Note: Tissues recommended.
Like so many of you, I first experienced the power of the NAA community through Convention. The interesting part is...I didn't even attend that particular Convention!
As National AfterSchool Association’s new Director of Advocacy and Workforce Initiatives, I am working to bring together stakeholders from across the country to better support afterschool professionals and increase job quality. I hope you continue to engage in this conversation and join me at the National Afterschool Association Convention, March 20-23, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The OST field is often on the front lines. We’re a primary point of contact for youth and their families, which makes us integral to supporting families in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. Education about eligibility requirements, efficacy and safety are essential components, but removing obstacles and facilitating access may be even more important.
In 2020, given the Movement for Black Lives, the rise in hate crimes against Asian-Americans, immigrants, and members of the transgender community, and numerous injustices that, while not new, were finally being recognized more broadly, NAA doubled down its focus on building equity, access, and connections.
The non-profit and youth development sector is in a hiring quandary. As we all begin the slow and deliberate process of returning to in-person programming, it's getting harder and harder to fill positions.
The NAA Convention is all about opportunity. With members of the field coming together and top-quality, engaging sessions covering almost any topic you can think of, it's easy to see why connections and learning are the highlights of Convention. Participants leave saying, "I found my people ... and learned a lot, too!"
The staff and Board of the National AfterSchool Association are pleased to announce the hiring of Angelica Portillo (she/her) as the Association’s new Director of Advocacy and Workforce Initiatives.
NAA22 Convention planned for March 20-23, 2002 will bring the field together in UNITY as an OST commUNITY and with that, bring so much opportUNITY! Two afterschool professionals share their experiences about how presenting and participating at NAA Convention changed their perspectives and professional trajectories.
The National AfterSchool Association Corporate Advisory Board (CAB), which was established to help further the goals and mission of NAA and to educate and encourage corporate investment in afterschool programming, have announced Syndy Lynch, Director of Sales Operations for the Business Development team in the Education Technology division of Texas Instruments Incorporated, as their chair.
The violent breach of the US Capitol on January 6, in addition to the many number of other upsetting events that occurred in 2020, could leave youth—especially those who have experienced systemic inequity and marginalization—feeling dismayed, unsafe and targeted.
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