BOSTnet Initiatives
Roundtables: Networking and professional development events in and around Greater Boston area that are building a strong workforce and having an impact on the quality of service to children and youth. Events include networking time, EEC approved professional development, and fun and engaging conversations and activities that stimulate ideas and solutions. These events have been going on for over twelve years in Boston and now are catching on in other areas. BOSTnet Roundtables are the only sequenced open enrollment training available to Out-of-School Educators. Many popular Roundtable topics and presentations are used in Conferences and Forums.
Conferences and Forums: BOSTnet has run the only conference on inclusion of children with disabilities nationwide. The All Means All Conference is entering its fifth year in Boston (overview of 2008 here) and is growing in size and popularity as programs are increasingly using inclusion as a strategy for children and youth with disabilities. BOSTnet has an history of running forums on topics that delve into policy and field advocacy or provide best practices and elevate important aspects of the work such as Family Engagement or Quality Environments for Youth. BOSTnet is working toward our 2009 Quality Forum, where participants in our Field Work Project present their work along with other field professionals.
Field Work: To remain grounded in the work of the field as well as channeling research findings, expertise or resources, BOSTnet provides individual support to selected programs around key topics that the organization has had over 20 years of experience in such as; Inclusion, Behavior, Family Engagement, and building a Quality Environment for Youth. Our Field Work Cohort develops and tests new tools origional strategies, and presents quality-building outcomes at Forums and Conferences. The process of the Cohort work is reported on through various Communication tools to keep the work transparent and encourage and exchange of ideas as well as connect the Cohort as a learning community.
Communications: BOSTnet communicates through various channels to reach stakeholders and bridge various approaches and institutions. Our communications include the 2008-2009 Guide to Boston's Before and After School Programs publication for families as well as The Landscape Project to collect data and identify gaps in service, the e-newsletter the BUZZ for field staff and directors, and State of the Field reports for researchers and policy makers, and a pilot project Blog and Youtube Channel for the general public and increased use of digital media to train and inform.
Conferences and Forums: BOSTnet has run the only conference on inclusion of children with disabilities nationwide. The All Means All Conference is entering its fifth year in Boston (overview of 2008 here) and is growing in size and popularity as programs are increasingly using inclusion as a strategy for children and youth with disabilities. BOSTnet has an history of running forums on topics that delve into policy and field advocacy or provide best practices and elevate important aspects of the work such as Family Engagement or Quality Environments for Youth. BOSTnet is working toward our 2009 Quality Forum, where participants in our Field Work Project present their work along with other field professionals.
Field Work: To remain grounded in the work of the field as well as channeling research findings, expertise or resources, BOSTnet provides individual support to selected programs around key topics that the organization has had over 20 years of experience in such as; Inclusion, Behavior, Family Engagement, and building a Quality Environment for Youth. Our Field Work Cohort develops and tests new tools origional strategies, and presents quality-building outcomes at Forums and Conferences. The process of the Cohort work is reported on through various Communication tools to keep the work transparent and encourage and exchange of ideas as well as connect the Cohort as a learning community.
Communications: BOSTnet communicates through various channels to reach stakeholders and bridge various approaches and institutions. Our communications include the 2008-2009 Guide to Boston's Before and After School Programs publication for families as well as The Landscape Project to collect data and identify gaps in service, the e-newsletter the BUZZ for field staff and directors, and State of the Field reports for researchers and policy makers, and a pilot project Blog and Youtube Channel for the general public and increased use of digital media to train and inform.
Membership: BOSTnet is the affiliate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the National Afterschool Association. For more information about member benefits and how to join, click here.
