning and evaluation.This volume will be particularly useful to leadership-level staff in out-of-school time organizations that are thinking about deepening their own learning and evaluation systems, yet aren’t sure where to start. Authors share conceptual frameworks that have helped inform their thinking, walk through practical examples of how they use data in out-of-school time, and offer advice to colleagues.

Measure, Use, Improve! Data Use in Out-of-School Time shares the experience and wisdom from a broad cross-section of out-of-school time professionals, ranging from internal evaluators, to funders, to researchers, to policy advocates. Key themes of the volume include building support for learning and evaluation within out-of-school time programs, creating and sustaining continuous quality improvement efforts, authentically engaging young people and caregivers in evaluation, and securing funder support for learning and evaluation.This volume will be particularly useful to leadership-level staff in out-of-school time organizations that are thinking about deepening their own learning and evaluation systems, yet aren’t sure where to start. Authors share conceptual frameworks that have helped inform their thinking, walk through practical examples of how they use data in out-of-school time, and offer advice to colleagues.

It Takes an Ecosystem explores the idea and potential of the Allied Youth Fields—an aspirational term that suggests increased connection across the multiple systems in which adults engage with young people. Recent research and initiatives make a strong case for what developmentalists have argued for decades: A young person’s learning and development is shaped in positive and negative ways by the interactions they have with all the adults in their life. Now is the time to reshape our systems to support this scientific understanding. The chapters in this book provide ideas, tools, examples, and visions for a more connected, more equitable world for young people and the adults in their lives.

It Takes an Ecosystem explores the idea and potential of the Allied Youth Fields—an aspirational term that suggests increased connection across the multiple systems in which adults engage with young people. Recent research and initiatives make a strong case for what developmentalists have argued for decades: A young person’s learning and development is shaped in positive and negative ways by the interactions they have with all the adults in their life. Now is the time to reshape our systems to support this scientific understanding. The chapters in this book provide ideas, tools, examples, and visions for a more connected, more equitable world for young people and the adults in their lives.

Youth work is a sacred opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of children and youth. Through research and personal essay narrative, The Heartbeat of the Youth Development Field: Professional Journeys of Growth, Connection, and Transformation shines a light on the intricate connections between research and practice, touching upon both the vulnerability and triumph of youth development work. The passionate voices of youth workers in this volume lead to the inescapable conclusion that programs and policies for youth must be informed by these same voices and the values they express.We hope this book shows OST workers, researchers, funders, and policymakers, as well as other education professionals, how youth workers’ lived experiences inspire their ability to build the relationships that are the foundation of positive and healthy youth development. From relationships comes engagement, and from engagement, transformation—centered in equity, inclusion, and belonging. No one is better able to advocate for these truths than the professionals who found themselves—by whatever means—working with young people to bring positive change to their lives, their communities, and our world.

Youth work is a sacred opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of children and youth. Through research and personal essay narrative, The Heartbeat of the Youth Development Field: Professional Journeys of Growth, Connection, and Transformation shines a light on the intricate connections between research and practice, touching upon both the vulnerability and triumph of youth development work. The passionate voices of youth workers in this volume lead to the inescapable conclusion that programs and policies for youth must be informed by these same voices and the values they express.We hope this book shows OST workers, researchers, funders, and policymakers, as well as other education professionals, how youth workers’ lived experiences inspire their ability to build the relationships that are the foundation of positive and healthy youth development. From relationships comes engagement, and from engagement, transformation—centered in equity, inclusion, and belonging. No one is better able to advocate for these truths than the professionals who found themselves—by whatever means—working with young people to bring positive change to their lives, their communities, and our world.

Built for More, The Role of OST in Preparing Youth for the Future of Work will highlight OST research and illustrative practices and bring forward multi-disciplinary perspectives about future trends, innovations, and the impact of OST on the future workforce. The focus is on OST programs as well as related activities that contribute to employability, such as summer work, internships, apprenticeships, disability inclusion, career-focused mentoring, and more. The book will also lift up voices traditionally left out of the OST conversation, including BIPOC, rural, and other marginalized communities.Given that the world of work is rapidly evolving, what are the most important ways we should be framing education and youth development work? Define forces and illuminate the trends reshaping the necessary skills that youth will need to thrive professionally, personally, and to positively impact their communities. What are the skills that employers are saying are most valuable due to transformation from automation, machine learning, and the 4th industrial age we are experiencing globally? What are key demographic shifts that add urgency to the imperative for change in our human development ecosystems?