Afterschool Partnerships
Partnerships with families, the community, local businesses, and schools are vital to enhancing programming and fostering the healthy development of youth in the afterschool setting. Creating a strong network can support the holistic well-being of youth. Afterschool provides a unique time where community leaders, city officials, schools, afterschool programs, families, and individuals can support student achievement, access to non-traditional instruction, social and emotional learning, and hands on projects that support learning.
On this Page:
System Building
Hours of Opportunity: Lessons from Five Cities on Building Systems to Improve After-School, Summer, and Other Out-of-School-Time Programs
This major report from the Rand Corporation finds real promise – and challenges – in five Wallace-supported efforts to improve after-school programming citywide by coordinating the work of such institutions as schools, parks and nonprofits.
A Guide to Successful Public-Private Partnerships for Youth Programs
This guide from the Finance Project aims to provide practical information on creating and maintaining public-private partnerships to improve and expand youth programs in states and communities nationwide.
Forming Partnerships to Meet Administrative Needs of Youth-Serving Organizations
This guide from the Finance Project explores the meaning of a “administrative partnership” and how they can cut costs for youth-serving organizations.
Libraries
Engaging Library Partners in 4H Programming
Learn how libraries can support afterschool needs of youth through supporting youth development and building life skills.
Growing Young Minds: How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners
This guide from the Institute of Museum and Library Services provides ten key ways for museums and libraries to support youth development and promote linkages between formal and informal learning.
Partnering with Businesses
Afterschool Toolkit: Community to Business
This toolkit by Corporate Voices for Working Families serves as a resource to providers to navigate the business world and form lasting partnerships that will benefit the business community, afterschool programs, parents, and the youth who need these programs.
How Cross-Sector Collaboration are Advancing STEM Learning
Learn how to encompass schools, afterschool and summer programs, and community resources to provide a rich array of 21st century learning opportunities to the youth in your program.
Growing Young Minds: How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners
The Institute of Museum and Library Services
Mentoring
How to Build A Successful Mentoring Program Using the Elements of Effective Practice
This comprehensive tool kit from the National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) includes tools, templates and advice for implementing and adhering to the second edition of the Elements of Effective Practice—rigorous guidelines that, when followed, will help to ensure quality mentoring.
Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring
Research-informed and practitioner-approved best practices from the National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) for creating and sustaining impactful mentoring relationships and strong program service.
Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series
The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) is proud to facilitate the Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series. Through ongoing planning and evaluation of the latest developments in the field, this team delivers a webinar each month focused on strengthening mentoring practice, sharing new resources, and helping the field put research into practice. Below are the past recorded webinars. To view future webinars, view our events.
- Leveraging Mentoring to Support Black Male Achievement
- Using Research to Inform you Mentoring Program
- A New Lens for Mentoring: Trauma Informed Care
- Peer Mentoring: A Discussion with Experience Practitioners
- Including and Welcoming LGBTQ Youth in Mentoring Programs
- “They always come, and they never say goodbye:” Healthy Closure in Mentoring
- Innovative Recruitment: Creative Strategies for Finding Long-Term Mentors
- College Access Mentoring: Preparing Students for Graduation and Beyond
- Cultural and Class Conflicts in Mentor-Mentee Matches
- School-Based Mentoring: Strategic Interventions to Maximize Positive Youth Outcomes
- National Mentoring Month: Amplifying Your Voice
- Mentoring Youth from Military Families: Lessons Learned & Effective Strategies
My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Webinar Series
The National Mentoring Partnership has partnered with My Brother’s Keeper Alliance to provide some high-level technical assistance around best practices for designing effective mentoring services for boys and young men of color. Below are the past recorded webinars. To view future webinars, view our events.
- Cultural and Class Conflicts in Mentor-Mentee Matches
- Knowing Thyself- Must Know Me to Build an Effective We
- Overview of Mentoring Boys and Men of Color and Pathways to the Mentoring Effect
CiviCore MentorCore Youth
Manage the day-to-day needs of your mentoring program with CiviCore MentorCore Youth: a powerful online mentoring management application designed to streamline your agency processes.
The Mentor’s Field Guide: Answers You Need to Help Kids Succeed, Search Institute
This guide from the Search Institute explores best practices and case examples to help mentors find practical advice and inspiration.
Conversations on the Go: Clever Questions to Keep Teens and Grown-Ups Talking, Search Institute
This book from the Search Institute is filled with intriguing questions to encourage youth-adult conversations.
Partnering with the Community
Connecting with Community Partners
This self-directed module from Click2Science will give you tips on connecting with community partners to improve and support your STEM programming.
Core Principles for Engaging Young People in Community Change
This paper describes principles that can help build the capacity of organization and communities to ensure that all youth, particularly those least likely to succeed without help, believe that they have the responsibility and resources needed to make their communities better places for themselves, their families, and their peers.
Afterschool Training Toolkit: Involving Day Schools, Families, and Communities
This toolkit from the National Center on Quality Afterschool includes tips for afterschool programs to incorporate community partners in their programming and involve parents in their child’s afterschoool program.
Strengtening Partnerships and Building Public Will for Out-of-School Time Programs
– Wallace Foundation
Strengtening Partnerships Research Brief – You for Youth
A Community Toolkit to Address and Eliminate Chronic Absenteeism, U.S. Department of Justice
Homework Help Guidebook, David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality
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Linking School and Afterschool
Data + Out-of-School Time Partnerships = Student Success
The Data Quality Campaign explores in a video, infographic, and policy brief how secure data sharing can drive student success.
Linking School and After School: Strategies for Success
The author of this article discusses strategies she uses to link her afterschool program with the school.
Year-Round Learning: Linking School, Afterschool, and Summer Learning to Support Students
This research brief is designed to inform the discussion among policymakers and providers about how to expand learning time for today’s youth. Year-round learning consists of intentional, community-based efforts to connect school, afterschool, and summer learning.
Afterschool and the Common Core State Standards
This brief explores afterschool and the Common Core State Standards.
Transition to School and Afterschool
This video discusses what steps programs can take to help families successfully transition to school and afterschool, how families can make informed choices about afterschool opportunities, and what information families need in this process.
The In-School and Afterschool Social and Emotional Learning Connection: A Planning Tool, American Institutes of Research
Linking Schools and Afterschool Through Social and Emotional Learning, American Institutes of Research
Homework Help Guidebook, David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality
Did You Know?
Did you know that the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice have highlighted partnerships between community-based organizations and schools as one of the key elements of a quality afterschool program?
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