October 20 is Lights On Afterschool, a day that was started in 1999 by the Afterschool Alliance to celebrate and recognize the field of afterschool. It is widely celebrated within the out of school time community but rarely outside of it. This is one of the reasons this day exists- to increase awareness and shed light on the amazing work being done in the afterschool community.
THE AFTERSCHOOL COMMUNITY
Every year, over ten million children participate in afterschool activities. These activities include everything from sports to arts to academics. Some children participate every day while others participate once in a while. Some programs take place in the schools while others are located within the community. Some programs are run by national organizations and others are run by grandmas in church basements. The programs are as varied as the children they serve.
The benefits of afterschool programs are extensively studied and consistently positive. These positive outcomes range from increased academic performance, emotional intelligence, and civic responsibility to decreased social isolation, crime, and illegal drug use. The hours of 3:00-6:00 pm are the most important to deter juvenile crime and this is exactly what afterschool programs do.
As the field continues to grow both in numbers and quality, so does its positive impact with an increased focus on best practices and measurable outcomes. We’ve come a long way, baby!
But we have a long way to go.
For every child in an afterschool program, there are three others waiting for an available spot. These spots are inaccessible for a variety of reasons, the most common of which involve cost, transportation, and availability. A large focus of Lights On Afterschool is to bring attention to the continued need for more programming so that every child can benefit from a strong, healthy afterschool environment.
MY JOURNEY TO AFTERSCHOOL
Like many other afterschool professionals, I started my career in the classroom. After leaving the full-time classroom, I was reenergized by the joy and possibility that the afterschool field offered to build relationships with and support children in important and powerful ways. Forgive the cliché, but I feel like I had found my professional home.
Throughout the years, I have had countless colleagues similarly share their joy in discovering the field, wishing there were a way to study and enter it without having to first train as a classroom teacher. Many people who are interested in working with children enter teaching programs because for a long time, that has been the only option. This is slowly changing, with some degrees and graduate certificates being offered in youth development, but again, we have a long way to go.
THE CHALLENGES OF AFTERSCHOOL
Although many people are interested in working in afterschool, the field does not currently offer a sustainable career path for most. Nearly 2/3 of positions are part-time, and both part-time and full-time positions are criminally underpaid. There is often little room for upward mobility, and the hours are tough. All of this while serving children whose joys and struggles are hard to leave at the door.
Because of this, the afterschool field, staffed by 650,000 passionate, talented professionals, has a nearly 40% annual turnover rate (estimated to have reached as high as 60% during the pandemic). Like many of our most important societal roles, professionals in the afterschool space are underpaid and undervalued, often forced to work multiple jobs just to make the proverbial ends meet, and too frequently, being pushed out of the field to seek more opportunities, compensation, and benefits.
HOW TO SUPPORT THE AFTERSCHOOL FIELD
This year, and every year on Lights On Afterschool, you have the opportunity to recognize the amazing work being down in afterschool spaces across the country while advocating for the professionals within it which ultimately supports our children and communities. If you work in an afterschool program, you can plan a Lights on Afterschool event and register it HERE.
If you do not work in an afterschool program but want to support those who do and those they serve, you can:
- Find an event close to you where you can show your support and meet the amazing professionals running these programs.
- Wear yellow and blue to show solidarity and raise awareness of the afterschool field, joining such famous landmarks as the Empire State Building in New York, South Street Station in Boston, and the Superdome in New Orleans which will all be lit up to help celebrate the day.
- Advocate for the support afterschool programs need by reaching out to political candidates and legislators and telling them.
- Sign a petition for increased funding for afterschool programs.
- Post about your favorite afterschool program- one you attended, one your child(ren) attend(ed), one in your community- using the hashtag #LightsOnAfterschool.
- Sign up for Afterschool Alliance’s newsletter to stay up to date on all things afterschool
- Follow your state afterschool association for information and updates on what is going on throughout your state.
- Find an afterschool program in your community and offer to volunteer. You can tutor, mentor, chaperone a trip, teach a class, serve on a career panel…there are countless ways to share your time and talent.
- Make a financial donation to a program of your choice.
Afterschool programs and the professionals who run them contribute positively to the community- to your community in countless and important ways. Help support and uplift them through your time, talent, or treasure. There is always a need and you truly can make a difference.
To the afterschool professionals out there: thank you for all that you do. You deserve to be recognized and celebrated today and every day! Keep up the amazing work and keep advocating for improved conditions so you can keep on doing it!
To the decision-makers in the field– funders, legislators, and boards: the future of this field which means the future of our children depends on a workforce who is trained, compensated and supported. We need a systemic overhaul to combat the devastating rates of staff turnover in this field. Fund programs in a way that allows for competitive compensation and continued training for staff. Start by funding more full-time positions.
To the program leaders: Serve your students by supporting your staff. Compensate them ethically and competitively. Advocate to your board and your funders. Provide the growth and support necessary to retain high-quality talent. There is so much wisdom, passion, and brilliance in this field. Ensure that supervisors, managers, and directors are trained and supported to lead effectively. Make sure you are trained and supported to lead effectively.
Our children deserve the very best we have to offer. Invest in afterschool professionals to fulfill the promise of serving every child in the way they deserve. Lights On Afterschool is a great day to start. Every other day is the best way to continue.
