Quality Environments For Youth Program Assessment Tool
Improving afterschool and out-of-school time (OST) programs is an ongoing and long-term activity. It relates directly to what staffs do with children and youth everyday. At the core of quality programming are environments that are supportive and engaging, and activities that are intentional and focused. BOSTnet has developed the Quality Environments for Youth (QEY) Program Assessment Tool to provide executive directors, site coordinators and staff a process to assess their program along 5 areas—Program Environment; Staff Development/Relational Competence
Behavior and Emotional Support Assessment Tool
This self-assessment supports are the result of a year long pilot project run by Programs in Education and After-school Resiliency (PEAR) and the Build the Our-of-School Time Network (BOSTnet). Sixteen after-school programs in greater Boston area representing a sampling of services, communities, and structures participated in the project to identify best practices and to create a tool kit supporting the development of a pro-social environment leading to positive behaviors, lower expulsion rates due to disruptive behaviors, and improving program quality. This project was evaluated by the Intercultural Center for Research in Education (INCRE). This self-assessment can be used with staff to initiate conversation about program improvements. Finished self-assessments can be collected (without staff names) to provide a director an overview of perceived issues as well as identify areas of further staff development. This tool is not to be used for evaluating individual job performance nor expected to be part of employee files. Best Practices are included in PDF HERE. Programs using this without BOSTnet program support may use the assessment tool to create an action plan included HERE. Sites that would like to contribute their self-assessments online can go HERE. Please contact BOSTnet prior to contributing to this survey to recieve supports.
Project-Based Learning Approach
Bostnet believes that Out-of-School time is a unique developmental setting. Research is showing that this setting is a great place for children and youth to engage in project-based learning as well as hands-on experiences that intergrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). BOSTnet is working with a number of partners such as the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) and the Department of Higher Education (DHE) on the Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) initiative. Using original materials supplied by the Museum of Science from their Engineering is Elementary curriculum, selected out-of-school time programs will attend a training and be provided materials to conduct engineering projects that reinforce science concepts. On-going thoughts on PBL and other topics can be found at www.bostnet.blogspot.com.
EFI promotes parental involvement in after-school programs in two primary ways: 1) by encouraging parent outreach and program activities; and 2) by using checklists and other management techniques to maintain family engagement. The goals of EFI are to increase family involvement, engagement, and leadership in children’s academic achievement and informal learning. The initiative is targeted at children ages 6 to 10 years. Programs in BOSTnet's 2008 - 2009 cohort that select this quality improvement area are provided technical assistance and training.
The Lead to Opportunities for Youth with Disabilities (LOYD) is an initiative aimed at strengthening the capacity of community agencies to create or expand programming that is inclusive of children and youth with disabilities as well as collecting and reporting out information on challenges and techniques used by programs. Over the past five years BOSTnet has worked to create community partnerships with organizations committed to increasing access to children and youth with disabilities. BOSTnet has developed several resources to assist programs in assessing their capacity as well as providing tools for including children and youth with disabilities through arts inclusion and sports inclusion. This initiative is discussed by the LOYD Committee online at www.bostnet.blogspot.com (keyword LOYD).
Consolidated Evaluation Tool
Organizations in the Cohort are encouraged to use data collection and assessment to inform program development and improve quality, while also meeting specific funder requirements for outcome measurements. This tool allows directors to create an assessment plan for staff development and overall program improvement.
