As the seasons change, so do the rhythms of out-of-school time programs. Each transition offers an opportunity to step back from day-to-day routines, reflect on recent successes and challenges, and prepare for what’s next. NAA members have exclusive access to our new guide, the OST Leader’s Guide to a Seasonal Reset, offering five ways to embrace a thoughtful refresh as a leader.

Want to get access to exclusive guides like the OST Leader’s Guide to a Seasonal Reset? Make sure you’re an NAA member today! Visit our member portal to register or renew an expired membership.

In the Fall 2025 edition of Afterschool Today, Katie Jacob and Elizabeth Robinson of Prime Time Palm Beach County explore how small moments of mentorship create lasting impact in The Ripple Effect of Mentorship in Out-of-School.

Their article spotlights Prime Time’s Quality Improvement System (PBC-QIS) and its 25-year commitment to strengthening afterschool programs by investing in the adults who lead them. Through one-on-one coaching, specialized training and sustained partnership, quality advisors help practitioners build the skills and confidence that directly shape young people’s experiences.

The result? Empowered adults who empower youth, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond a single program day.

Read the full article in the Fall 2025 issue of Afterschool Today to learn how mentorship fuels quality, belonging and opportunity across Palm Beach and Martin counties.

In recognition of National Mentoring Month, the National AfterSchool Association is excited to announce a new members-only resource, The Out-of-School Time Guide to Maximizing Mentorship for Professional Development and Personal Growth.

Mentorship plays a powerful role in the afterschool and out-of-school time (OST) profession. Whether you are new to the field, navigating a career transition, or growing into leadership, strong mentoring relationships can support confidence, clarity, skill-building, and long-term connection to the profession.

This guide is designed to help OST professionals be more intentional about mentoring, whether you are seeking a mentor, serving as one, or doing both. It explores why mentorship matters, how mentoring relationships evolve, and how to ensure those relationships are meaningful and effective.

Inside the guide, members will find:

• An overview of why mentorship is critical to professional development and personal growth
• Guidance on building the right mentorship experience based on your goals
• The three stages of mentorship and what to expect at each stage
• An exploration of different mentorship models and current trends in mentoring
• Four steps for finding the right mentor
• Six practical strategies to get the most out of a mentoring relationship
• Additional resources to support continued learning and connection

This resource will be available on January 30 in the NAA member resource library as an exclusive benefit of membership.

As a member, you can also help strengthen the field by encouraging colleagues and peers to join NAA. When professionals have access to tools like this guide and to our national community committed to learning, equity, and workforce sustainability, we all benefit.

During her Story Showcase talk at NAA24, Tyneisha Gibbs of NJSACC asked convention participants to be an example for young professionals in OST. She encouraged us to foster a supportive culture for young professionals by looking beyond initial impressions and attitudes; to invest in development and mentor for young professionals’ growth; and to be a sponsor for young professionals, someone who ”‘says [their] name in rooms before [their] feet ever enter them.”

Her message underscored a truth many in the field already know: mentorship and sponsorship are critical to attracting, supporting, and retaining talented professionals in OST. While the two are often discussed together, they serve distinct and complementary roles.

We know that sponsorship and mentorship are key to attracting and retaining successful young professionals. But what distinguishes a mentor from a sponsor? Catalyst defines the distinction this way: “Sponsors are advocates in positions of authority who use their influence intentionally to help others advance, while mentors provide advice, feedback, and coaching. Both are important to advancement as employees navigate the workplace and earn opportunities for growth.”

That distinction was reinforced at a 2025 Catalyst conference, “Accelerating Equity on All Fronts—So Women Thrive,” which urged leaders to build more gender-equitable workplaces from the front line to the C-suite. Speakers emphasized that career advancement, particularly for professionals from historically marginalized communities, depends heavily on leaders who are willing to offer guidance, open doors, and actively advocate.

Effective mentorship and sponsorship also require leaders to understand the specific barriers individuals face and to tailor their support accordingly. When done well, these relationships not only support individual growth but also strengthen organizational culture, leadership pipelines, and workforce stability.

To celebrate National Mentoring Month and support OST professionals in engaging more intentionally in mentoring relationships, the National AfterSchool Association is releasing a new members-only resource: The Out-of-School Time Guide to Maximizing Mentorship for Professional Development and Personal Growth. The guide will offer practical guidance on finding the right mentor, understanding different mentorship models, navigating the stages of mentorship, and getting the most out of mentoring relationships, whether you are seeking support, offering it, or both.

As the field continues to focus on workforce sustainability and equity, mentorship and sponsorship remain powerful tools for unlocking talent and ensuring professionals feel supported, seen, and valued. Look for the new OST Guide to Maximizing Mentorship when it is released to all NAA members on January 30!

In 2019, best-selling author and happiness expert Gretchen Rubin joined us at NAA Convention to share insights on human behavior, motivation, and the power of knowing how we respond to expectations. Her keynote struck a chord with afterschool professionals and leaders because her message was simple and powerful: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to growth and productivity.

As summer fades and school-year rhythms return, September often feels like a second chance at a fresh start — a new January, if you will. Whether you’re setting professional goals, launching a new program cycle, or simply looking to recharge, the energy of fall is a great time to hit reset.

So how do you make the most of it? Start by understanding how you work best. That’s where Rubin’s Four Tendencies framework can help.

The Four Tendencies sorts people into four categories based on how they respond to outer expectations (like deadlines or requests) and inner expectations (like personal goals or resolutions):

• Upholders respond well to both outer and inner expectations.
• Questioners need to understand the reason behind a rule or request.
• Obligers readily meet outer expectations, but struggle with their own.
• Rebels resist both inner and outer expectations; they value freedom and choice.

This self-knowledge can be transformative for afterschool professionals. Are you motivated by accountability, clarity, autonomy, or a combination? Once you know your Tendency, you can set up systems that actually work for you (and your team).

As Gretchen shared with NAA19 participants, we’re most successful when we work with our nature, not against it. September is a great time to embrace that insight and set goals that align with how we’re wired.

Find out your Tendency and take the free quiz here: gretchenrubin.com/four-tendencies

Do you ever wish you had a crystal ball that showed you how much it would cost to provide high-quality out-of-school-time programming for children and youth in your state or community? Do you want to use this information to guide strategic decisions for supporting children and funding the programs they need? Do you want to gain the skills, knowledge, and capacity to identify these costs yourself to better serve children and youth across your state or community? Children’s Funding Project invites you to join their national cohort designed to support partners in building their own cost modeling capacity and expertise.

What Is a Cost Model?
A cost model is a powerful data-driven tool that allows you to understand the true cost of a program or service and how that cost changes under different scenarios. Cost modeling empowers community and state leaders and advocates to put an accurate price tag on how much funding your community needs to support children and ensure the ongoing sustainability of programs. It also allows you to discern the cost impacts of policy or programmatic decisions and how best to invest your community or state’s dollars to support children and youth through high-quality services.

Who Should Participate?
We are seeking six to eight partners interested in building their cost modeling expertise by learning the following skills:

• Creating dynamic, data-driven, and flexible cost model tools.
• Maintaining and updating the cost model tool to ensure longevity.
• Incorporating data from interviews, surveys, and focus groups into a cost model.
• Understanding the true cost to implement, maintain, and/or expand out-of-school time services in a state or community.
• Assessing the cost and equity impact of different policy options or funding decisions.

The cohort will serve as a learning community to help state and local leaders and advocates build their own cost model through training from our team and collaboration with fellow cohort members. We encourage the following groups and entities to apply:

• Budget holders who want to understand how much money their state or locality should invest in out-of-school time programs to ensure equitable access to high-quality services.
• Nonprofit organizations that advocate on behalf of kids, especially those that function as intermediaries, coalitions, or networks that serve and/or organize other community-based providers.
• State or local government government agencies that are responsible for managing comprehensive out-of-school time programs and services for children and youth.
• Public school districts that often provide facilities, transportation, staff, and coordination to support accessible, high-quality programming for children and youth.

Click here to learn more.

Apply Today!
To learn more or apply to join the state and community cost modeling cohort, submit a three-page letter of interest no later than Wednesday, October 1. Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. Participants accepted into the cohort will begin working with the Children’s Funding Project team in November 2025 and will prepare a functional cost model for their state or community. Questions? Contact kate@childrensfundingproject.org.

For young professionals in youth development, career advancement isn’t just about skills and experience — it’s about relationships. In a recent issue of AfterSchool Today, Jazmine Lewis, founder and CEO of Jazzed Resolutions LLC, shares a powerful personal story of resilience and the lessons she learned about social capital.

After facing a tough job rejection despite her qualifications, Lewis discovered that networking and relationship-building were the missing keys to unlocking new opportunities. Now, as an advocate, she’s sharing four essential “gems” to help young professionals build their own social capital treasure chest: mentorship, coaching, sponsorship, and community.

Want to take control of your career journey? Read Lewis’s full article in AfterSchool Today and start building the connections that will shape your future.

Burnout isn’t just a workplace buzzword — it’s a very real challenge facing professionals in the out-of-school time (OST) field. The demands of balancing program planning, funding challenges, staff shortages, and meeting the needs of youth can take a significant toll.

According to the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey, 57% of respondents reported experiencing negative effects from workplace burnout, including emotional exhaustion (31%), lack of motivation to perform at their best (26%), withdrawal from coworkers (25%), and a desire to quit (23%).

The World Health Organization defines burnout as a phenomenon driven by chronic unmanaged stress and characterizes it in three ways: feelings of exhaustion, a negative outlook, and reduced efficacy.

While you should never assume you know the reason for a staff member’s burnout, exhaustion and cynicism are good indicators that burnout may be around the corner. In fact, research shows that burnout has six leading causes:

1. Workload
2. Control
3. Reward
4. Community
5. Fairness
6. Values

OST leaders are uniquely positioned to improve employee’s job quality, creating environments where staff feel supported, valued, and energized to continue their critical work with and for youth. The following strategies will help you proactively address burnout, retain top talent, and build a healthier, more resilient team culture.

To address workload issues, look to AI to streamline things. You may also consider environmental interventions like balancing work schedules with time off. And don’t be afraid to help team members learn to say “no” without feeling guilty.

Giving staffers a sense of control can look like offering flexible work hours to give employees a sense of empowerment over their schedule. You may also build organizational culture around flexible work schedules so that staff don’t spend time worrying about how they’re affecting coworkers. Offering coaching programs can increase your staff’s sense of control as well.

Reward staff consistently and often. Make it a priority, and be specific and sincere when giving praise. Don’t forget to link recognition to rewards like parking spaces and time off. Be sure to implement an equitable pay scale where compensation is proportional to contribution.

Build community by meeting regularly to hear a colleague present a project they’re working on. When the presenter has finished, the group is invited to respond with questions and comments. The end result is a collaborative exercise that builds community from within.

Promote fairness by asking staff for feedback. Send out pulse surveys to measure how your staffers view the fairness of their workplace, and leave space for comments and suggestions. Follow through by letting staff know how their comments will be used to make policy changes.

Honor staff values by helping them find meaning in their work. Encourage open and honest conversations at all levels to identify what is missing and where growth opportunities lie. Ask team members which projects get them engaged, and think about ways to expand on that excitement.

By using NAA’s OST Job Quality Standards to guide you in addressing the six leading causes of burnout, you’ll be able to rest assured that you’re being proactive in protecting and supporting your staff. This means of proactive leadership sends a clear message that well-being matters — not just productivity. When employees feel valued and empowered, they’re more likely to remain engaged, motivated, and committed to your organization’s mission.

Contributed by Amy Marquis.

In the fall 2024 edition of AfterSchool Today, Eva Jo Meyers spotlighted the experiences, advice, and best practices of Daren Howard, Jenny Hicks, and Sharon Ng. All three have extensive experience working with expanded learning programs, and they also all identify as neurodiverse and currently work in positions that advocate for inclusion and belonging for everyone.

Meyers offered their top tips for those who identify as neurodiverse and are looking for ways to advocate for themselves, as well as suggestions for those working with neurodiverse staff who want to be better allies.  

Tips for Neurodiverse Staff:

1. Know your rights. Federal law entitles you to reasonable accommodations. You can ask for these without disclosing your specific disability. “Your workplace may need some sort of evidence like a doctor's note indicating that a particular support would be helpful, but the narrow specifics of the disability don't have to be disclosed, and I think that this is really important for disabilities that come with stigma,” Daren, who is autistic, shares. As he points out, disclosing your disability “is a very personal choice, because you can't really put it back. I kept my diagnosis a secret for a long time because I was in leadership roles and didn't want to be discriminated against.” Because unconscious ableism often kicks in, he also suggests requesting accommodations through your HR department, who is trained to handle these requests, rather than through your supervisor.
2. Be familiar with the tools and accommodations that can help you succeed, and ask your workplace to provide them. Jenny, who has dyslexia, shared that a tool that reads out digital communications, a subscription to Grammarly, and a voice-to-text app all increase her ability to write and respond to emails more quickly. “The other key piece of accommodation is that it is actually an interactive process,” Daren points out. Be prepared with a list of exactly what you need.
3. Let your team know how you work best. “I need to hear noise when I’m working, it’s very helpful. I’m always wearing headphones. It can look like I’m being dismissive, but when I’m in my zone I’m listening to a podcast or music,” Sharon, who has ADHD, shares. Jenny, too, emphasizes this. “I share with people what I need; for example, writing is better for me to work on at 4 to 5 a.m., which requires me to have the support and opportunity to flex my work schedule, so by 10 a.m. I may have already worked for five hours at home. I work with my supervisor to set deadlines that provide extended time or flexibility like working from home that will ensure quality work.” Particularly if you are part of a team, make sure everyone is aware of your needs — and ask them what theirs are, too.

To read the rest of the tips for neurodiverse staff and those for supervisors, learning facilitators, and colleagues, click to view the fall 2024 edition of AfterSchool Today.

This week, the National AfterSchool Association released our newest member-exclusive resource, the Out-of-School Time Leader’s Guide to Leveraging Artificial Intelligence.

This new guide provides expert guidance, relevant use cases, and real-world examples for the use of artificial intelligence. Developed specifically for OST and afterschool leaders, the guide explores many different applications for AI beyond the obvious, including:

• Meetings and collaborations
• Operations and administration
• Programming and quality initiatives
• Communications
• Development and partnership building

GET THE GUIDE!

In September, we co-hosted a webinar with non-profit consultant Amy Marquis, who walked participants through the basics of ChatGPT and some examples of prompt engineering.

WATCH THE WEBINAR!

Unlike many AI guides or policies that primarily tell you what NOT to do, this guide offers responsible and practical tips you can use right away to enhance your work. It even dives into easy ways to leverage ChatGPT like it’s your personal assistant, offering a step-by-step guide to get you started. The example prompts are designed to be easily copy-pasted and edited directly in ChatGPT, allowing you to generate high-quality prompts tailored to your needs.

Click here to log into your NAA member account and view the guide today.

Last week, the National AfterSchool Association hosted the webinar An OST Leader’s Guide to Leveraging AI, presented by non-profit consultant Amy Marquis. In this webinar, attendees were given helpful, high-level tips on how to leverage artificial intelligence in their work in OST and afterschool.

NAA’s forthcoming Out-of-School Time Leader’s Guide to Leveraging Artificial Intelligence provides expert guidance, relevant use cases, and real-world examples for the use of artificial intelligence. Developed specifically for OST and afterschool leaders, the guide explores many different applications for AI, including:

• Meetings & Collaborations
• Operations & Administration
• Programming & Quality Initiatives
• Communications
• Development & Partnership Building

The guide also dives into easy ways to leverage ChatGPT like it’s your personal assistant and offers a step-by-step guide to getting started. Additionally, the example prompts are designed to be easily copy-pasted and edited directly in ChatGPT, allowing you to generate high-quality prompts tailored to your needs.

The Out-of-School Time Leader’s Guide to Leveraging Artificial Intelligence will be released by email on October 1, 2024 exclusively to all NAA members showing current membership by September 30. Need to check the status of your membership? Log into our member portal.

Did you miss the webinar or want to share this information with others on your team? View the webinar recording.

Change Up Learning is offering a new 30-minute self-paced course called Getting Ready to Work With Youth. This course is available to any youth-serving program across the country at no cost. Change Up Learning believes that foundational training on youth development fundamentals should be accessible to all new staff, just like basic health and safety training.

Learn more about Getting Ready to Work With Youth by viewing their informational flyer here.

Change Up Learning is powered by Change Impact, a passionate group of seasoned innovators in education, youth development, and technology. We represent the communities we serve, and have more than a decade of experience working together to drive equity for youth and their families. Change Impact is a minority- and woman-owned enterprise.

Join Flourish Lab for two free professional development workshops! On August 1, DE-ESCALATION will explore the predictable curve of escalation as well as strategies to employ and adult behaviors to avoid. On August 6, join BELONGING to discover the value of belonging and steps you can take to encourage it. Register for DE-ESCALATION or BELONGING today!

Registration for NAA25 opens next month, and the Call for Presenters will be announced soon after that. Have you ever wanted to submit a proposal for a session at NAA Convention but been worried about your skills as a presenter?

Eva Jo Meyers was an NAA23 Top Session Presenter, meaning that her session at NAA Convention scored among the highest of all sessions that year. On her website, Meyers offers some free tools and resources for those looking to jumpstart or deepen their facilitation skills, including the guide to Facilitating with a Trauma-Informed Lens.

Developed during the COVID-19 pandemic and #BlackLivesMatter movement, Meyers wrote a guide to facilitating virtual meetings that is grounded in trauma-informed practices. These critical practices, including Safety, Choice, Collaboration, Trustworthiness, and Empowerment, are designed to help foster resiliency and recovery in groups and individuals who have experienced extreme distress.

By integrating these practices into our meetings, we can positively impact our collective well-being — rather than compound our overwhelm — each time we launch our communication platform.

Click to view the guide to Facilitating with a Trauma-Informed Lens.

Are you a young professional, age 35 or younger, working in afterschool or out-of-school time? We want to hear from you! We know that you are likely seeking information, resources, and opportunities most relevant to your interests and career goals. Please consider completing this survey to help the National AfterSchool Association best serve you and other young professionals.

TAKE THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS SURVEY NOW

Register now for Building Strong Communities: Understanding and Investing in Today’s Youth-Serving Workforce on Wednesday, June 12, from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST.

This webinar, hosted by National League of Cities, national partners, and the City of Madison, WI, will explore the landscape of today's afterschool workforce. The discussion will highlight ways to support the afterschool workforce — even when programs are not facilitated directly by cities — and bright spots from cities who have found success, even without additional funding.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Webinar Speakers:

• Brandis Stockman; Program Manager, Education & Expanded Learning; National League of Cities
• Gina Warner ; CEO, National AfterSchool Association
• Gislene Tasayco ; TA Consultant, Youth, Education, and Community Development; American Institutes for Research
• Nathan Beck ; Madison-area Out of School Time (MOST) Coordinator; City of Madison, WI & Madison Metropolitan School District
• Sophie Kidd , Project Associate: Innovation & Outreach, Afterschool Alliance

Are you looking to build your STEM skills and credentials? You’re in luck! We’re partnering with ACRES to host workshops on micro-credential digital badges for OST professionals. ACRES’ amazing coaches provide free, 1-hour, live, interactive sessions.

Click here to register for the following STEM microcredential workshops:

• 1-2 p.m. Eastern Time, Wednesday, May 8, 2024
• 4-5 p.m. Eastern Time, Thursday, June 6, 2024

The competency-based STEM Facilitation Micro-Credentials offered through the NAA Professional Credentialing System align with NAA’s Core Knowledge Skills and Competencies and PEAR’s Dimensions of Success (DoS) Framework. OST staff who earn these micro-credentials are recognized for using practices that result in quality STEM programs that produce positive youth outcomes.

Join our next quarterly webinar to learn how you or your staff can develop and be recognized for STEM facilitation skills!

Are you looking to build your STEM skills and credentials? You’re in luck! We’re partnering with ACRES to host workshops on micro-credential digital badges for OST professionals. ACRES’ amazing coaches provide free,1-hour, live, interactive sessions. Click here to register for a STEM microcredential workshop at 6PM ET on March 6, 2024.

The competency-based STEM Facilitation Micro-Credentials offered through the NAA Professional Credentialing System align with NAA’s Core Knowledge Skills and Competencies and PEAR’s Dimensions of Success (DoS) Framework. OST staff who earn these micro-credentials are recognized for using practices that result in quality STEM programs that produce positive youth outcomes.

Join our next quarterly webinar to learn how you or your staff can develop and be recognized for STEM facilitation skills!

Are you looking to build your STEM skills and credentials? You’re in luck! We’re partnering with ACRES to host workshops on micro-credential digital badges for OST professionals. ACRES ’ amazing coaches provide free,1-hour, live, interactive sessions. Click here to register for a STEM microcredential workshop at 6PM ET on Wed., March 6, 2023 .

The competency-based STEM Facilitation Micro-Credentials offered through the NAA Professional Credentialing System align with NAA’s Core Knowledge Skills and Competencies and PEAR’s Dimensions of Success (DoS) Framework. OST staff who earn these micro-credentials are recognized for using practices that result in quality STEM programs that produce positive youth outcomes.

Join our next quarterly webinar to learn how you or your staff can develop and be recognized for STEM facilitation skills!

By Erika Petrelli Bayh, Senior Vice President of Leadership Development at The Leadership Program

I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard someone say some version of “Oh, I’m not the leader, so I can’t…”

As if there is just one way to be a leader.

I believe that all of us are leaders. Our leadership just shows up differently.

Because our leadership is in our impact.  

The impact we have on others, on our projects, on our teams. Everything in which we are a part, we influence. Whether we realize it or not.

Let me say that again: everything in which we are a part, we influence. 

Think about your relationships, your teams, your projects, the places where you work, live, and play. How do you show up? That’s your leadership. 

This is especially important for those of you who are not currently in what you would consider to be a position of leadership, and so wonder if you actually even have the ability to impact change. Without such a position, you might wonder — without the name badge, the corner office, the big whistle — does what you do or say even matter?

And this is where we talk about influence over authority.

The answer, in case you haven’t spotted it yet, is a resounding YES. Yes, what you say and do matters, and YES, you can have incredible influence on your team without any kind of formal position of authority.

So, the real question is not “Are you a leader?” The question is, “What kind of leader are you?” and “What do you want your impact to be?”

If you are still grappling with this idea that your leadership is present with you right now, and that you can have extraordinary lasting impact on your team and organization even without any formal authority, here are five tips to help you get there today.

1. Don’t Prove Yourself: BE Yourself

We so often feel that we have to “prove ourself” in order to get noticed and get promoted. But what are we usually trying to prove? That we are good enough, smart enough, fast enough. We are trying to prove that we what we already are… and sometimes we can get so caught up in the proving that we forget the doing. If we authentically just show up as we are, then we are naturally being good enough, smart enough, fast enough. When we’re not trying so hard to prove it and instead just being it — people will notice.

2. Grab The Opportunities That Arise

When we don’t have a current formal position of authority, it can be an easy excuse to say things like “well, I can’t impact change,” or “that’s above my paygrade,” but the truth is, opportunities will arise for you to suggest, innovate, or evolve systems — and you just have to grab onto them when they do. If you get asked to lead a staff meeting, do it. If you get asked your opinion about something, offer it. If you get asked to join a cross-departmental team on a special project, join it. The universe gives us ways to showcase our influence, but often we shut those opportunities down in the name of “Not My Job,” or “Don’t Have Time.”

3. Be A Phenomenal Listener

The people that people gravitate to the most are the people who listen best. Do a quick mental checklist of your favorite people, and you will see that this is true. So, if you want to increase your influence and impact at work, make sure you are the most phenomenal listener they’ve ever encountered. Make it a practice to be the most intentional, active, curious listener on your team, and your team will not be able to get enough of you.

4. Say “YES” Twice As Much As You Say “NO”

While we gravitate towards people who are amazing listeners, we gravitate away from people who are always or bringing a hard “NO” to any conversation. If you are naturally a “no” person, practice bringing some more “yes” into your life. If you intentionally sprinkle more “yes” into conversations with your team — “Yes, that’s a very interesting idea!” “Yes, you are right, it’s time for a new reporting system; let’s brainstorm what that could be” — people will see you as an open door instead of a closed one. And they will start to come to you more in order to brainstorm new ideas or work through problems.

5. Pause

When we are trying to exert leadership or influence, we can get spinning on a non-stop wheel of Very Important Work. So, don’t forget to pause. Pause to listen. Pause to look around you and assess what the people on your team might need. Pause and grab a cup of coffee with a colleague. Just pause. Take a breath. And then jump back in.

Your leadership is in your impact.

And what kind of impact will you have? That’s your choice.

So what kind of leader will you be today?

A leadership trainer, author, & adjunct professor, Erika has been in people-development for 30 years. She is the NYC-based The Leadership Program’s Senior VP of Leadership Development.

On Tuesday, Dec. 12, NAA hosted the webinar “Utilizing NAA’s Core Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies (CKSCs) and Self-Assessment Tool,” co-presented with Change Impact. A companion piece to the recently revised CKSC, this Self-Assessment Tool includes a series of workbooks, one for each CKSC content area. The workbooks encourage OST professionals to build their professional skills and competencies through reflection on practice, creating professional development plans, and embarking on a continuous professional development cycle.

To view the webinar recording please click here.

Special thank you to Jen Curry, Founder and CEO of Change Impact, for facilitating this workshop!

Other useful links shared during the webinar are are listed below: 

• Webinar slides
• Live and Self-Paced Professional Development courses from Change Impact

As you know, the National Afterschool Association is the professional membership association for people who work with and for youth during Out-of-School Time (OST). NAA is committed to providing its members with the resources and support they need to make a positive impact on the lives of young people, and our new membership model makes it easier than ever to find a membership option that fits your needs or those of your organization.

NAA offers several different options for those acquiring or renewing memberships.

• Individual Membership, $100: designed to meet the needs of individual committed afterschool professionals and leaders looking to grow professionally, expand their network and build or share their knowledge.
• Individual Pay-it-Forward, $150: for those who can pay a higher rate without hardship. Helps offset costs to ensure resources are widely accessible.
• Individual Reduced, $25: For individuals who work for small organizations or programs that can’t subsidize membership, make a modest income, and are purchasing their membership, or are just starting their OST careers.
• NEW! Organizational or Program Account: Setting up an organizational account lets your organization manage and pay for individual memberships for your employees.

Why join or renew NAA membership(s)?

• To learn, grow professionally, and expand  connections and circle of influence. NAA offers a variety of professional development opportunities, including conferences, webinars,and online courses. NAA also has a strong network of members who can provide you with support and mentorship.
• To contribute more broadly to the OST field. NAA is a leading advocate for OST programs and policies. Joining NAA h helps ensure that OST programs are high-quality and accessible to all young people.
• To support a thriving OST workforce because you believe in the power of afterschool. NAA is committed to developing and supporting the OST workforce.Joining NAA helps OST professionals have the resources and support they need to be successful.

Joining NAA is easy. Simply click here to choose the membership that is right for you. Join NAA today and amplify the difference you make!.

In addition to the benefits listed above, NAA members also receive:

• A subscription to NAA's award-winning Afterschool Today magazine
• Discounts on NAA products and services
• Access to NAA's online member community
• Eligibility for NAA scholarships and awards

NAA and AT&T are excited to announce the winners of The Achievery Scavenger Hunt!

First Prize: Eika Johnson of STEAM Street, LLC.
Second Prize: Carrie Ritchison of Hoosier Uplands
Third Prize: Brooke Decker of Delaware City Schools

Thank you to all those who participated in the scavenger hunt!

Click here to learn more and register for an account on The Achievery, a digital learning tool that can be integrated into classroom and afterschool curriculums. Last week, members of the inaugural The Achievery cohort presented the tools, resources, and curriculums that they have spent months developing as part of the cohort. These tools are designed to streamline and facilitate the use of The Achievery platform into OST programming. Those webinar recordings and associated resources will be shared with all NAA members in the coming weeks.

Created by AT&T in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery, The Achievery helps connect students to a new world of digital learning through stories that spark curiosity and content that entertains as well as teaches. The platform features clips from some of the most popular, well-loved movies, TV shows, and cartoons from Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network, paired with lessons and learning activities that students can engage with everywhere they are – at home, in the community, and the classroom. For more information, click here.

Networking is crucial for young professionals in any field, especially in out-of-school time (OST), where career pathways can be unclear. Many young people joining the OST profession do not realize the strong, fulfilling, and viable career paths available to them, often due to a lack of access to a network of professional connections. 

As career advancement and leadership pathways often depend on access to social networks, the National AfterSchool Association’s 2020 “Landscape of AfterSchool Leadership” Report notes the significant value of emerging leaders having strong networks with established community leaders, funders, consultants, and veteran nonprofit executives.

Strong social networks connect emerging leaders to current leaders, which can give young professionals a clearer idea of potential opportunities and connections to those who can offer guidance and support.

One effective way to help young professionals build social capital is by hosting network events tailored to the unique needs of young professionals. If you are part of an organization or committee tasked with organizing such an event, this guide will walk you through the six essential steps to host a successful young professionals networking event.

Click here to view the NAA Young Professionals Networking Event Guide