What is GAI?
 
The Georgia Afterschool Institute (GAI) is a statewide, multi-day afterschool professional development opportunity based on the evidence-based Afterschool Academies national model. The Georgia Afterschool Institute (GAI) is: 

• A hands-on, in-depth, experiential-based learning experience;
• Focused on youth development, leadership training, project-based learning and the incorporation of afterschool time with the academic school day to create a seamless learning environment for youth;
• Grounded in national research and developed and led by a blend of national and local afterschool experts.

Research shows that high-quality afterschool programs allow youth to develop the skills, attitudes, and behaviors that will help them be successful in school, work and life.  Content of GAIs will be geared toward assisting afterschool providers to influence many of these intermediate outcomes, including:

• More positive behavior
• Increased initiative
• Increased engagement in learning
• Better communications skills
• Stronger problem solving skills
• Improved relationships with peers and adults
• Improved academic performance 

The Georgia Afterschool Investment Council (GAIC) in partnership with the Georgia Department of Human Resources developed and piloted the first state model in the U.S. of the national model, the Afterschool Academies, in July of 2008. This first pilot was a success with 95 percent of the participants completing positive evaluations. The extremely high ratings made it clear that there is high-demand for this type of professional development opportunity in Georgia. This multi-year initiative is part of a systems-building effort that will enable hundreds of afterschool providers in Georgia to take part in GAI and regional follow-up support, with a goal of high-quality afterschool programming across the state.

Read about GAI 2009

Read about GAI 2008
 
Goals for the Georgia Afterschool Institute:

• To be the primary vehicle to bring about the needed change in afterschool programs in GA;
• To transform afterschool staff into champions for youth;
• To create fresh ideas and energy that acknowledges multiple intelligence theories 

How does this fit into the Georgia Afterschool Investment Council’s work?
 
GAIC will use the Afterschool Institute as a vehicle to build high-quality in afterschool programs across the state in order to positively impact youth outcomes by: 

• Building the capacity of afterschool providers: strengthening providers’ skills, knowledge, leadership and connection to national research and expertise, as well as local best practices; and
• Raising the bar of the afterschool profession as a whole. 

What next?
 
Key elements of this professional development systems-building effort are:

• Taking the Institute model to scale and sustaining it across the state while continuing to develop and nurture local training expertise;
• Focusing on improving middle and high school afterschool education;
• Intentionally connecting with the Assessment of Afterschool Program Practices (APAS) evaluation tool to tailor future Institutes to the specific needs of afterschool providers in Georgia; and
• Developing regional support networks for afterschool providers across the state.