BUILDing Better
Futures:
Using Afterschool to Engage Youth
and Connect Them to a Network of
Supports
Presenters:
Alexis Steines
Dr. Roslind Blasingame - Buford
How are you engaging
youth out of school /
afterschool?
About the Afterschool Alliance
• National non-profit based in DC
• Wide & deep reach at the grassroots & grasstops
o Work with more than 25,000 program providers
o 42 statewide afterschool networks
o 100+ Afterschool Ambassadors at the city level
o Bipartisan afterschool caucus in House & Senate
• Systems-building approach:
1
Field-Building
2
3
Research
Policy, Advocacy &
Communications
What is afterschool?
• A program that a child attends regularly
• Provides a supervised, enriching environment in the
hours after the school day ends
• Usually offered in a school or a recreation /
community center
• Different from individual activities, such as sports,
special lessons or hobby clubs
As defined in America After 3 PM: A Household Survey on
Afterschool In America, 2009
America After 3PM
America After 3PM
2009 Compared to 2004
National Percentages
2009
2004
Kids in Afterschool Programs
15%
11%
Kids in Self Care
26%
25%
Kids in Sibling Care
14%
11%
89%
91%
38%
30%
Parents Satisfied with
Afterschool Program
Kids Who Would Participate if
a Program were Available
Kids in Summer Learning
Programs
25%
--
• 8.4
million kids
participate in
afterschool
programs
• 15.1 million
kids on their own
after school
•New American
After 3 data this
fall!
New Research on Afterschool Outcomes
New research from Dr. Deborah Lowe Vandell, UC Irvine School of Education
BUILD HISTORY
•
BUILD’s programs have served more than 90,000 youth throughout our 45
years of existence.
•
Landmarks of our growth include:
–
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–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
•
1969 – BUILD established
1973 – Prevention Program Launched
1982 – Community Development Program began
1993 – Project BUILD created
2000 – Initiated our Teen REACH After-School Program
2002 – Youth Council started
2003 – Launched BUILDing Futures
2006 – Formalized the BUILD Model
2007 – Talent Search began
2009 – Humboldt Park Cluster Pilot Launched
2012 – Launched Health & Wellness Program
2013 - Brand BUILD Arts Academy (B.B.A.A.) created
2014 – BUILDing Communities Together (BCT) formalized
Today BUILD is in 11 communities, serving over 3,000 youth annually.
BUILD Mission & Vision
•
MISSION: BUILD engages at-risk youth in the schools and on the
streets so they can realize their educational and career potential and
contribute to the stability, safety and well-being of our communities.
•
VISION: By 2020, BUILD will be recognized and sought out nationally
as a premier provider of proven-effective Youth Development services
targeted for at risk youth and communities. BUILD’s youth will serve
as ambassadors, living examples of how the BUILD Model transforms
youth from “at risk” to “at hope” and, ultimately, to respected,
contributing members of society.
Population Served
•
•
Ages (6-27)
Risk Factors include:
– Behavior and academic
problems in school
– Negative use of out-ofschool time
– Location of residence
– Family issues
– Youth not enrolled in
school
– Youth or Family members
affiliated with gangs
– Youth or Family members
involved in juvenile or
criminal justice system
• Neighborhoods
1. Belmont Cragin
2. Hermosa
3. Logan Square
4. Austin
5. Humboldt Park
6. West Town
7. Near North
Side/Cabrini Green
8. East Garfield Park
9. North Lawndale
10. Brighton Park
11. Englewood
“At-Hope” Youth
At BUILD, We focus on the tremendous potential
and deliver the message that we believe our youth
will accomplish great things.
BUILD’s Programs
• Prevention
•
– In-School Activities
– After- and Out-of-School Activities
– Community Outreach
• Intervention
– Gang/Violence Remediation
– Project BUILD
– BUILD Peace Leagues
• BUILDing Futures
•
– College Access
– Career Readiness
– BUILDing Bridges to Manhood
– Becoming Women
– Brand BUILD
Youth Leadership
Development (Under
BUILDing Futures)
– Youth Council: “INDAGLO”
(The Light Within the
Darkness)
– Y-MAD (Youth Making A
Difference)
– HEY-U (Highly Empowered
Youth United)
Special Projects
– Humboldt Park Cluster
Model
– East Garfield Cluster
Model
– Culture of Calm Initiative
– YESS Program
BUILD’s Programs (cont’d)
• Health & Wellness
– Affordable Care Act (ACA)
– Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do It! (MEND)
• BUILDing Communities Together (BCT)
– Data Collection
– Program Evaluation
– Capacity BUILDing
– Leadership Development
BUILD Model
Why we’re successful: M&M’s
 Meet YOUTH Where They are …
 Make a Genuine Connection…
 Master Their Needs & Interests…
 Maintain Positive Relationships….
 Move Them from Margins to Mainstream
 Motivate them to Become Program Ambassadors…
BUILD Methodologies
Positive Youth Development
(PYD) builds on the assets of
youth rather than the deficits.
Positive
Youth
Development
Asset-Based Community
Development (ABCD): Working
in partnership with others to
provide youth with all the
resources needed.
StrengthBased
Change
Model
Asset Based
Community
Development
Appreciative
Inquiry
Appreciative Inquiry (AI): A way
of bringing about change that
shares leadership and learning
The 4 stages of AI are:
Discovery, Dream, Design and
Destiny.
Performance Management
•
•
•
BUILD’s Commitment to Data
– Center for Latino Research at DePaul University (mid-1990’s)
– Loyola University (1999)
– Illinois Center for Violence Prevention (2006)
– University of IL at Chicago, Masters of Youth Development Program (2012)
– Evaluation for Change (2013)
Systems & Tools
– Group Activity Reports
– Youth Profile
– Youth Life Plan Self-Assessment & Reflection
– Health Assessment
– Mutual Accountability Plan (MAP)
– Efforts to Outcomes (ETO)
Accomplishments & Highlights
– Chicago ETO User Group
– Perform Well webinar (Performance Management to Becoming Evidence-Based)
– After the Leap Showcase in Washington, D.C.
– MetLife Award
BUILD Designations & Replication
Designations:
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“Promising Practice” (Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention)
“Exemplary Practice” (Chicago Community Trust)
“Innovative Practice” (Department of Education Trio Programs)
“Effective Programs” (Office of Justice Programs)
“Four-Star Charity” (Charity Navigator)
Model Replication:
Department of Public Health (Minneapolis, MN)
Luz Social Services (Tucson, AZ)
The Prevention & Addictions (Corpus Christi, TX)
International Center for Conflict Engagement (Houston, TX)
Advocating for Afterschool
 Things
to think about:
 What are your immediate goals? Long-term,
short-term, immediate?
 Who are your allies? Who supports summer
learning or afterschool in your community?
 Who are you targeting?
 How do you plan to get the attention of each
target?
Key Messages
•
Afterschool programs:
• Keep kids safe
• Engage kids in learning
• Help working families
At their best when they complement but don’t
replicate the school day
•
Afterschool programs are also community-school
partnerships
•
Questions?
Dr. Roz Blasingame-Buford
Executive Director
BUILD
773-227-2880
contactus@buildchicago.org
rblasingame@buildchicago.org
FACEBOOK: BuildChicago
Twitter: @BUILD_ Chicago
Alexis Steines
Field Outreach Manager
Afterschool Alliance
202-347-2030
asteines@afterschoolalliance.org
Facebook: afterschoolalliancedc
Twitter: @afterschool4all